Judge Merchan gave Trump an unconditional discharge, which means that no penalties were imposed.
NEW YORK CITY—New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan on Jan. 10 gave President-elect Donald Trump an unconditional discharge in his sentencing in the business records case.
It’s a largely symbolic sentence that means that Trump does not face any penalties beyond having a conviction entered in his legal record. Merchan declined to impose any term of imprisonment or fines.
“It is the legal protections afforded to the office of the president of the United States that are extraordinary, not the occupant,” Merchan said as Trump listened during a virtual appearance.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass described Trump’s conduct throughout the case as a “direct attack on the rule of law itself.” He chastised Trump, suggesting the president-elect has made threats of retaliation against those who wronged him in legal matters.
When the state said that Trump sought to influence the election by unlawful means, Trump shook his head. The state’s statement focused on how Trump had expressed disdain for institutions and how he has been unrelenting in unsubstantiated attacks and argued that the president-elect’s threats were designed to have a chilling effect.
Still, Steinglass said an unconditional discharge is the “most practical sentence prior to his inauguration.”
Trump and his attorney Todd Blanche—whom he nominated as deputy attorney general—were on screen from Florida during the hearing. Trump was sporting a suit jacket and a red-striped tie. Behind them were two American flags.
While the defense also favored a sentence of unconditional discharge, Blanche rebutted the prosecution.
“I very, very much disagree with much of what the government just said about this case, about the legitimacy of what happened in this courtroom during this trial, and about President Trump’s conduct fighting this case,” he said.
Blanche said his team would appeal and that it wasn’t the appropriate time to bring the case, describing the proceedings as a sad day for the country.
Trump, appearing virtually via Teams, spoke next.
“This has been a very terrible experience. I think it has been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system,” he said, describing the case as a “political witch hunt.”
By Sam Dorman and Jacob Burg
