From PBS NewsHour.

he judge in President-elect Donald Trump’s hush money case sentenced him Friday to unconditional discharge, meaning that he will not serve any jail time. Yet, the incoming president will still be the first person convicted of a felony that U.S. president to be convicted of a felony.

Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan noted that "never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances."
Yet, the judge said, despite the extraordinary facts related to the case, the trial itself was just like any other proceeding.

“It is the legal protections afforded to the office of the president of the United States that are extraordinary, not the occupant,” Merchan said.

Trump is set to be sworn in as president on Jan. 20 for a second non-consecutive term after winning the 2024 election. During the proceedings Friday, Trump maintained that he did nothing wrong.

“It’s been a political witch hunt,” Trump said. “It was done to damage my reputation so that I would lose the election, and obviously, that didn’t work.”
Last year, a Manhattan jury convicted Trump on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign.

William Brangham has more. Tap the link in our bio for more.

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