The motion argues sentencing should be delayed because the judge has a major decision due September 16.
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As a September 18 sentencing looms, Trump on Thursday filed his 12th hush-money delay request.He cites a pending immunity decision and the judge’s daughter’s work for Democratic candidates.The delay request comes one day after the judge criticized Trump for repeating failed legal efforts.
Lawyers for Donald Trump on Thursday filed their 12th hush-money delay request, this time asking to delay his September 18 sentencing until after Election Day.
The two-page request came just days after the judge in the case rejected the defense team’s third request that he recuse himself from the case and criticized Trump for repeating failed legal efforts.
Thursday’s defense adjournment motion to New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan — the Manhattan judge who has presided over the case since the GOP presidential candidate’s March, 2023 indictment — again repeated previously failed arguments.
It argues that sentencing should be delayed because the judge has a major decision pending on September 16 on whether the case should be tossed in its entirety due to Trump’s newly-bestowed immunity from prosecutions based on official acts.
The motion also repeats an argument rejected by the judge Wednesday, when he declined to recuse himself (for a third time) because his daughter has worked as a political consultant for Democratic candidates, including years ago for presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
The motion makes specific mention of Loren Merchan’s work as a minority partner at the Chicago-based political consultancy firm Authentic, where she worked on the Harris presidential campaign in 2019.
The firm was founded by Democratic activist Mike Nellis, who organized the July 30 “White Dudes for Harris” online fundraiser. Trump’s lawyers now say that this connection — the judge having a daughter who works for Nellis who prominently campaigns and fundraises for Harris — is being ignored by the judge.
“Michael Nellis, a business partner of Your Honor’s daughter at Authentic Campaigns (and Authentic’s founder), posted on social media about, inter alia, making maximum donations to the Harris campaign and using his clout with that campaign to get [Harris running-mate Tim] Walz to ‘talk on our White Dudes for Harris call last week,'” the delay motion complains.
Asked for comment, Nellis declined, saying a letter he filed this month to the House Judiciary Committee “speaks for itself.” The letter, a copy of which Nellis tweeted on Tuesday, describes the limits of Loren Merchan’s work on behalf of Harris.
“There is no valid countervailing reason for the court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar,” reads the motion, signed by Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove.
“There is no basis for continuing to rush. Accordingly, we respectfully request that any sentencing, if one is needed, be adjourned until after the Presidential election,” it continued.
This story has been updated to add more detail.
