President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge in New York Friday for his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The sentencing hearing began at 9:30 a.m. EST. Trump will become the first president to be sentenced on criminal charges. Trump is attending virtually from his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida.
The verdict followed the recommendation of the prosecution, according to CNN, CBS News and NBC News. While Trump has been referred to as a convicted felon since the court’s unanimous verdict came down last spring, in the eyes of the judiciary he must be sentenced to complete his conviction. A sentence of unconditional discharge does that.
“This has been a truly extraordinary case,” New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan remarked during sentencing. “Once the courtroom doors were closed, the trial itself was no more special, unique, and extraordinary than the other 32 cases in this courthouse.”
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass recommended a sentence of unconditional discharge, meaning Trump would not be imprisoned or placed on parole.
When Merchan ruled Monday that he will not delay the sentencing hearing any further, he said he will not sentence Trump to any jail time. Trump faced the possibility of jail time, house arrest and probation.
Steinglass said Trump has made great efforts to discredit the judicial system and done harm to its credibility since his conviction, also showing no remorse for his crimes.
When it was time for the defense to speak, Trump repeated an accusation he has often made about investigations into his actions and prosecutions against him, calling it a “political witch hunt.”
The sentencing, originally slated for July 11, has long been delayed as Merchan and Manhattan District Attorney gave deference to Trump’s campaign for president. Trump’s last-ditch efforts to push off the hearing, perhaps completely, failed when the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his request to stop it.
The high court ruled 5-4 against Trump with conservatives Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining the three liberal justices.
Trump posted on social media that he will appeal.
Trump’s conviction stems from attempting to hide hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his first campaign for president. (UPI)
