Donald Trump blasted Judge Juan Merchan on Friday after he released an order for the president-elect to be sentenced ahead of his inauguration. Trump called the prosecution, which relates to falsified business records, a “witch hunt” and an “illegitimate political attack.”
Trump used his social-media platform, Truth Social, to launch the attack.
“Every Legal Scholar and Pundit, including the highly respected, and sadly recently passed, David Rivkin, as well as Jonathan Turley, Elie Honig, Andy McCarthy, Alan Dershowitz, Gregg Jarrett, Elizabeth Price Foley, Katie and Andy Cherkasky, Paul Ingrassia, and many others, have unequivocally stated that the Manhattan D.A.’s Witch Hunt is a nonexistent case, which is not only barred by the Statute of Limitations but, on the merits, should never have been brought,” Trump said.
He went on to describe the case as a “rigged charade” and called Merchan a “radical partisan.”
“Merchan has so little respect for the Constitution that he is keeping in place an illegal gag order on me, your President and President Elect, just so I cannot expose his and his family’s disqualifying and illegal conflicts,” Trump continued.
“I am the only Political Opponent in American History not allowed to defend myself – A despicable First Amendment Violation!”
President Trump’s legal team have said that Merchan’s order is a violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.
Steven Cheung, Trump’s Communication Director, said in a statement, “Today’s order by the deeply conflicted, Acting Justice Merchan in the Manhattan DA Witch Hunt is a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence. This lawless case should have never been brought and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed.
“President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts. There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.”
Merchan has already said that he will not give Trump a prison sentence, but is considering “a sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options.”