Month: November 2024

Prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office said on Tuesday that while they oppose President-elect Trump’s attempt to dismiss his criminal hush money conviction in New York, they do not object to postponing sentencing in the case.

The district attorney’s office instead suggested deferring all remaining proceedings in the case until after Trump leaves the White House in 2029. Lawyers for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg wrote in a letter to Justice Juan Merchan that Trump should not be sentenced for his crimes, stating: “consideration must be given to various non-dismissal options that may address any concerns raised by the pendency of a post-trial criminal proceeding during the presidency, such as deferral of all remaining criminal proceedings until after the end of defendant’s upcoming presidential term … The People deeply respect the Office of the President, are mindful of the demands and obligations of the presidency, and acknowledge that Defendant’s inauguration will raise unprecedented legal questions. We also deeply respect the fundamental role of the jury in our constitutional system.”

The sentencing in Trump’s criminal case is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 26. Defense attorneys have asked New York Judge Juan Merchan to dismiss the case ahead of Trump’s impending inauguration. Trump’s defense lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove said in a filing made public Tuesday that the case must be dismissed because a sitting president is immune from prosecution: “To require President Trump to address further criminal proceedings at this point would not only violate the federal Constitution, but also disrupt the Presidential transition process.  There is no material difference between President Trump’s current status after his overwhelming victory in the national election and that of a sitting President following inauguration.”

Prosecutors said in their filings, however, that they intend to oppose any effort by Trump to dismiss his case outright. Trump’s lawyers said in a previous letter that they would do so, claiming his election meant the case might cause “unconstitutional impediments to President Trump’s ability to govern. ”

Judge Merchan was tentatively scheduled to sentence Trump later this month on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He will have the final say regarding the next steps in the case.

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Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said Tuesday that the bill she introduced to ban transgender women from using female bathrooms at the U.S. Capitol is a direct response to the election of Sarah McBride, who will become the first openly transgender person in Congress. On Monday, Mace introduced a resolution to prohibit any lawmakers and House employees from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.”

When asked by reporters at the Capitol on Tuesday if the bill she introduced was in response to McBride, Mace said: “Yes, and absolutely. And then some. I’m not going to stand for a man, you know, someone with a penis, in the women’s locker room. I’m absolutely 100% gonna stand in the way of any man who wants to be in a women’s restroom, in our locker rooms, in our changing rooms. I will be there fighting you every step of the way.”

McBride, a Democrat from Delaware, didn’t respond to questions on the topic as she entered the House Democratic caucus meeting Tuesday morning.  However on Monday in a post on X, McBride said: “This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing. Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness.”

GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia called McBride a “biological man” and said she had confronted House Speaker Mike Johnson at during the House Republican Conference meeting Tuesday morning about what “men in leadership” would do to address their concerns. Greene said: “you know, Sarah McBride … should not be using any of our restrooms in the Capitol, in our office buildings. But Nancy Mace’s resolution doesn’t go far enough. A resolution is just a statement by Congress saying that Congress disagrees with something we need, something more binding. And that’s what I just brought up at the microphones there — in our conference, I directly asked Speaker Johnson what the men in our leadership are going to do about this, because this this has to be stopped.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday that Republicans are trying to resolve the issue but that they will make accommodations for McBride: “This is an unprecedented matter, so we’re going to, we’ll find a resolution that that solves the problem, but we’re working on that … and stay tuned for how we respond. We welcome all new members with open arms who are duly elected representatives of the people. I believe it’s a command we treat all persons with dignity and respect …. this is an issue that Congress has never had to address before. We’re going to do that in a deliberate fashion with member consensus on it, and we will accommodate the needs of every single person.”

Editorial credit: Philip Yabut / Shutterstock.com