Former Prez Trump’s state sentencing date push to week of Thanksgiving

As reported in this New York Times piece, the “judge overseeing Donald J. Trump’s criminal case in Manhattan postponed his sentencing until after Election Day, a significant victory for the former president as he seeks to overturn his conviction and win back the White House.”  Here is more from the start of the article:

In a ruling on Friday, the judge, Juan M. Merchan, rescheduled the sentencing for Nov. 26. He had previously planned to hand down Mr. Trump’s punishment on Sept. 18, just seven weeks before Election Day, when Mr. Trump will face off against Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.

While the decision will avert a courtroom spectacle in the campaign’s final stretch, the delay itself could still affect the election, keeping voters in the dark about whether the Republican presidential nominee will eventually spend time behind bars.

It is unclear whether sentencing Mr. Trump in September would have helped or harmed him politically; his punishment could have been an embarrassing reminder of his criminal record, but could have also propelled his claims of political martyrdom.

Justice Merchan’s decision came at the request of Mr. Trump, who had asked to delay the sentencing until after the election, partly so he had more time to challenge his conviction. Prosecutors working for the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, who brought the case, had deferred to the judge, paving the way for at least a brief postponement.

UPDATE: I have now seen this letter released by Justice Merchan to explain his adjuornment decision. Here are a few key passages:

‘This matter is one that stands alone, in a unique place in this Nation’s history, and this Court has presided over it since its inception — from arraignmcnt to jury verdict and a plenitude of motions and other matters in-between.  Were this Court to decide, after careful consideration of the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump, that this case should proceed, it would be faced with one of the most critical and difficult decisions a trial court judge faces — the sentencing of a defendant found guilty of crimes by a unanimous jury of his peers….

Unfoftunately, we are now at a placeirn time that is fraught with complexities rendering the requirements of a sentencing hearing, should one be necessary, difficult to execute.  Thus, in accordance with certain of the grounds submitted by Defendant and the reasons for adiournment provided by the People coupled with the unique time frame this matter currently finds itself in, the decision on the CPL § 330.30 motion and the imposition of sentence will be adjourned to avoid any appearance — however unwarranted — that the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching Presidential election in which the Defendant is a candidate.