President-elect Donald Trump's legal team is requesting Judge Juan Merchan to dismiss the New York hush money case in light of Trump's recent reelection victory. In a formal letter submitted to the court, Trump's defense attorney Todd Blanche, who is also the president-elect's nominee for deputy attorney general, argues that Trump's reelection 'mandates' the dismissal of the case.
The letter asserts that just as a sitting President is shielded from criminal proceedings, President Trump, in his capacity as President-elect, should also be immune from such legal actions. Trump's lawyers contend that allowing the case to proceed would be highly disruptive and could impede the functioning of the government in both domestic and foreign affairs.
The legal team representing Trump has requested an extension until December 20 to file a motion to dismiss the case, citing the need to review the Department of Justice's stance in the related federal case. Special counsel Jack Smith is expected to present a plan to conclude the federal cases against Trump by December 2.
Furthermore, the letter indicates that Trump's legal team intends to pursue appeals at the federal level in addition to seeking dismissal at the state level. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office had proposed a deadline of December 9 for the case, but Trump's lawyers are seeking additional time for their filing.
Earlier this week, the Manhattan DA's office expressed willingness to postpone sentencing until after Trump's four-year term concludes but emphasized its opposition to any attempts to dismiss the case entirely.
