Trump to be sentenced over hush cash conviction immediately as inauguration looms after Supreme Court verdict: Live

“Any undischarged portion of the sentence” has the potential to interfere with his presidency, Steinglass said.

“The most practical sentence is an unconditional discharge,” as Judge Merchan has drawn up, he continued.

“The American public has the right to a presidency unencumbered” by criminal proceedings and obligations, Steinglass added.

The sentencing will “cement the defendant’s status as a convicted felon.”

For the prosecution, Steinglass says:“The sanctity of a jury’s verdict and deference to it is a bedrock principle in our nation’s jurisprudence.”

He adds that Trump’s “conduct also merits consideration.”

“Instead of preserving, protecting, and defending” our criminal justice system the “once and future president of the U.S.” has launched a “coordinated campaign to undermine its legitimacy.”

“Far from expressing remorse,” Trump has “purposefully bred disdain for the rule of law.”

He has “encouraged others to reject jury verdicts” with rhetoric that has “only ratcheted up” in the months that followed.

“He has been unrelenting in substantiated attacks” against the court, prosecutors and their families, and the jury.

“Put simply, this defendant has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system.”

According to Steinglass, the officer reported in the probation report that Trump sees himself “as above the law. “

Judge Merchan confirms that everyone has a copy of a proposed probation report. Blanche says he disagrees with some of the procedural history, “but otherwise, given what we expect today,” he has nothing to add.

The parties are flipping through it.

Donald Trump and his attorney, Todd Blanche, appear on small video monitors with U.S. flags behind them. They are in Florida. The president-elect’s other attorney, Emil Bove, is in the courtroom in person.

A small photo pool was allowed inside to capture that, so hopefully, we can share those pictures with you soon.

Trump is wearing his big red tie. Blanche is smiling and nodding. Judge Juan Merchan is in, and we are seated.

Joshua Steinglass and Matthew Colangelo are here for the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

There’s also a small counter-protest of Trump supporters.

The prosecution and defense teams have arrived in the courtroom.

Two sets of 10 rows are packed with reporters and attorneys, and court sketch artists are sitting in the jury box, diagonally from where Trump would be sitting, if he were here. Bright fluorescent lights give the room an uncanny glow compared to the harsh blue coming from a few tall windows on the right side of the room. Brass letters reading IN GOD WE TRUST hang about 10 feet above the judge’s bench, where Justice Juan Merchan will be seated in about 15 minutes.

Four large TV monitors are pointed at the audience. Five court officers are prowling the floor.

The president-elect’s sentencing hearing should be getting underway in Manhattan Criminal Court within the next 15 minutes – we’ll bring you all the latest developments from there as they happen.

We’re hearing there will be an audio file of the whole event released later today, which should make for interesting listening.

In the meantime, please enjoy this masterpiece cover from The New Yorker.

If you’re just joining us this morning, here’s Alex Woodward’s latest dispatch from the courtroom in Lower Manhattan to get you up to speed:

A brief refresher on why we’re here: On May 30, a jury of 12 New Yorkers unanimously voted to convict Trump on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in connection with a scheme to unlawfully influence the 2016 presidential election.

Trump falsified accounting records to cover up his reimbursement payments to then-attorney Michael Cohen, who paid Stormy Daniels “hush money” to stop her from going public with her story about having sex with Trump in 2006.

Trump was initially due to be sentenced in July, but after a series of appeals and arguments surrounding the Supreme Court’s “immunity” ruling that month, the sentencing was delayed. It was delayed again after his election victory thrust his criminal cases into unprecedented territory.

This month, Merchan said the best way to wrap up the case and preserve the jury’s verdict before his inauguration, when things get even more complicated, is to issue a sentence without any penalty of jail, fines, or probation.