The New York criminal case against President-elect Donald Trump has taken a bizarre turn, with the state court judge ordering sentencing to proceed on January 10, 2025-just ten days before Trump’s inauguration. Judge Juan Merchan’s decision to sentence Trump to an unconditional discharge underscores the politically motivated nature of this case, highlighting that the indictment of Trump on 34 felony counts was pure lawfare from the start.

On January 3, Judge Merchan issued an 18-page order denying Trump’s motion to vacate the jury’s verdict and dismiss the charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Trump’s legal team argued that the charges were baseless and politically motivated, invoking President Biden’s own words when he pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, for a decade’s worth of alleged crimes: “Enough is enough.” Trump’s attorneys emphasized that “this case, which should never have been brought, must now be dismissed.”

Trump’s legal team raised numerous points highlighting the flawed nature of the case. They pointed out Judge Merchan’s potential conflicts of interest, including his donations to the Biden campaign and his daughter’s financial ties to Democratic campaigns, including Kamala Harris’s. Additionally, they highlighted the DA’s misuse of evidence, particularly regarding actions Trump took while serving as president-actions protected under the Supreme Court’s immunity decision. Despite these serious issues, Judge Merchan predictably denied the motion to dismiss.

Following his refusal to vacate the verdict, Merchan........

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