Trump sentencing live updates: President-elect to attend sentencing virtually

(NEW YORK) — President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to be sentenced in his New York hush money case after a jury in May convicted him on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.

Judge Juan Merchan has signaled his intention to sentence Trump to an “unconditional discharge” — allowing Trump to avoid prison, fines or probation — out of respect for the principle of presidential immunity, which takes effect on Jan. 20 once Trump becomes president.

Trump, who has maintained his innocence throughout the case, has blasted the prosecution as politically motivated.

‘Case should not have been brought,’ Trump lawyer says

“I very, very much disagree with what the government just said,” Trump attorney Todd Blanche says.

Blanche says Trump has been “fighting” this case to this day, and that they disagree that this was “an appropriate case to be brought.”

“It was not,” Blanche says.

“We intend on appealing,” Blanche confirms.

“Legally this case should not have been brought,” Blanche says, with Trump nodding his head in agreement. “The majority of the American people agree that this case should not have been brought.”

“Its a sad day for President Trump and his family and his friends. But its also, in Counsel’s view, a sad day for this country,” he says. “This was brought by a district attorney who promised he would go after President Trump if elected and that’s sad.”

Trump engaged in a ‘direct attack on the rule of law’: Prosecutors

“Instead of preserving, protecting and defending our established system of criminal justice, the once and future president engaged in a campaign to undermine its legitimacy,” prosecutor Josh Steinglass says.

When Steinglass brings up what he said was Trump’s “conduct before during and after the trial,” Trump crosses his arms and leans back. He shakes his head “no” when Steinglass mentions his efforts to “undermine its legitimacy.”

“Far from expressing any kind of remorse,” Trump has “bred disdain for our judicial institutions and the rule of law. He did so “to serve his own ends,” Steinglass says. Steinglass says Trump’s conduct surrounding the trial, particularly attacks on the judge and others involved in the case, “constitutes a direct attack on the rule of law”

Steinglass also calls out Trump for having “bred disdain for our judicial systems and the rule of law” and for being “unrelenting in his unsubstantiated attacks” on the court and prosecutions, including public threats to retaliate against them.

“This defendant has caused enduring damage to the criminal justice system, and has put officers of the court in harms way,” he says. “This defendant has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system and put its officers of the court in harm’s way.”

Prosecution recommends ‘unconditional discharge’

The judge is now giving both parties the opportunity to speak.

The people recommend a sentence of an unconditional discharge, prosecutor Josh Steinglass says.

Trump appears to be taking notes.

“The verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected,” Steinglass says.

Judge confirms Trump agreed to appear virtually

Judge Merchan begins by confirming that Trump is waiving his right to appear in person and that both parties have reviewed the court’s probation report. Trump also attended his probation interview virtually last year.

Merchan asks both sides if they received copies of the probation report. They both say they did.

Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche raises one small issue that the procedural history and information about other cases is in the report is “not up to date.”

DA Bragg, Trump’s attorney arrive in courtroom

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and attorneys on his staff have entered the courtroom.

Prosecutors Joshua Steinglass, Christopher Conroy, and Susan Hoffinger are seated at counsel table. Seven other members of the DA’s office are also seated in the courtroom.

Trump’s attorney Emil Bove just arrived as well.

Security light at courthouse with Trump attending virtually

With Trump attending the hearing virtually from Florida, security is notably light in the lower Manhattan courthouse ahead of today’s 9:30 a.m. ET sentencing hearing.

The table where Trump and his lawyers normally sat for the trial last year is empty; instead, Trump will appear on the four flat-screen televisions mounted on the courtroom walls.

There are a few changes to the courtroom itself since Trump’s conviction seven months ago. The gallery is fully occupied and so longer subject to the security restrictions that limited its capacity, and the sketch artists are seated in the jury box. The tile floors in the courtroom are glaringly white, appearing to have been cleaned or replaced since the trial last year.

Trump to be sentenced after SCOTUS fails to halt hearing

President-elect Donald Trump will appear virtually from his Mar-a-Lago estate when he is sentenced this morning in a New York courtroom, after the Supreme Court rejected his eleventh-hour bid to block his sentencing from taking place.

Trump had asked the nation’s highest court to halt his criminal sentencing on the grounds that he was entitled to immunity as president-elect.

In a Thursday night ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts and Trump-appointee Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberal justices to deny Trump the relief he sought, while Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh indicated they would have granted Trump’s request to halt his sentencing.