US president-elect Donald Trump has been sentenced to an unconditional discharge for all 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records to influence the 2016 election.
Trump, who will be inaugurated on January 20th, will be the first president of the US with a conviction.
He was found guilty last year on charges of falsifying business records, with an intent to defraud, commit another crime, or to aid or conceal the commission of another crime.
“After careful analysis in obedience to governing mandates and pursuant to the rule of law, this court has determined that the only lawful sentence that permits entry of a judgment of conviction without encroaching upon the highest office in the land is an unconditional discharge, which the New York State Legislature has determined is a lawful and permissible sentence for the crime of falsifying business records in the first degree.
Therefore, at this time I impose that sentence to cover all 34 counts,” ruled Justice Juan Merchan.
In addition, he described the case as truly extraordinary, adding that the court has never been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances.
Addressing the court via a video-link, a defiant Trump maintained his innocence and that the case is a political witch hunt,
“This has been a very terrible experience. I think it’s been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system. It’s been a political witch hunt. It was done to damage my reputation so that I would lose the election, and obviously that didn’t work. The fact is, I’m totally innocent,” said Trump.
The sentence spared Trump jail time or a fine but will see him carry a felony conviction.
Trump’s legal team said it’ll appeal the sentence.
