Charlamagne tha God trashed liberals for celebrating Donald Trump’s conviction in his hush money case and called the entire thing a ‘waste of time.’
Trump has been officially handed down a sentence in the New York hush money case related to porn actress Stormy Daniels. This ruling sets him up to potentially be the first individual with a felony conviction to take the oath as President of the United States.
The 78-year-old President-elect participated in his court hearing through a virtual platform on Friday at Manhattan Criminal Court. During this session, Judge Juan Merchan sentenced him to an unconditional discharge, foregoing any fines, probation, or incarceration.
Charlamagne, real name Leonard McElvey, had no interest in the verdict and declared the entire process useless on The Breakfast Club Monday.
Expressing his thoughts on the matter, Trump remarked, “‘What a waste of time. I mean, what a waste of time. Pure political theater. They were never, ever going to convict a former, or sitting, president of nothing,’ he said.”
Despite being a Kamala Harris supporter, Charlamagne dressed down the left for trying to claim it as a victory.
‘And what was even more ridiculous was watching, you know, liberals celebrate this. Like, this is not a win. Who cares if you can call him a convicted felon when you still gotta call him president for the next four years? Who cares?’
He ultimately said that ‘they’re not going to do anything to him. It’s a waste of time… it’s foolishness.’
‘They’re not going to do anything to him. It’s a waste of time… it’s foolishness,’ he added.
When co-host DJ Envy pointed out the costs to New Yorkers, Charlamagne became frustrated and called out those bringing cases against Trump in New York and Georgia.
‘Somebody needs to ask them, the Fani Willis’s of the world, like, ‘What’s the point? What are you trying to prove right now?’
The ‘no-penalty’ sentence, which finalizes Trump’s criminal conviction of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records from his trial in May, means the incoming president will avoid jail time, hefty fines, and probation.
Although a slap on the wrist, it will go on his permanent record and make him the first American president to take the White House as a convicted felon when he is sworn in on January 20.
Speaking to the court via Zoom before learning his fate, Trump described the proceedings as a ‘very terrible experience’ and claimed it was a case Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg never wanted to bring.
‘This has been a political witch hunt, it was done to damage my reputation so I would lose the election,’ he said, sitting alongside his attorney Todd Blanche.
‘The people of our country got to see this first hand and voted, I won and got the largest number of votes of any Republican candidate in history.’
Trump also attacked his former fixer and a key witness in the case Michael Cohen, calling him a ‘totally discredited person.’
He added: ‘I’m innocent, I did nothing wrong. The business records were extremely accurate, it was done by an accountant who gave very credible testimony.
‘With all that’s happening in our country today, with the city burning to the ground… with all of the problems going on… I got indicted over calling a legal expense a legal expense.
‘I think it’s an embarrassment to New York,’ he continued.
Explaining his decision, Judge Merchan called it ‘the only lawful sentence’ the court could impose ‘without encroaching on the highest office of the land’.
‘The legal protections afforded to the office of the President have been laid out by our founders, the conditions, and the United States Supreme Court,’ he added.
‘The considerable indeed extraordinary legal protections afforded by the chief executive is a fact that overrides all others’.
The judge, however, noted that the protections of the Presidency ‘are not a mitigating factor’ for the crime.
‘They do not reduce the seriousness of the crime or justifies its commission in any way. One power they do not provide is the power to erase a jury verdict.
‘Ordinary citizens do not receive those legal protections. It is the Office of the President that bestows those to the office holder,’ the judge explained.
‘At this time I impose that sentence to cover all 34 counts.’
At the end of his remarks Judge Merchan addressed Trump directly: ‘Sir, I wish you God’s speed as you assume a second term in office.’
The lighter sentence has been given to low-level offenders in New York, including lawyers who have failed to pay taxes, drivers who speed and trespassers.
Although he won’t be able to possess a firearm as a felon, he is still able to serve as commander-in-chief.
He will also be able to continue to vote in his home state of Florida. The state allows convicted felons to vote as long as they are not behind bars.
Trump was forced to attend his sentencing on Friday despite dogged efforts by his legal team to block or delay the hearing, including a last-ditch appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Court ultimately rejected the request in a 5-4 ruling Thursday evening that found that sentencing Trump would not be an insurmountable burden as he takes back the White House, noting that Judge Juan Merchan has indicated he would not give the incoming president any jail time, fines, or probation.
‘First, the alleged evidentiary violations as president-elect Trump’s state-court trial can be addressed in the ordinary course of appeal,’ the unsigned ruling said.
‘Second, the burden that sentencing will impose on the president elect’s responsibilities is relatively insurmountable in light of the trial court’s stated intent to impose a sentence of ‘unconditional discharge’ after a brief virtual hearing.’
Among those who supported the decision were Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh would have delayed the sentencing, the order states.
Reacting to the news Thursday night, Trump called the Supreme Court’s ruling a ‘fair decision’ but vowed to appeal the case.
The 78-year-old appeared content with the decision, even though conservative justices Amy Coney Barrett – who he appointed to the court – and Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberals who supported the decision.
Still, the incoming president criticized the ruling, as he hurled insults at Merchan.
‘I am innocent of all of the judge’s made up, fake charges,’ he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
He added that he was appreciative of ‘the time and effort of the United States Supreme Court in trying to remedy the great injustice done to me.’
Trump then reiterated the message at a news conference from his Mar-a-Lago estate later Thursday night.
‘We’re going to appeal anyway, just psychologically, because frankly it’s a disgrace,’ he said, though he noted he found a silver lining in reading the Supreme Court decision.
‘I read it and I thought it was a fair decision, actually, so I’ll do my little thing tomorrow. They can have fun with their little political opponent,’ he said, trying to paint the judge as politically-motivated.
Trump’s legal team, led by lawyer Todd Blanche, who was tapped for a top Justice Department post, had argued that Trump should be spared sentencing based on the court’s monumental presidential immunity decision last summer.
In their filing on Wednesday, his lawyers asked to halt proceedings, claiming sentencing would cause ‘grave injustice and harm to the institution of the Presidency and the operations of the federal government.’
The Supreme Court asked Manhattan prosecutors to respond to Trump’s request by Thursday morning. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the office planned to respond in court papers, which later showed prosecutors urging the high court to let the proceeding move forward.
Trump’s 11th-hour plea to the Supreme Court came a day after an appeals court rejected his request to have Friday’s sentencing delayed. He had also asked Judge Merchan to delay sentencing pending his appeal.
The New York Court of Appeals denied the request Tuesday, with Associate Justice Ellen Gesmer of the Appellate Division issuing a one-line ruling: ‘After consideration of the papers submitted and the extensive oral argument, (Trump’s) application for an interim stay is denied.’
Trump was convicted by a New York jury last year on 34 counts of falsifying business records in a trial that featured testimony by former Trump ‘fixer’ Michael Cohen and porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims she had a sexual affair with Trump. Trump denies the affair.
He had successfully delayed his sentencing until after the November election, but the denial by New York’s Court of Appeals marked his third failed attempt to block proceedings in the case.
Judge Merchan had signaled that he might not impose jail time or even a fine – although that didn’t stop Trump from going after the judge in a rambling press conference.
‘We have a judge in New York as a very crooked judge, I’m under a gag order. I can’t even talk about aspects of the case that are the most vital aspects,’ Trump complained at Mar-a-Lago at an event.
Merchan said he would move forward anyway, and said his legal teams raised arguments were mostly ‘a repetition of the arguments he has raised numerous times in the past.’
Merchan determined last month that the evidence presented at the trial earlier this year was related ‘entirely to unofficial conduct’ and therefore did not amount to official actions as president.
