The judge overseeing the so-called hush-money case that has been brought against former President Donald Trump has just delayed sentencing until after the 2024 presidential election. 

The Daily Mail reports that New York Judge Juan Merchan indicated as much on Friday.

What this means is that Merchan will not reveal whether or not he intends to sentence Trump to prison until after the election.

This is being considered a big win for Trump. If he were to be sentenced to prison before the election, it would give Democrats - including Vice President Kamala Harris - more ammo to use against Trump. On the other hand, it also could have backfired on the Democrats, which is likely the reason for the delay.

Merchan's ruling

This is all taking place in the case that the George Soros-linked Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has brought against Trump. Bragg accuses Trump of illegally misrepresenting the alleged "hush-money" payment on business records.

Trump has maintained his innocence, and legal experts on both sides of the aisle seem to be in agreement that the case is politically motivated - to say the least. Nonetheless, a jury has found Trump guilty, and Trump is currently waiting for Merchan to issue the penalty.

This is now the second time that Merchan has delayed the sentencing.

Just the News reports, "Merchan initially set the sentencing date for July 11, but delayed it until Sept. 18, before again postponing proceedings."

Now, the sentencing will not be until Nov. 26, 2024.

Trump responds

In an interview with Fox News, Trump responded to Merchan's decision to delay the sentencing.

There, Trump said:

The case was delayed because everyone realizes there was no case and I did nothing wrong. It is a case that should never have been brought. The public understands that and so does every legal scholar that has looked at it and studied it.

Trump went on to call attention to the fact that Merchan, in the document delaying the sentencing, wrote, "the sentencing on this matter, if necessary, if adjourned to November 26, 2024 at 10am."

"I greatly respect the words ‘if necessary’ being used in this decision because there should be no, ‘if necessary.' The case should be dead," Trump said.

Trump posted a slightly more detailed response to Merchan's decision in a social media post on Friday. It can be read in its entirety here. In part, Trump wrote:

The Manhattan D.A. Witch Hunt has been postponed because everyone realizes that there was NO CASE, I DID NOTHING WRONG! It is a political attack against me by Comrade Kamala Harris and other Radical Left Opponents for purposes of Election Interference, and is a case that should have never been brought. Nothing like this has ever happened in the United States of America – IT IS STRICTLY THIRD WORLD, BANANA REPUBLIC “STUFF.” Importantly, The Public understands this, and so does every Legal Scholar . . .