Donald Trump could be caught by an “October surprise” that would destroy his chances of retaking the White House.
Former Bush administration official John Yoo raised the alarm that the former president could end up in prison as early as next month.
Trump is desperately trying to delay sentencing until after the election after a Manhattan jury found him guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
But the controversial judge Juan Merchan always rejected his appeals.
Speaking to Fox News host Bill Hemmer on Thursday, Yoo said Merchan had the power to “order Donald Trump to send him to jail immediately.”
According to law professor John Yoo, Trump could experience an “October surprise” in the form of a prison sentence
Yoo, a former Bush administration official, has raised the alarm that Donald Trump could end up in prison as early as next month
Historically, an October Surprise is a major news event that occurs in the final weeks of a presidential election campaign.
Hemmer called Trump’s possible conviction “the story nobody talks about.”
Yoo agreed, saying that a possible prison sentence was “the October surprise that will strike in September.”
“In five weeks from yesterday, Judge Merchan will sentence Donald Trump,” Hemmer said.
The former Bush official acknowledged that “that’s how the calendar works,” much to the detriment of the former president.
Trump’s legal counsel had tried three times, unsuccessfully, to persuade Merchan to withdraw from the proceedings.
Merchan has been criticized for a possible conflict of interest because his daughter has worked as a political consultant for the Democrats.
New York Judge Juan Merchan has already postponed the verdict after the Supreme Court criticized the president’s immunity.
By citing the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on “presidential immunity,” Trump is seeking to overturn his conviction.
If his attempt fails, the former president will be sentenced on September 18.
“(Merchan was) asked again to step down. He refuses to do so. How do you see the game? What is the judge doing?”
“Merchan has voted against Donald Trump at every opportunity,” Yoo continued.
Yoo, a renowned law professor, criticized the prosecution of Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, calling it “fair game for former presidents.”
Lawyers for former President Donald Trump said holding the sentencing scheduled for September 18 in his Stormy Daniels hush money case would amount to “election interference.”
“He could have used his discretion here and moved the date of the verdict, but instead he moved it closer to the start of mail-in voting in my home state of Pennsylvania,” Yoo added.
Pennsylvania, an important swing state, is currently trending toward Harris according to the latest polls.
“Can you imagine what would happen if Judge Merchan sentenced Donald Trump to prison even though he is a first-time, non-violent offender?” Yoo asked.
“What if Judge Merchan got even crazier and said Donald Trump shouldn’t even be allowed to stay out of prison while his case is on appeal?” the legal scholar continued.
“Can you imagine what would happen if Judge Merchan sentenced Donald Trump to prison even though he is a first-time, non-violent offender?” Yoo asked.
Then Yoo revealed a shocking prospect.
“(Merchan) actually has the power to order the immediate arrest of Donald Trump,” he said, but qualified the statement: “However, I assume he would not do that.”
“But this judge has used his discretion every time to try to give this process a political direction that will have an impact on the election,” the former Bush official concluded.
On May 30, the former president was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in an attempt to conceal repayments to a lawyer who had paid porn star Stormy Daniels hush money to keep her quiet about an alleged tryst.
On May 30, the former president was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Trump’s lawyers are now trying to postpone the verdict in the case until after the presidential election.
In a letter to Judge Merchan, Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche argued that the current schedule posed the risk of “election interference.”
“Setting aside the objections of obvious election interference,” Blanche wrote, “there is no valid reason for the court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar.”
“There is no reason to continue the rush.”
