Former President Donald J. Trump sought to move his Manhattan criminal case into federal court on Thursday, filing the unusual request three months after he was convicted in state court.
The long-shot bid marks Mr. Trump’s latest effort to stave off his sentencing in state court in his hush-money trial, in which he was convicted of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal.
He is scheduled to receive his punishment on Sept. 18, just seven weeks before Election Day, when he will square off against Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
Given how he was threatening Merchan, the jury, and the witnesses (not to mention multiple violations of his gag order), I’d say prison time is unlikely, but not off the table. I’d be pissed if I were Merchan and somebody came into my courtroom and behaved in that manner.