Jennifer Rodgers on Trump’s Hush Money Case: Judge Merchan’s Decision Was ‘Actually Wise’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT BLITZER Jennifer ░░░░░░░░ you re one of ░░░░░░░░ legal analysts former federal ░░░░░░░░ Trump is going to ░░░░░░░░ sentenced but the judge ░░░░░░░░ he won t face ░░░░░░░░ penalties Explain from your ░░░░░░░░ what s going on ░░░░░░░░ RODGERS Well the judge ░░░░░░░░ two options a conditional ░░░░░░░░ which means it comes ░░░░░░░░ conditions The defendant must ░░░░░░░░ a jail sentence or ░░░░░░░░ a fine or have ░░░░░░░░ sort of supervision or ░░░░░░░░ unconditional discharge meaning there ░░░░░░░░ no conditions at all ░░░░░░░░ case is just discharged ░░░░░░░░ s what Judge Merchan ░░░░░░░░ signaling that he will ░░░░░░░░ And it makes sense ░░░░░░░░ once this election happened ░░░░░░░░ Trump was reelected the ░░░░░░░░ was cast He was ░░░░░░░░ going to prison He ░░░░░░░░ not going to be ░░░░░░░░ The only option really ░░░░░░░░ a fine And the ░░░░░░░░ fine here is just ░░░░░░░░ high enough to make ░░░░░░░░ difference to Trump So ░░░░░░░░ might as well not ░░░░░░░░ any sentence at all ░░░░░░░░ makes the conviction final ░░░░░░░░ can pursue his appeal ░░░░░░░░ it makes it much ░░░░░░░░ likely that the sentence ░░░░░░░░ be stopped So I ░░░░░░░░ it actually was wise ░░░░░░░░ think we want closure ░░░░░░░░ We want these felonies ░░░░░░░░ be finalized That s ░░░░░░░░ the people should want ░░░░░░░░ the jury verdict indicates ░░░░░░░░ I think it was ░░░░░░░░ wise of Judge Merchan ░░░░░░░░ proceed this way.”