NEW YORK (AP) — In an extraordinary turn, a judge has set President-elect Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case for Jan. 10 — little over a week before he’s due to return to the White House. But the judge is indicating that Trump won’t be jailed. Judge Juan M. Merchan issued the ruling Friday. He signaled in a written decision that he’d sentence Trump to what’s known as a unconditional discharge, in which a case is closed without jail time, a fine or probation. The development nevertheless leaves Trump on course to be the first president to take office convicted of felony crimes. Trump communications director Steven Cheung says the case should be dismissed. Prosecutors are declining to comment.
