Donald Trump may never be sentenced for his 34 convictions. Here's why

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

65% : In a statement to USA TODAY, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said the American people elected Trump with "an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again.""It is now abundantly clear that Americans want an immediate end to the weaponization of our justice system, so we can, as President Trump said in his historic victory speech, unify our country and work together for the betterment of our nation," Cheung said.Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office didn't respond to a request for comment.
57% : "Trump is in just a much stronger position, both in terms of public perception and in getting out of this."
49% : Legal experts disagree over whether concerns about state court overreach would only come into play after Trump is inaugurated, or whether Merchan or an appeals court would also entertain them at an earlier juncture.
48% : Trump has argued that some of the evidence the jury heard at his trial, which ended in late May, runs afoul of the presidential immunity decision the Supreme Court later handed down in July, and so the convictions should now be tossed out.Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan is scheduled to rule on that argument on Tuesday, although Trump's election means there could be new arguments for altering proceedings.
48% : Trump could argue similar concerns apply to a state court sentencing a president-elect or imposing a sentence that would extend past his Jan. 20 presidential inauguration.
45% : Trump would be 82 at the end of his upcoming four-year term.
44% : Here are five reasons why Trump might never be sentenced:Reason #1: Supreme Court gave Trump a potential lifelineThe Supreme Court's July 1 presidential immunity ruling in Trump's federal election interference case included a section that could negate the New York convictions.
41% : For instance, Trump is objecting to testimony from his former White House communications director, Hope Hicks, about events while he was president.
39% : Trump has since argued that, even if the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels and the falsified business records weren't official presidential acts, some of the evidence presented to secure both the indictment and his convictions ran afoul of the Supreme Court's ruling.
38% : Reason #5: Trump will get olderIf Trump's convictions stand the test of time but he still faces sentencing years from now, his age could also weigh in his favor.
37% : Even if Trump fails to persuade Merchan, he could ask for an appeals court to review Merchan's ruling before any sentencing takes place.
37% : Mitchell Epner, a New York litigator and former New Jersey federal prosecutor, said it's "overwhelmingly likely" that the Nov. 26 sentencing date would be wiped off the calendar based on the immunity issue, even if Judge Merchan rules against Trump.
37% : And Trump can point to other types of cases, such as cases against police officers, where appeals on immunity issues are typically allowed to play out before trial.
36% : Reason #2: Political firestormSentencing Trump now that he's president-elect could also create a political firestorm.
35% : But at that point, Trump could say retrying him violates his constitutional due process rights because evidence and testimony have aged.
29% : "Even in cases where somebody became a fugitive, at a certain age, they're just not going to be punished, and Trump would be the furthest thing from a fugitive," Epner said.
24% : For example, Trump has twice before tried to move the case out of Merchan's hands and into a federal court, arguing federal courts are better suited to address the legal issues he is raising.
24% : Reason #4: A new trial could face new issuesIf Trump gets his convictions thrown out and is shielded from prosecution during his next presidency, Manhattan prosecutors could theoretically pursue a re-trial afterwards.
20% : "Trump was convicted May 30 on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up paying porn star Stormy Daniels to stay silent during the 2016 presidential campaign about an alleged sexual encounter between them.
17% : Trump has also faced criminal charges in two federal cases and one Georgia state case, although one of the federal cases has been on appeal since being dismissed, and the Justice Department is weighing dropping both federal cases in light of Trump's election victory.

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