Not Above the Law Coalition Statement on Delay In Trump’s Sentencing After Conviction on 34 Felony Counts

For Immediate Release: September 6, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Donald Trump’s sentencing in the People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump was delayed, temporarily preventing accountability after Trump was found guilty on all 34 felony counts. In response, the co-chairs of the Not Above the Law coalition released the following statement in response:

“Despite what the Supreme Court may have claimed, no one in America is above the law — and even a former president should not be able to escape justice for his crimes.

“At every step along the way, Trump and his legal team did everything they could to delay accountability in this case and undermine our legal system—even stooping so low as to intimidate witnesses, publicly criticize jurors, and defy orders from the judge.

“Today’s latest delay prevents justice from being served. The jury did its job and, after reviewing a mountain of evidence that resulted in his conviction on 34 felony counts, it’s well past time for Donald Trump to be held accountable.”

The statement is signed by Not Above the Law Co-Chairs: Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen and Brett Edkins, managing director for policy and political affairs, Stand Up America.

Additional Background:

Over the last seven years, the nonpartisan Not Above the Law coalition—which represents tens of millions of Americans from member-based organizations—has mobilized Americans from across the country to demand accountability for those who instigated and participated in the insurrection, defend the rule of law from extremists like Donald Trump, and encourage lawmakers to pass federal democracy reform measures to protect Americans’ freedom to vote.

In March, 17 members of the Not Above the Law coalition penned an open letter to highlight former President Trump’s 34 felony counts in People of the State of New York v. Donald Trump and his attempts at concealing secret payments and election interference. The letter was signed by an array of pro-democracy advocates and watchdog groups committed to upholding the rule of law and raising awareness of Trump’s efforts to deceive voters.

The findings of a recent May Navigator Research report shows that Americans widely believe that no one, including former President Donald Trump, is above the law. This closely mirrors the Not Above the Law coalition poll from Hart Research that found that Donald Trump should be held accountable for his actions just like everyone else. Both polls highlight that a significant majority of Americans view the charges against Trump as serious, with a strong bipartisan consensus that he should be held accountable if found guilty.