Leftists cry foul over Trump’s ‘unusual’ pre-sentencing interview with NY probation officer

Former President Donald Trump reportedly met with the New York City Department of Probation for a pre-sentencing interview ahead of his sentencing scheduled for July 11.

Following the guilty verdict in his hush money trial in New York, Trump reportedly took part in a virtual interview from his Florida home on Monday with a New York City probation officer.

“Earlier today, President Trump completed a routine interview with [the] New York Probation Office. The interview was uneventful and lasted less than thirty minutes,” noted a source familiar with the proceedings. “The President and his team will continue to fight the lawless Manhattan DA Witch Hunt.”

A second source informed CNN that the interview took place Monday around 3:30 p.m.

(Video Credit: Fox News Now)

“Trump answered all questions in the virtual interview and was described as polite, respectful, and accommodating to the probation officers, according to a New York City official familiar with the interview,” CNN noted. Trump, according to the source, told the officers to be safe at the end of the interview.”

The officer assigned to Trump’s case was present as was his attorney Todd Blanche and the commissioner for the New York City Department of Probation, Juanita Holmes, the source told CNN, adding that it was possible there could be a follow-up meeting.

“The virtual interview was ‘unusual’ because criminals are usually required to attend the procedure in person and critics claim it exhibits the ‘special treatment’ the former president is receiving in his felony conviction,” the Daily Mail pointed out.

“Defendants are typically asked during pre-sentencing interviews about their conviction and basic background information,” the outlet added. “While defendants are not required to cooperate with routine pre-sentencing investigations, a judge can view that negatively heading into the sentencing.”

Some critics of the former president were incensed that he got “special treatment” in being allowed to have a virtual interview, spewing their angry reactions on social media.

There is no excuse for Trump not being in NYC. He has a home there. He has a private jet. He’s supposedly a billionaire. His private attorney will fly with him anywhere in the world. Yet if this were you or me we would *have* to go to NYC, whereas *he* is asked to do *nothing*.

— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) June 10, 2024

I worked in the Manhattan DA's Office for over 8 years. I never heard of attorneys being present, and there were drug tests, even on white collar cases. This was before zoom was an option, but I have never heard of a defendant being treated this gently.

— Jane Feldman (@jtfdenver) June 10, 2024

But Martin Horn, the former Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Corrections and Probation, told NBC News that “a virtual interview was likely ‘better for the probation officer’ because an in-person meeting with Trump could ‘be very disruptive to the probation office and unfair to other defendants who might not want to be identified,'” Daily Mail reported.

The probation officer now reports to Judge Juan Merchan who will follow through with sentencing on July 11, just days ahead of the start of the Republican National Convention which will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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Frieda Powers

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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.

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