Nader says Judge Merchan is 'last best hope' to save republic from Trump; urges jail time

Ralph Nader, the Green Party's presidential nominee in 2000, urged Judge Juan Merchan to sentence former President Trump to prison, calling the judge the "last best hope" to preserve the republic.

On Monday, Nader shared a link to the letter on X, which is his plea to the judge on why a prison sentence is imperative.

"In light of the Supreme Court blocking all avenues of accountability for Trump with its decision in Trump v. United States, Judge Merchan is the last best hope to preserve the Republic from its overthrow by Donald Trump," Nader posted.

The letter, dated June 28, 2024, was signed by both Nader and attorney Bruce Fein. It starts out by pointing to July 11, 2024, and stressing its importance in terms of the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.

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"The future of the United States will be materially influenced by your sentencing Donald J. Trump," the two attorneys wrote. "He was found guilty of 34 felonies under New York law and twice found guilty of violating your constitutionally irreproachable ‘gag order’ to protect trial participants from death threats, harassment, defamation, and stalking."

Nader and Fein remind Merchan the law gives him the discretion to sentence Trump to up to four years in prison, based on the circumstances of the felonies, among other things, adding that the case for prison time is "open and shut based on the character of the offender alone."

"Mr. Trump threatens a counter-revolution against the American Revolution and the United States Constitution in favor of executive absolutism indistinguishable from French King Louis XIV," Nader and Fein wrote. "On July 23, 2019, Mr. Trump proclaimed, ‘Then I have Article 2, where I have the right to do anything I want as president.’ On December 4, 2022, Mr. Trump bugled that whenever he decrees that an election has been fraudulent, ‘termination of…the Constitution’ is justified."

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The two continued to plead their case to sentence Trump to prison, proclaiming to Merchan that Trump had not disowned threats of a civil war on social media by "MAGA ruffians" after he was convicted of 34 felonies.

"As to a hammer everything looks like a nail, to Mr. Trump every legal or political adversity is a corrupt witch hunt aiming at the destruction of America," Nader and Fein wrote.

They then turned their attention to Trump’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming Trump "covets dictatorial powers" like the Russian leader.

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"Your task is to ensure that the sentence matches the character of the offender, including his clear and present danger to the peaceful transfer of presidential power," Nader and Fein wrote. "Set a standard to which the wise and honest judge may repair with a jail term — at least a serious fraction of the 4-year statutory maximum."

Nader and the Trump campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.

The former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee was found guilty on all 34 counts of first-degree falsifying business records in May. The six-week trial stemmed from charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. 

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Trump on Monday moved to overturn his criminal conviction in the Manhattan case after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a former president has substantial immunity for official acts committed while in office.

Trump’s sentencing date is set for July 11 – just four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he is expected to be formally nominated as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman and Maria Paronich contributed to this report.