In a blow to former President Donald Trump's legal team, a federal judge has ruled against delaying his sentencing on 34 felony counts in New York. Trump had hoped to postpone the proceedings until after the upcoming November 5th election, but the judge's decision means that the case will move forward as originally scheduled.

New York State Judge Juan Merchan is set to sentence Trump on September 18th in the Manhattan hush money case, following a criminal conviction on May 30th. A unanimous jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business records to conceal $130,000 in payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, potentially influencing his 2016 election campaign.

Initially, the sentencing was planned for July 11th, but was postponed after the Supreme Court delivered its ruling on presidential immunity in July. Judge Merchan has indicated that he will rule on the immunity argument on September 16th, just two days prior to Trump's scheduled sentencing.

In addition to the impending sentencing, several other court dates and appearances loom for Trump this month. On September 5th, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan will hold a status conference with prosecutors and Trump's legal team to determine the course of action for the federal election case. This case pertains to allegations that Trump attempted to subvert the 2020 election results.

On September 7th, Trump's legal team will seek to overturn a civil court ruling that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll in 1996. In this case, Trump was ordered to pay $5 million in damages.

All eyes will be on September 16th when Judge Merchan decides whether to grant Trump's motion to throw out the verdict from the Manhattan hush money case. Trump argues that the recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity invalidates the evidence used during the trial. If the motion is denied, Trump's legal team will push for the sentencing to be rescheduled, providing more time for Trump to strategize his next steps.

As these court proceedings unfold, the former president's legal challenges continue to pose significant hurdles for his political ambitions and legacy. The outcomes of these cases may have far-reaching implications for Trump's future involvement in politics and public life.