Karl Rove Argues Sentencing Would Have Helped Trump: ‘It Could Have Easily Been the October Surprise’

Fox News analyst Karl Rove praised Judge Juan Merchan for delaying Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s sentencing in his New York falsification of business records case until late November on Friday.

He also argued that if Trump were to be sentenced before the presidential election, it might have helped him win it.

“Well, first of all, it’s a reasonable decision. I think even the judge figured out that it would be enormously disruptive to the country and reflect badly on the judiciary if he attempted to insert himself into the middle of the final stages of a presidential campaign,” began Rove. “And I also agree with the notion that was offered up by several other of your comment- your analysts. And that is that if he had gone forward with this, it would have, ironically enough, served the interest of Donald Trump.”

“Donald Trump has risen in the polls the more the people have reacted negatively to his treatment in the courtroom. And if the judge had gone ahead with this, it could have easily been the October surprise. That is to say, he [Merchan] would have, potentially gone after Donald Trump in his verdict and the reaction of the American people might have been wholly negative on it and helped advance the cause of Donald Trump in the election,” he continued. “But a wise decision. It’s good for the country that this not be forced into the final stages of a presidential campaign.”

Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records, including ones related to hush money payments he made to former porn star Stormy Daniels, earlier this year. The former president was originally scheduled to be sentenced on July 11, but that date was later pushed back to September 18.  Now, Trump is set to be sentenced on November 26, several weeks after election day on November 5.

Watch above via Fox News.