Election Day wasn’t the only item on President-elect Donald Trump’s calendar in November. The former and future president has an appointment on November 26 with a New York judge for his sentencing hearing.

A day after the election, the Justice Department reportedly determined that special counsel Jack Smith’s investigations (into Trump’s challenge of the 2020 election results and the classified documents case) should be dropped because it is department policy. not prosecute a sitting president.

Both fox news and MSNBC reported the termination of Smith’s cases.

Meanwhile, a criminal case, albeit a problematic one, remains pending in Georgia.

The new Trump administration’s Justice Department could likely dismiss the federal charges against him, but that leaves the state charges in place.

“The president’s full authority, with respect to the pardon power, affects federal cases,” said Charles “Cully” Stimson, former assistant U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia and co-author of the book “Dishonest prosecutors.”

“It doesn’t affect state cases because of course we live in a republic and we have 50 sovereign states where police power resides,” Stimson said. “So it doesn’t affect state cases.”

“For all intents and purposes, their legal troubles, while not over, are about to be consigned to the dustbin of history,” said Stimson, deputy director of the Heritage Foundation’s Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. he told The Daily Signal.

Among the progressive prosecutors elected with the support of nonprofits backed by billionaire George Soros is Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The democrat won Trump’s condemnation in May on 34 counts of fraud related to money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about a date with Trump.

“Alvin Bragg can read English. Of course, now you see Soros’ sixth high-profile corrupt prosecutor (Los Angeles County District Attorney). George Gascón, lost in his career,” Stimson said.

“Alvin Bragg is not stupid. To begin with, the case was on delicate ground,” he said. “So, I’m sure the people around you will advise you that it would be wise not to even move forward.”

However, Stimson said, anti-Trump motives could lead Bragg to keep the case alive.

“A more practical approach, if it were reasonable (and of course it has proven it is not) would be to withdraw the case and dismiss it with prejudice now,” Stimson said. “But he won’t do that. That’s not the way these people are wired. Trump derangement syndrome will live on in some segments of society. It remains to be seen if Alvin Bragg wakes up and smells the coffee.”

Bragg’s office did not respond to phone and email inquiries from The Daily Signal about this story.

New York Judge Juan Merchán, who oversaw the Manhattan trial, scheduled the sentencing hearing for Nov. 26 after Trump’s lawyers twice pushed for a delay, and could ask for further delays.

Stimson said it’s possible Merchan will decide how the U.S. Supreme Court. presidential immunity ruling affects the Manhattan case.

In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis secured a RICO indictment against Trump for challenging the result of the 2020 election in Georgia, which Joe Biden won en route to the presidency. RICO is an acronym for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations.

“The Fani Willis case will die of its own weight,” Stimson predicted.

Defense attorneys in the case. filed a complaint against the prosecution after discovering that Willis had a romantic relationship with a lawyer he hired to handle the Trump case. They alleged that Willis profited from vacation trips with him. Willis and the special prosecutor he hired, Nathan Wade, denied any wrongdoing.

The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office did not respond to The Daily Signal’s inquiries for this story.

Georgia has an independent State Board of Pardons and Paroles, which makes clemency decisions. But New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has the authority to grant pardons or commutations.

Hochul’s office did not respond to telephone and email inquiries from The Daily Signal.

On Wednesday afternoon, Hochul and New York State Attorney General Letitia James discussed plans to combat the incoming Trump administration.

Hochul mentioned immunity.

“New York has been a bastion of freedom and the rule of law,” Hochul said.

He then said, addressing Trump: “If you try to harm New Yorkers or roll back our rights, I will fight you every step of the way.”

James, who contributed $450 million to a successful state civil lawsuit for fraud against Trump, followed later by a warning to Trump.

“As attorney general of the great state of New York, my job is to protect and defend the rights of New Yorkers and the rule of law,” James, also a Democrat, said Wednesday. “I will not shirk this responsibility.”