New Jersey has postponed a hearing regarding Donald Trump’s ability to sell alcohol at two of his golf clubs, originally scheduled for July 19. This delay was due to a Supreme Court decision granting Trump legal immunity over official acts he performed as president, which in turn delayed his sentencing in a criminal case involving hush-money payments. The state is evaluating the impact of this delay on its hearing schedule.
In May, a Manhattan jury found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records, stemming from hush-money payments made to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. New Jersey law prohibits those convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude from holding a liquor license. The state had been investigating the verdict’s impact on the liquor licenses at Trump’s golf clubs.
Despite the state recently informing two of the clubs that their liquor licenses would not be renewed, a hearing was scheduled for July 19 for the clubs to prove their qualification for a license. Interim permits were issued to allow continued alcohol service. However, due to the Supreme Court ruling expanding presidential immunity, both Trump’s sentencing and the hearing on his liquor licenses have been postponed until September.
Trump’s organization argued that he is not directly connected to the liquor licenses, but the State of New Jersey rejected this claim, stating that Trump benefits from the licenses through his trust. Forbes reported that Trump is the sole beneficial owner of the clubs through various businesses and his trust. Other states where Trump holds liquor licenses are looking into the matter, as some representatives were not aware of Trump’s ownership in those locations.
The postponement of the hearing and sentencing has led to uncertainty regarding Trump’s ability to continue selling alcohol at his golf clubs in New Jersey. The state has not yet set a new date for the hearing. It remains to be seen how these legal developments will impact Trump’s ownership and operations of his golf clubs, as well as his involvement in the liquor license process in other states where his businesses hold licenses.
