Trump gets 'unconditional discharge' in hush-money case before inauguration

WASHINGTON — A New York judge on Friday meted out no penalty to former president Donald Trump, convicted last year in a high-profile hush-money case — a ruling that came ahead of his return to the White House later this month.Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to an "unconditional discharge," though he was found guilty in May on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to silence an adult film star about an alleged extramarital affair ahead of the 2016 presidential election, according to Reuters and other outlets.Still, a judgment of guilt is left on his record, though the sentencing put to rest the high-profile case that had been an irritant on Trump's presidential campaign.Merchan said he imposed the sentence sparing Trump a jail term, a fine, or probation because the Constitution protects presidents from criminal prosecution, according to Reuters.During the court session, Trump reiterated his claim of innocence."The fact is that I'm totally innocent. I did nothing wrong," he said.Trump is the first president to take the oath of office with a criminal conviction.The hush money trial revolved around the charge that Trump falsified business documents to cover up a payment to Stormy Daniels, the former porn star who claims to have had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.