Prosecutors fight Trump's efforts to push hush money sentencing past election

• The former president is currently set to be sentenced Sept. 18 on the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records connected to a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

Driving the news: In a letter dated Friday from District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office to Merchan, prosecutors urged the judge not to delay his rulings.

• "We note that the concerns defendant expresses about timing are a function of his own strategic and dilatory litigation tactics," they wrote.

Zoom in: While prosecutors wrote that they will defer to the discretion of the judge on when sentencing should occur, they contended Merchan has no obligation to wait for a ruling on sending Trump's case to a federal court.

• Trump asked last week for a second time for his case to be moved to federal court, arguing the case should be pushed to an "unbiased forum, free from local hostilities."

• The former president's lawyers requested in a filing for confirmation that Merchan "may not sentence President Trump during litigation over this Second Removal Notice."

Catch up quick: In a correspondence last month, Bragg's office said it would not oppose a delay in Trump's sentencing.

What's next: Merchan is also expected to issue a decision Sept. 16 on whether the former president's guilty verdict is shielded under the Supreme Court's July ruling on presidential immunity.

Go deeper: Trump asks judge to dismiss his hush money conviction