I think Trump would like to be sentenced to jail—not that he wants to actually go, because even if sentenced he still might not (SCOTUS to the rescue!), but he wants the world to see Merchan pull the trigger on it. it would play beautifully into his victim-of-the-deep-state narrative, and I would be concerned that even independents might be swayed in his direction by that. Not least of all, I wonder whether his being sentenced for contempt would become the big issue at hand and they would have to delay the actual illegal campaign contribution trial further to litigate that.
So, careful with that axe, Eugene ...