Monday, workers constructed barricades surrounding a Manhattan courthouse in preparation for a possible indictment of President Trump for an alleged hush-money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.
It would be the first-ever criminal case against a president of the United States. Saturday, Donald Trump urged his social media followers to oppose his impending arrest.
In his appeal for protests, Trump expressed worry to law enforcement that supporters may participate in violence comparable to the assault on the U.S. Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021.
Yet, fearing a trap, numerous far-right grassroots organizations have decided not to heed his appeal, according to security specialists.
A grand jury that heard additional testimony on Monday may bring charges as early as this week. Trump, seeking the Republican nomination for president again in 2024, anticipated being arrested on Tuesday.
On Monday, attorney Robert Costello testified before the grand jury that former Trump fixer Michael Cohen conducted the hush-money payments without Trump's involvement.
"Michael Cohen decided on his own, or so he told us, to see if he could handle this," Costello told reporters after testifying to the grand jury at the request of Trump's attorneys.
Cohen, who has testified twice before a grand jury, has publicly stated that Trump instructed him to make the payments on his behalf.
An indictment might hinder Trump's attempt at a comeback. According to a seven-day Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded on Monday, 44% of Republicans believe he should withdraw from the presidential campaign if he is indicted.
The inquiry by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is one of the many legal obstacles Trump faces. His office did not respond to a request for comment immediately.
Cohen pled guilty in 2018 to federal campaign finance crimes stemming from his arrangement of payments to Daniels, whose official name is Stephanie Clifford, and another woman in exchange for their silence on alleged encounters with Trump.
Trump has denied the existence of such affairs.
According to Cohen's attorney Lanny Davis, the Manhattan District Attorney's office had requested that Cohen be available as a rebuttal witness. Still, he was informed on Monday afternoon that his testimony was not required. Cohen said to MSNBC that he was not asked to return on Wednesday.
NO SIGN OF UNREST
The mayor of New York, Eric Adams, informed reporters that the police were monitoring social media and watching for "inappropriate activities" throughout the city. The New York Police Department stated that no credible threats were known.
If he were indicted, Trump would presumably have to leave his Florida home for fingerprinting and other procedures. Several media sites claimed law enforcement officials gathered on Monday to discuss logistics.
According to sources, Bragg's office presented evidence to a grand jury regarding a $130,000 payment to Daniels in the closing weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign.
Republicans have blasted the investigation as being politically motivated.
Trump's contender for the Republican presidential nominee, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, stated on Monday that Bragg was imposing a "political agenda" that undermined the rule of law while also taking a veiled shot at Trump.
He told reporters, "I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to quiet them about an alleged affair."
The U.S. House of Representatives Republicans initiated an inquiry into Bragg's office with a letter requesting correspondence, records, and testimony relating to the investigation.
Trump and other Republicans have also asserted that the Manhattan District Attorney's office should devote more resources to combating crime.
In response to a request for comment on the letter, a spokesman for the district attorney's office stated that homicides and gunshots were down this year, citing statistics.
We will not be intimidated by attempts to undermine the legal system nor be deterred from applying the law fairly by false claims.
During his administration, Trump was impeached twice by the House, once in 2019 for his conduct involving Ukraine and again in 2021 for his supporters' attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Senate acquitted him both times.
Several More Legal Challenges Remain
In December 2017, Bragg obtained a conviction against Trump's firm for tax fraud.
Nevertheless, legal commentators believe the hush-money case may be more challenging. According to analysts, Bragg's office must prove that Trump meant to commit a crime, and Trump's attorneys will likely attempt a variety of counterattacks to have the case dropped.
Trump, meanwhile, faces additional legal challenges, increasing the likelihood that he will have to shuttle between campaign events and courtrooms before the 2024 election in November.
Monday, Trump's attorneys petitioned a Georgia judge to dismiss a special grand jury report revealing its investigation into his alleged attempts to overturn his 2020 statewide election loss.
The motion in Fulton County Superior Court also seeks the recusal of county district attorney Fani Willis because her television appearances and social media posts reflect prejudice against Trump.
Trump also attempts to postpone a civil fraud trial slated for October 2, launched by the New York attorney general. He alleges a decade-long plot to manipulate the value of his assets to secure more favourable terms from banks and insurers.
Trump faces two civil lawsuits concerning E. Jean Carroll, a former magazine columnist who alleges he defamed her by denying he assaulted her. Monday, a federal judge dismissed a motion from both parties to consolidate the two cases into one.
