The world is still waiting for what would be one of the most famous police mugshots in history. Meanwhile, it’s been Nine days, since Donald Trump declared he was about to be arrested. Up against the case of a hush-money payment to a porn star.
The Republican former US president, has never shied away from the spotlight. He sent newsrooms around the world into a frenzy on March 18. He declared he is three days away from appearing before a New York judge.
Trump, it turned out, had incorrect information or was simply guessing. His similarly bogus claim a week later that the case had been dropped entirely was met with scepticism.
Prosecutors may not be marching to Trump’s tune. But legal experts believe the 76-year-old, who is running for president again. And he will be read his Miranda rights any day now.
A grand jury reconvened Monday in Manhattan, allegedly hearing from the former editor of the National Enquirer. A key figure in the hush money payment scheme.
How investigation evolves
The investigation revolves around $130,000 paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Whereas weeks before the 2016 election to prevent her from going public about a sexual encounter. As she claims she had with Trump a decade earlier.
Trump’s ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, appeared before the grand jury in 2019. And said he made the payment on Trump’s behalf and was later reimbursed.
According to prosecutors, the checks were not properly registered. Which could result in a misdemeanour charge of falsifying company records.
However, if the district attorney can convince the grand jury that the payment. The suspect accounting were part of a cover-up designed to benefit Trump’s election campaign by burying the scandal, the charge could be elevated to a felony.
There are stringent laws governing how much candidates can contribute to their own election campaign. And illegally funnelling money into campaign coffers can result in years in prison.
Any degree of criminal charges is unprecedented in the United States. Which has never indicted a sitting or former president.
If the jury decides to charge Trump, Manhattan’s top local prosecutor is required to follow their decision and make it public.
Accused of a political “witch hunt” by Trump and the former president’s House supporters, prosecutor Alvin Bragg, an elected Democrat, has reacted to Republican “interference” in the investigation.
In an interview with Fox News on Monday night, Trump claimed that the proceedings against him amounted to electoral interference as he ran for President again.
“It is, in my opinion, a method of cheating,” Trump said. “It’s election meddling.”
“We’re dealing with dishonest people and thugs, as well as people who, I believe, despise our country,” he added.
Trump held his first formal campaign rally in Texas on Saturday, dismissing his possible indictment and denying the tryst with Daniels as he railed against multiple criminal investigations threatening his presidential bid in 2024.
According to the political website Axios, Trump told reporters onboard his plane home to Florida, “I think they’ve already dropped the case.”
“It’s a bogus case.” They have nothing in some fake instances.”
