US monitors protests, beefs up security after Trump says he may be arrested today

The United States has its attention once again focused on a scandal involving former President Donald Trump. The Republican said he expects to be arrested on Tuesday (21) and called for protests across the country.

New York City law enforcement officials have held meetings to formulate a safety plan should criminal prosecution actually occur, including courtroom security and the potential for demonstrations by Trump supporters or anti-Trump supporters, with the risk of the two groups clashing.

The alleged arrest is related to the investigation of a bribery scheme involving businessman and porn actress Stormy Daniels. He would have paid amounts for her not to reveal, just before the 2016 elections, information about relationships they had years ago.

As much as expectations were raised for some development in the investigation, a spokesman for Trump had said that his team had not received any updates from the Manhattan district attorney, who is leading the investigation.

Trump has expressed interest in delivering a speech after he reports to officials in Manhattan, although it remains to be seen whether he will do so. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office declined to comment on the case.

If he is indeed indicted, this will be the first time that a former US president has been criminally charged. See what is known about the case.

Trump, who is expected to run in the 2024 presidential election, has said he will continue to campaign even if he is accused of a crime.

understand the case

The investigation looks into a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s then-personal attorney Michael Cohen to Daniels in late October 2016, days before the presidential election, to allegedly prevent her from going public and publicizing an alleged affair. he would have had with Trump a decade earlier, which he denies.

Cohen was reportedly reimbursed by the Trump Organization for a total of $420,000, covering, in addition to the original payment, tax obligations and a bonus.

Expectations that Trump will actually be indicted rose after prosecutors asked the former president to appear before the grand jury investigating the matter.

Prospective defendants in New York are required by law to be notified and invited to appear before a grand jury that considers the charges.

possible crimes

Hidden money payments are not illegal in the US. Prosecutors are weighing whether to charge Trump with falsifying the Trump Organization’s business records.

Falsifying business records is a misdemeanor in New York.

Prosecutors are also weighing whether to charge Trump with first-degree falsification of business records for tampering with a record with the intent to commit another crime or aiding or concealing another crime, which in this case could be a violation of trade finance laws. campaign.

This is a “Class E” felony, and carries a sentence of a minimum of one year and up to four years. To prove their case, prosecutors would need to show that Trump intended to commit a crime.

The Trump Organization has classified reimbursements as a legal expense in its internal records. Trump has previously denied knowledge of the payment.

What are the possible steps if there is an indictment?

Trump’s U.S. Secret Service detail would take him to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to be fingerprinted, then take pictures at the offices of the District Attorney’s detective squad.

As is customary in cases where a defendant can voluntarily turn himself in, after prison processing, the former president would be taken directly to arraignment before a judge, where he would likely be released on his own bail.

What those involved say

In a lengthy response on his Truth Social account earlier this month, Trump said: “I have done absolutely nothing wrong, I never had an affair with Stormy Daniels.”

A lawyer for the former president said earlier this month that any prosecution related to bribe payments to an adult film star would be “completely unprecedented” and accused the Manhattan district attorney of attacking the Republican for “political reasons and personal animosity”. .

Cohen, meanwhile, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to eight counts, including two counts of campaign finance violations for orchestrating or making payments during the 2016 campaign.

Daniels noted that if asked to speak to investigators or a grand jury, she would “tell them everything I know.”

She wrote a book in 2018 that described the alleged affair in graphic detail, with her then-lawyer saying the book was intended to prove that her story about having sex with Trump is true.