New York police on Monday tightened security for money paid to a porn actress ahead of a possible historic indictment of Donald Trump, with the former president calling for mass demonstrations if he is charged.
Trump supporters were set to protest in the US financial capital later on Monday as a grand jury investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over the 2016 payments to Stormy Daniels opens.
If an indictment is filed, Trump would become the first former or current president to be charged with a crime — a move that would send shockwaves through the 2024 White House race, with the 76-year-old seeking to regain the office. Running for
Bragg, an elected Democrat, has not publicly confirmed any plans, but in recent weeks has put key witnesses before the jury and provided Trump with the opportunity to testify. The panel is expected to vote on whether to impeach soon.
Trump said over the weekend that he expected to be “arrested” on Tuesday and urged supporters to “Protest, take back our country!” However his lawyer said the comments were based on media reports and no new action had been taken by prosecutors.
The NYPD is bracing for an unprecedented arrest that will see the ex-leader of the free world fingerprinted and possibly handcuffed, barricaded outside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue and Bragg’s office.
The New York Times reported that more than a dozen senior police officers met with mayoral aides on Sunday to discuss security and contingency plans for the protests.
NBC News said police and other law enforcement agencies had conducted a “preliminary security assessment”, which included forming a security cordon around Manhattan Criminal Court, where Trump was expected to appear before a judge.
Senior Democrats have warned that Trump’s call could lead to a repeat of the violence that his supporters unleashed on the US Capitol in January 2021.
In an online group called “The Donald”, some Trump supporters called for a “national strike” and “civil war 2.0” to defend Trump and protest any arrests.
But there was no sign of a larger movement for Trump and figureheads such as his son and prominent commentators did not openly urge action in the streets as they did after the 2020 election, when President Joe Biden defeated Trump. Was.
The New York Young Republican Club announced a “peaceful protest” of Bragg’s “heinous attack” on Trump on Monday at 6:00 pm (2000 GMT) in lower Manhattan, but it was unclear how many would turn out.
Trump’s many legal troubles
The Bragg inquiry focuses on a $130,000 payment made before the 2016 election to prevent Daniels from going public about an affair she says she had with Trump years earlier.
Trump’s former lawyer-turned-foe Michael Cohen says he made the payments and was later reimbursed.
Payments made to Daniels, if not properly accounted for, could lead to a misdemeanor charge of falsifying business records.
If the false accounting was intended to cover up another crime, such as a campaign finance violation, it could be raised as a felony.
Cohen testified before a grand jury last week, while Daniels is cooperating with prosecutors.
An indictment would begin a lengthy process that could last several months, as the case faces a mountain of legal issues and moves toward jury selection.
Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, and blasted the investigation as a “witch hunt”. His Vice President Mike Pence described the investigation as a “politically charged prosecution”.
Trump is facing multiple criminal investigations at the state and federal level over possible wrongdoings that could jeopardize his new run at the White House.
In Georgia, a prosecutor is probing efforts by Trump and his allies to reverse a 2020 election loss in the southern state. The grand jury in that case has recommended multiple indictments, it was revealed last month.
The former president is also the subject of a federal investigation into his handling of classified documents as well as his possible involvement in the January 6 riots.
Some observers believe an impeachment is bad for Trump’s 2024 chances, while others say it could boost his support.
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