Law enforcement officials recently held a private meeting to discuss the logistics of arraigning former US President Donald Trump following a potential indictment related to hush-money payments made on his behalf during the 2016 presidential campaign.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and various law enforcement branches discussed the necessary precautions, such as closing down streets, setting up lights with generators, extra barriers, and police, but they do not expect to arraign Trump until next week.
The Manhattan grand jury has been hearing evidence for weeks and has another witness on Wednesday, leading to the delay in the arraignment.
A virtual arraignment was not considered seriously, as the District Attorney is opposed to it. Law enforcement officials are concerned about safety due to Trump’s call to his supporters to protest ahead of the possible indictment. If Trump does come to Manhattan, a major police presence will be in place, and the area will be shut down.
The grand jury has been investigating Trump’s involvement in a $130,000 payment made in 2016 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to prevent her from making public a sexual encounter she claimed she had with him years prior. Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels through a shell company, and Trump reimbursed Cohen, logging the reimbursement as legal expenses for his company, the Trump Organization.
Although Cohen implicated Trump in the payment in his deal, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York did not charge Trump in 2019. The Federal Election Commission also closed its investigation into the matter in 2021.
Overall, law enforcement officials have been discussing the necessary precautions and logistics for the arraignment of former President Trump in the wake of a potential indictment related to hush-money payments. However, due to the grand jury’s ongoing investigations, they do not expect to arraign Trump until next week.
The Publicade
The Publicade