The 76-year-old Republican billionaire, who dreams of “returning” to the White House in November 2024, must respond to justice in New York State for a case of payment of 130,000 dollars, just before his victory in the November 2016 presidential election, to an X-film actress, Stormy Daniels, with whom he allegedly had an affair.
After years of investigation by the Manhattan prosecutor’s office, his prosecutor Alvin Bragg, an elected Democrat, seemed close to announcing a criminal indictment – which would be historic – of the 45th American president (2017-2021) since last week.
It was Donald Trump, who, from his residence in Mar-a-Lago (Florida), sparked a media and political storm on Saturday by writing in capital letters on his Truth Social network that he would be charged and “arrested” on Tuesday. But prosecutor Alvin Bragg remained silent and nothing happened as announced by the former head of state.
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Donald Trump assures that he will be arrested and calls on his supporters to demonstrate
The spotlight was on the courthouse
On Wednesday morning, US media besieging the Manhattan courthouse speculated that a grand jury – a citizens’ panel with broad investigative powers that works with prosecutor Bragg – would vote on an indictment in the afternoon. But to believe the New York Times and online media Insiderwhich rely on two judicial sources, the grand jury meeting this Wednesday has been canceled.
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Insider says that panel won’t vote until the end of the week, even if it was to meet on Thursday. The grand jury sits on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Questioned by AFP, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor refused to “confirm or comment on matters related to the grand jury”.
Trump would not be arrested immediately
Even charged, Donald Trump would not be “arrested” immediately. It would take several days for him to appear in Manhattan.
In this case, after having voluntarily “surrendered” to justice, he would be notified of the proceedings and would, possibly and symbolically, be placed under arrest for a few minutes.
The former president, who has upset the balance of power in the United States since 2016, would then be photographed, his fingerprints taken and he could even be briefly handcuffed.
afp/mirro
