Trump claims ‘no crime’ in fresh all-caps tirade over porn star payoff, likely arrest

Former US President Donald Trump intensified his social media tirade on Wednesday, ahead of his possible indictment over the payment of hush money to a pornographic actress. Subsequently, the New York police were put on high alert. Despite Trump’s claim that he would be arrested on Tuesday in connection with the case, no arrest or indictment took place. However, barricades were set up near Trump Tower.

“Reports, and almost everybody, says, even after in-depth legal study and review, that there was NO CRIME, NO AFFAIR, NO BOOKKEEPING ERROR OR MISDEMEANOR, NO “NOTHING,” OTHER THAN NOW PROVEN LIES BY MICHAEL COHEN, A CONVICTED FELON AND PERJURER, AND THE STRONG LIKELIHOOD OF AN EXTORTION PLOT AGAINST ME,” Trump wrote on his social networking platform Truth Social.

An unprecedented arrest?

There is progress in the ongoing legal case involving Trump and a pornographic actress. According to the US media, the grand jury may vote on whether to indict Trump on Wednesday, but it’s not until next week that Trump is arraigned before a judge and Manhattan District Attorney (DA) Alvin Bragg announces any charges.

Also read: Report: Trump invited to testify before NY grand jury

While Bragg, who is an elected Democrat, has not publicly confirmed any plans, a possible resolution in the case seems likely soon. It’s important to note that grand juries operate in secrecy to prevent perjury or witness tampering before trials. This means that their proceedings are not open to the public and can’t be followed closely.

In recent weeks, the DA has presented key witnesses before the panel and given an opportunity to Trump to testify, implying that an indictment may be imminent. If charged, the 76-year-old Republican would be the first sitting or former president to face criminal charges, sending shock waves through the 2024 White House race, in which Trump is a candidate.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) is making preparations for an unprecedented arrest or voluntary surrender, which would involve booking, fingerprinting, and potentially handcuffing a former leader of the United States. This involves erecting barricades outside Bragg’s office and Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue.

All NYPD officers have been instructed to wear their uniforms and be ready for deployment starting from Tuesday, NBC News reported. “While you will see an increased uniformed presence throughout the five boroughs, there are currently no credible threats to New York City,” an NYPD spokesperson said in a statement.

Trump called for mass protests over the weekend if he is indicted, but there has so far been no indication of any large movement. Leading Trump figures like his sons have not explicitly encouraged street action, unlike the way they did after the 2020 election. A protest organized by the New York Young Republican Club on Monday evening in lower Manhattan saw only a handful of Trump supporters. Similarly, around 40 supporters gathered outside Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Tuesday to show their support for him. “I think the end result of this will just be that his support will grow,” said 18-year-old Colton Mccormick, who was dressed in the colours of the American flag.

The investigation

The focus of Bragg’s investigation is the $130,000 paid to Stormy Daniels a few weeks before the 2016 election to keep her from going public about her alleged affair with Trump years earlier. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer-turned-opponent, who testified before the grand jury, claimed in 2019 before Congress that he made the payment on Trump’s behalf and was later reimbursed. Improper accounting for the payment to Daniels could lead to legal consequences, including a misdemeanor charge for falsifying business records.

Also read: Donald Trump ‘expects’ to be arrested on Tuesday in ‘hush money’ case

If the false accounting was intended to conceal a second crime, such as a campaign finance violation, which carries a sentence of up to four years in prison, it could be elevated to a felony charge. Nevertheless, legal experts believe that this argument would be challenging to prove in court, and any potential jail time is not guaranteed. If an indictment is filed, the case would face numerous legal issues and proceed towards jury selection, which could take several months. Trump has denied the allegations of having an affair with Daniels and has criticized the investigation as a “witch hunt.”

In a video posted on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday night, Trump said:  “Our enemies are desperate to stop us because they know that we are the only ones who can stop them.” Trump is currently facing several criminal investigations at both the state and federal levels, which pose a threat to his bid for the White House. These investigations include his alleged attempts to overturn his loss in the 2020 election in Georgia.

Known for his frequent and sometimes controversial tweets during his tenure as the President of the United States, Trump often drew widespread attention and criticism, as he used Twitter to communicate his policies, make announcements, and attack his critics or political opponents. Some of his tweets were considered to be offensive and divisive, leading to calls for him to be banned from social media platforms.