While the justice of New York was to rule on a possible criminal indictment of former President of the United States Donald Trump on Wednesday March 22 on the Stormy Daniels case, police sources informed several American media that the meeting of the jury had been quashed, without citing a particular reason. It could be held next week.
The 76-year-old Republican billionaire must answer in New York state justice for a payment case of 130 000 dollars to the actress of pornographic films Stormy Daniels, with whom he allegedly had an affair. The payment would have taken place a month before his presidential victory in November 2016.
Beyond the scandal represented by this alleged relationship, it could, according to the American media constitute a violation of the law on electoral campaigns.
This is one of legal thorns in the side of the former presidentwho dreams of regain ” there White House in November 2024.
After years of investigation by the Manhattan prosecutor’s office, the prosecutor and elected Democrat Alvin Bragg seemed since last week to announce a criminal indictment of the 45th American president (2017-2021). It would be historic.
On Saturday March 18, Donald Trump himself unleashed a media and political storm from his residence in Mar-a-Lago (Florida), writing in capital letters on his Truth Social network that he would be charged and stopped » Tuesday, March 21. But prosecutor Bragg remained silent and nothing happened as announced by the former head of state.
Possible decision next week
On Wednesday morning, US media besieging the Manhattan courthouse speculated that a grand jury – a citizens’ panel with broad investigative powers that works with District Attorney Bragg – votes for an indictment in the afternoon.
But according to the daily New York Times and the online media Insider, which rely on two judicial sources, the grand jury meeting this Wednesday has been canceled. Insider says this 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.
Asked by AFP, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor refused to “ confirm or comment on matters related to the grand jury “.
Even if he is ultimately charged, Mr. Trump would not be “ stopped immediately. It would take several days for him to appear in Manhattan. In this case, after render ” voluntarily to justice, he would be notified of the proceedings and would, possibly and symbolically, be placed under arrest for a few minutes, photographed and could even be briefly handcuffed. So many new elements for a former president.
A growing investigation
The ex-president, who has upset the balance of power in the United States since 2016 and is surrounded by several court cases, assures him that he has not committed “ no offense and being the victim of a witch hunt led by Democrats.
The case of pornographic actress Stormy Daniels is legally complex. New York justice is seeking to determine whether Donald Trump is guilty of misrepresentation, an offense, or breach of campaign finance laws, a criminal offense, by having paid money to this woman. From her real name, Stephanie Clifford, she would have received the sum just before the 2016 presidential election, which the Republican had won.
This in order that she does not reveal a supposed extramarital relationship ten years earlier, according to the prosecution. The investigation accelerated last week. Michael Cohen, former lawyer and now enemy of Donald Trump having paid Stormy Daniels, had testified before the grand jury. The actress has also cooperated with prosecutors and this same panel.
Donald Trump calls for manifest »
Donald Trump had also been invited to speak before this grand jury, according to the New York Times and the washington post. But he had called on his supporters on Saturday to “ manifest » and gave them an appointment at the next presidential election on November 5, 2024 for “ regain ” the White House. There have so far been a few dozen protesters outside the courthouse and Trump Tower in New York, as well as in Palm Beach, Florida.
The main fear of the authorities is a repetition violence from the assault on the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021when Donald Trump, defeated at the polls in November 2020, called on his supporters to challenge the results.
(With AFP)