Trump calls for protests after remarks about being arrested

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that his arrest was imminent, with a New York grand jury investigating hush money payments to a woman who alleged sexual contact with the former president. Therefore, he made an unusual call to his supporters to protest.

In a post on his social media platform, Trump declared that he expected to be taken into custody on Tuesday, even though Trump’s lawyers and spokesperson said he had not heard from prosecutors.

His message preempted a formal announcement from prosecutors and appeared designed to provoke the anger of his supporters ahead of the widely anticipated indictment. campaign sent out requests for funding to his supporters, and influential Republicans in Congress and even proclaimed and potential rival candidates issued statements defending him. .

The 2024 presidential candidate did more than simply encourage his supporters to protest over his legal perils. did: “It’s time!!!” he wrote. “We cannot allow any more. They are killing our country as we sit and watch. We must save America! Protest, protest, protest!!!”

It all evoked in an ominous way the rhetoric he used just before the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol. Congress proves Democrat Joe Biden won the White House, stopping him from crashing through doors and windows of buildings and beating up police officers to leave them covered in blood.

District Attorney Alvin Bragg, believed to be targeting charges in the hush-money investigation, recently offered Trump an opportunity to testify before a grand jury. Be prepared for the public safety implications of no prosecution.

In an internal email following Trump’s statement, Bragg said law enforcement would ensure the safety of the 1,600 people working in his office and that “specific or credible threats” would be investigated.

“We will not tolerate attempts to blackmail our firm or threaten the rule of law in New York,” he wrote, adding: Speak publicly only when appropriate. ”

A timeframe for covert grand jury operations in this case has not been made public. At least one additional witness is expected to testify, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, and no vote has yet been taken on an indictment. It further shows that

That’s because Trump has taken to his social media platforms to claim that an “illegal leak” from Bragg’s office is “a far-flung major Republican candidate, and that the former president of the United States will be arrested next Tuesday.” It shows

Trump’s attorney Susan Necheres said Trump’s post was “based on media reports” and a spokesperson said there was “no notice” from Bragg’s office, but Trump The source of Mr. Tuesday’s remarks is unclear. The district attorney’s office declined to comment.

Trump’s aides and legal team have been preparing for possible indictments. In that case, you will only be arrested if you refuse to surrender. Trump’s attorneys have previously said Trump would follow normal procedures, meaning he would likely agree to appear in NYPD jurisdiction or in person at Bragg’s office.

It is unclear whether Trump’s supporters will heed his call to protest or retain the same persuasiveness he had as president. On Twitter, he’s gotten far less attention than he did before, but he’s maintained a very loyal base. The aftermath of the Jan. 6 riots, in which hundreds of Trump supporters were arrested and indicted in federal court, may also have dampened the passion among supporters for the confrontation.

The indictment of the 76-year-old Trump would be a surprising development after years of investigation into his business, politics and personal dealings.

Even as Trump pursues his latest White House campaign — his first rally is scheduled for Waco, Texas, later this month, he will meet the NCAA Division I wrestling champions in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday night. He made a public appearance on the Ship, shaking hands and taking selfies with fans – the indictment distracting and baiting opponents and critics fed up with the legal scandal that has wrapped him up for so long. There is no doubt that it will give

In addition to the hush-money investigation in New York, Trump faces separate criminal investigations in Atlanta and Washington over his efforts to undo the 2020 election results.

A Justice Department special counsel is also presenting evidence to a grand jury investigating Trump’s possession of hundreds of classified documents at his Florida mansion. It’s not clear when these investigations will end or if they will lead to criminal charges, but they will continue no matter what happens in New York and the continued seriousness of the legal challenges facing the former president. and a wide geographical range are emphasized.

Trump’s post on Saturday came out last summer when news broke on Truth Social that the FBI was searching his Florida home as part of an investigation into possible mishandling of classified documents. reflects the

News of that raid sparked a flood of donations to Trump’s political campaign, and on Saturday, Trump sent his supporters a series of fundraising emails.

After the post, Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy denounced the plan to indict Trump as “outrageous abuse of power by the radical DA,” which he claimed was seeking “political revenge.” Her House Republican No. 3 Rep. Elise Stefanik also released a statement showing similar sentiment.

The grand jury is hearing from witnesses, including two women accused in 2016 of being silenced for saying they had had a sexual relationship with Trump a decade earlier. Also included is former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who said he orchestrated the payment to the woman.

Trump denied having been contacted, said he had done nothing wrong, and called the investigation a “witch hunt” by Democratic prosecutors seeking to sabotage the Republican Party’s 2024 election campaign. Trump has also called Bragg, who is black, a “racist” and accused prosecutors of letting crime run wild in the city while he focused on Trump. One of the safest cities.

Bragg’s office is apparently looking into whether state law was violated in relation to the payments, or whether Trump’s firm compensated Cohen for his work in trying to silence the woman’s allegations. .

Porn actor Stormy Daniels and at least two former Trump aides — former political adviser Kellyanne Conway and former spokesperson Hope Hicks — are witnesses who have met with prosecutors in recent weeks.

Cohen, at Trump’s direction, arranged payments to Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougall totaling $280,000. was meant to buy the silence of

Cohen and federal prosecutors said Trump’s firm paid Daniels $420,000 to reimburse him $130,000 and to cover bonuses and other supposed expenses. was internally classified as litigation costs. Her $150,000 payment to McDougal was made by the then publisher of the National Enquirer, a supermarket tabloid, so her story never came to light.

Federal prosecutors agreed not to prosecute Enquirer’s corporate parent company in exchange for its cooperation in the campaign finance investigation that led to the indictment against Cohen in 2018.

Cohen pleaded guilty, served time, and was sentenced to prison. Federal prosecutors have never charged Trump with a crime.

The news that law enforcement was gearing up for possible indictments was first reported by NBC News.

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Tucker reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Colleen Long of Washington, Meg Kinnard of Columbia, South Carolina, and Sean Murphy of Tulsa, Oklahoma contributed to this report.

https://fox40.com/news/national/ap-us-news/trump-says-hell-be-arrested-tuesday-as-da-eyes-charges/ Trump calls for protests after remarks about being arrested

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