US braces for possible Trump arrest over hush-money case
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Trump expects his arrest on Tuesday and called on his supporters to "protest, take our nation back!"
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Former US President Donald Trump attends the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at Gaylord National Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, U.S., on March 4, 2023. (Reuters)
America redied itself on Monday for the possible charging of Donald Trump over a hush-money case, as the former President called for mass demonstrations if convicted.
Trump supporters were scheduled to protest in New York on Monday when attorney Alvuin Bragg considers charging the ex-President over a payment to adult actress Stormy Daniels in 2016.
Trump would be the first former or sitting president to be charged with a crime if an indictment is filed, a move that would create concerns over the 2024 White House race, in which Trump is running to regain office.
Bragg has yet to confirm his plans to indict. He, however, indicated that prosecutors are close to reaching a decision by putting key witnesses in front of a grand jury while offering Trump the opportunity to testify.
Trump expected that he would be "arrested" on Tuesday and called on his supporters to "protest, take our nation back!"
Read more: Donald Trump says he will be arrested on March 21, calls for protests
"They are MANY years beyond the Statute of Limitations which, in this instance, is TWO YEARS. More importantly, THERE WAS NO CRIME!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Monday.
Law authorities are gearing up
As such, law authorities are bracing themselves for a possible unprecedented arrest that would have the ex-President handcuffed.
Senior New York officials met with safety aides of the city mayor Eric Adams on Sunday as they discussed security and contingency plans for any protests which may come, as the New York Times reported.
"The NYPD's state of readiness remains a constant at all times, for all contingencies. Our communications and coordination with our partners in government and in law enforcement are fundamental tenets of our commitment to public safety," a police spokesperson told AFP.
Senior Democrats also warned that Trump's call for protest could trigger a repeat of the violence witnessed back in January 2021 when his supporters attacked the US Capitol.
The New York Young Republican Club announced a "peaceful protest" of Bragg's "heinous attack" on Trump at 6:00 pm (2000 GMT) in lower Manhattan Monday. It is not yet clear how many will turn up.
Trump called the investigation a "witch hunt", and his former Vice President Mike Pence described it as a "politically charged prosecution."
Lawmakers request details before Trump's possible arrest
US House lawmakers sent a letter to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Monday asking the prosecutor to provide details related to reports regarding the possible arrest of Donald Trump.
"You are reportedly about to engage in an unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority: the indictment of a former President of the United States and currently declared candidate for that office," the letter said. "In light of the serious consequences of your actions, we expect that you will testify about what plainly appears to be a politically motivated prosecutorial decision."
The letter was signed by US House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil. It requested documents related to Trump's investigation case.
Trump issued a statement on social media on Monday accusing Bragg of receiving more than 1 million dollars from businessman George Soros. He also accused him of having close ties to Hillary Clinton.
