Last weekend, when Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce the Manhattan District Attorney would arrest him on Tuesday, Trump supporters became angry, and detractors were ready to celebrate.
Since then, we’ve learned, from a Trump spokesperson, that no one had told Trump he was going to be arrested. The Grand Jury investigating alleged improprieties with hush money paid to a porn star haven’t concluded their investigation. Trump was simply taking control of the narrative, even though there is no narrative yet to control.
Since then, Tuesday came and went with the revelation that the Grand Jury typically doesn't even meet on Tuesdays and was, therefore, unlikely to indict him then. Wednesday and Thursday, the Grand jury investigation was canceled. They gave no reason for the cancellations. Also, the Grand Jury apparently still has one more witness to hear from, and is, therefore, not even ready to vote on an indictment.
Several things have happened since Trump’s initial rant and call to action.
Many Trump supporters in government have called for the Manhattan DA to appear before Congress or even be thrown in jail, as was advocated by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul.
Trump has been consistently taking to Truth Social in all-caps rants against his perceived enemies and the U.S. justice system, equating himself with America, and stating that if he is arrested, it will be solely for political motivations.
A Grand Jury comprises average citizens who hear evidence and decide if a crime might have been committed. The Grand Jury pool is the same pool that every American jury is drawn from. No political litmus test is allowed, although prospective jurors might be asked about their knowledge of or bias for or against a suspect. If a Grand Jury decides an indictment is warranted, the DA can then begin a prosecution.
As a wealthy American, Trump is unlikely to be forced to do a "perp walk," to be photographed walking into a justice building in handcuffs, though Trump has said he wants that to happen.
Trump has continued to make many questionable claims on his Truth Social account.
He’s called the Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, a “radical left enemy” who is being paid by George Soros. Bragg is paid by the people of New York and wasn’t even in office when the investigation started.
He also variously claimed he did nothing wrong and that if he did, the statute of limitations has run out. As there is a judge who oversees Grand Jury proceedings, the District Attorney would have to have proven some simple criteria, such as the statute of limitations and jurisdiction, before even being allowed to call a Grand Jury.
He lashed out at Michael Cohen, the lawyer who paid Stormy Daniels, the porn star Trump had an affair with, on Trump's behalf. Trump claims there was no sexual incident with Daniels and he didn't reimburse, though Trump declared the reimbursement to Cohen on his taxes. The case in New York has founded on the idea that Trump was weeks away from an election and that these actions violated campaign finance laws.
He even pleaded with New York police officers to not arrest him: "CAN YOU IMAGINE THE GREAT NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT ... HAVING TO DEFEND & PROTECT THE “DEFUNDERS” & “COP HATERS” OF THE RADICAL LEFT THAT WANT TO PUT THEIR GREATEST CHAMPION & FRIEND IN PRISON FOR A CRIME THAT DOESN’T EXIST[?]"
Ultimately, the Trump Grand Jury, like all Grand Jury proceedings, is a secret affair. The foreperson made the rounds on TV talk shows, claiming her fifteen minutes of fame, but had very little to say since it’s illegal for her to discuss the case, the evidence, or the proceedings.
In most cases with wealthy and high-profile accused persons, the DA will serve papers, the person will negotiate their surrender, and will simply walk into a police station “to be arrested” as a formality. There’s not likely to be a big show and lawyers will handle almost everything, while Mr. Trump stays in Mar-a-Lago in Florida behind Secret Service protection.
Meanwhile, the cities of New York and Washington, DC, are on high alert for the expected protests of an indictment. Trump has alluded to a desire for vehement protests. His rhetoric has been similar to his terms and phrases before the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.
Ultimately, the entire affair will probably be a simple formality until Trump is called into court, unless he agrees to a plea deal, which is the result of most indictments.
Bob Peryea
National Correspondent
The Kentucky Daily