FBR
Donald Trump has decided to turn himself in to New York prosecutors on Tuesday, avoiding being “put in handcuffs,” as he faces criminal charges that have sent shockwaves through US politics before the 2024 election. Joe Tacopina, Trump’s defense attorney, anticipates the charges, the first criminal indictment in the history of an ex-US president, will relate to payments made to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump plans to travel to the court from his Florida estate for the expected arraignment. “He is not going to hole up in Mar-a-Lago. The president will not be put in handcuffs,” Tacopina told US television networks.
Trump’s court appearance is likely to influence the 2024 campaign, as will his response to the charges and other possible prosecutions. Despite ongoing federal and state investigations, Trump has pledged that his bid for a second term will not be impeded by any criminal proceedings. The pending charges do not legally prevent him from running for office. In the 24 hours following the indictment, Trump’s campaign claimed to have raised over $4 million.
Find more about the implication of Trump’s indictment on the economy
On his Truth Social platform, Trump condemned the “Witch Hunt Case” and claimed the assigned judge, Juan Manuel Merchan, “HATES ME.” He also noted that such a case had “NEVER BEEN CHARGED BEFORE.”
Manhattan prosecutors announced late Thursday that they were coordinating Trump’s “surrender” with his legal team, following a grand jury’s decision to indict him. Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who testified before the grand jury, alleges he was instructed to pay $130,000 to Daniels to conceal an alleged affair.
Tacopina argues that the payments, made before the 2016 election, were “completely legal.” The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has been investigating whether the transactions were inaccurately recorded as legal fees by the Trump campaign and if this constituted a violation of campaign finance laws.
President Joe Biden has declined to comment on Trump’s indictment. Although Biden has not officially announced his intention to seek re-election, he is widely expected to run for a second term, potentially facing Trump in a rematch.
Trump’s legal troubles may energize his primary campaign and his most loyal supporters, but they could also hinder his chances in a general election. A recent Quinnipiac poll revealed that 57% of Americans believe criminal charges should disqualify him from running for president. Despite this, Trump remains the favored contender among Republican grassroots who will select the party’s nominee.
Republican politicians have defended Trump following the indictment. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of “stretching the law to target a political opponent,” while former Vice-President Mike Pence called the indictment an “outrage” and labeled it a “political prosecution” for millions of Americans
