Trump updates: Trump hush-money grand jury proceedings abruptly postponed – The New York City district attorney postponed a scheduled grand jury session Wednesday in the investigation into hush money payments made to Trump during his 2016 campaign to at least slow down a decision on whether to charge him.
A spokesman for The Associated Press confirmed the postponement on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. It was reported that the grand jurors should be on standby for Thursday, another day when the New York panel meets.
Trump updates: Trump hush-money grand jury proceedings abruptly postponed
Despite meeting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, the grand jury is optional to meet three times a week. According to the source, the committee may hear from another witness before voting on whether to indict based on the hush money payment.
Trump’s advisers speculated whether the adjournment signaled a weakness in the case being prosecuted by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg or whether there would be more damning evidence.
Despite reports that Trump may have broken any laws in 2006 when he reimbursed his then-lawyer Michael Cohen for payments to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet, the Manhattan District Attorney is investigating whether Trump did so.
Also, Read: Ex-US President Donald Trump expects to be arrested on Tuesday
Even though the payment was $130,000, the company recorded it as a legal expense.The government is considering charging Trump with misstating the purpose of the payment in business records, which could amount to a felony if it was done to conceal another crime.
The Daniels payment was one of several related federal crimes Cohen had previously confessed to, including violation of campaign finance laws.
Despite Trump’s assurances last week, the grand jury was off on Tuesday, so he wasn’t arrested. On Monday, he was joined by his friend, former top federal prosecutor Bob Costello, in testifying.
The abrupt development on Wednesday, which no security concerns prompted, came amid growing expectations that Trump could be charged soon. There is a great deal of secrecy surrounding grand jury proceedings, making it impossible to predict with certainty what action will be taken and when.
What is hush-money Case?
The adult film actress Stormy Daniels was spotted at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe in 2006 by the real estate tycoon and reality television star Donald Trump. The age of Daniels and Trump at the time was 27 and 60, respectively.
Her book says that Trump’s bodyguard invited Daniels to dinner in his penthouse. She described the sex they had as the “least impressive sex” she had ever had in her book.
A year later, Daniels said she remained in touch with Trump, hoping he would get her on his reality television show, but he never did. Trump has denied they ever had sex and has accused Daniels of “extortion” and a “total con job.”
Donald Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels $130,000 in hush money in 2016 to keep her silent about the 2006 tryst when Donald Trump ran for president. Trump may face charges in New York this week based on the payment, which The Wall Street Journal revealed in January 2018.