DDonald Trump assured Saturday that he would be “arrested” on Tuesday and called for protests, ahead of a possible indictment in a 2016 payment case aimed at buying the silence of a pornographic actress with whom he allegedly had an affair.
“The Republican Party candidate far ahead (his primary rivals, editor’s note) and former President of the United States of America will be arrested on Tuesday of next week,” Donald Trump wrote on his social network Truth Social on Tuesday.
Such an arrest, or even his indictment in this case, would be a first for a former US president.
In question, 130,000 dollars paid to Stormy Daniels, Stephanie Clifford in civil, for – accuses justice – to buy his silence and thus not to harm the candidate Trump during the presidential election of 2016, finally won by the billionaire.
The payment of this sum, in itself legal, poses a problem because the New York prosecutor’s office, which led the investigation, considers that it is a hidden donation to the president’s campaign, in violation of the financing laws. electoral.
“It will be crazy”
“Protest, take back our nation!” Added the 2024 presidential candidate, in a message in all capitals.
This call echoes the call he made at the end of 2019, convinced that he had been “robbed” of the election against Joe Biden, for his supporters to demonstrate in Washington on January 6, 2021, a prelude to their assault on the US Capitol, seat of legislative power, which had shocked America and the world.
“Big demonstration in Washington on January 6. Be there, it will be crazy,” he tweeted on December 19, 2019, before calling on the same day, during a speech, his supporters to “fight like devils”.
Banned from Twitter and other mainstream social networks in the wake of what had been perceived as incitement to violence, he was recently reinstated in the blue bird network, as well as Youtube and Facebook. He posted for the first time in two years on these last two networks on Friday.
But it was on his own network, Truth Social, that he posted his allegations on Saturday.
A payment of $130,000
Referring to a “leak” from the prosecution of New York State prosecutors, for the district of Manhattan, the former American president adds to the signs and rumors which have been multiplying for a few days on his possible criminal indictment by a grand jury – – a panel of citizens with broad investigative powers and responsible for ratifying an indictment — in the Stormy Daniels case.
On Truth Social, he calls the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, an elected magistrate and Democrat, “corrupt and very political.”
Targeted in several court cases, but never yet charged, the former Republican president (2017-2021), could therefore see this threat materialize soon.
It was his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, who has since become one of his worst enemies, who was responsible for paying the $ 130,000 to Mrs. Clifford so that she silences this supposed 2006 relationship with Donald Trump.
Last week, Michael Cohen, already convicted in this case, testified at least twice before the grand jury in this investigation.
On Friday, one of Donald Trump’s lawyers, Joseph Tacopina, told the media that his client would “go” to New York justice if he were to be charged.
Donald Trump, currently campaigning for the Republican primary for the 2024 presidential election, will hold a rally next Saturday in Waco, Texas.
03/18/2023 15:39:37 – New York (AFP) – © 2023 AFP