Trump takes the stage at July 2022 Anchorage rally. Photo by Matthew Schmitz.
Former President Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury according to the Associated Press. The indictment – which remains sealed at time of writing – is assumed to be on the basis that Trump potentially broke campaign finance laws when, in 2016, he and his organization filed hush money payments to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels as legal expenses.
Trump released a statement via Truth Social, claiming that the indictment “is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history.”
The former president’s lengthy statement went on to ridicule Joe Biden and the Democratic party as well as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Following this statement, Trump posted again to Truth Social, writing that the United States is “now a third world nation.”
In a tweet on Thursday March 30, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called the indictment a “weaponization of the legal system” and “un-American.” DeSantis said that “Florida will not assist in an extradition request.”
However, Trump, who currently resides in Florida, can be extradited by authorities based on Article IV of the Constitution, which secures the right of a state to extradite a person residing in another state who has been charged with “treason, felony, or other crime” within the borders of the state seeking extradition.
While unprecedented, an indictment of a former president is legal. Trump, like anyone else in the American criminal justice system, is assumed innocent until proven guilty. The indictment does not prevent Trump from running for the presidency in 2024.
"No one is above the law in this country, but everyone deserves a fair legal process," said Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski in a statement regarding the indictment on March 30.
Senator Dan Sullivan spoke against the indictment saying in a statement that it “has moved our country into banana republic territory” and that it is an “abuse of law.”
General Counsel to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office Leslie Dubeck wrote in a letter to House Republicans that “you and many of your colleagues have … made unfounded allegations that the Office’s investigation, conducted via an independent grand jury of average citizens serving New York State, is politically motivated.”
The Associated Press reported that three sources close to Trump expect the former president to turn himself in on Tuesday April 4 – a move that would forego the extradition process.
It is unclear at this time how the process of bringing a former president to court will be conducted. In an interview with CBS on March 31, Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina said, “This is a case of firsts for all of us. You have Secret Service involved, NYPD, Court Officers Union – so I’m not sure exactly how it plays out, but we’ll get through it.”
The New York City Police Department has been fully activated to quell any potential unrest that might occur in the coming days and weeks. ABC 7 New York reported that “Barriers and blast protectors have been in front of Trump Tower for a week and on Friday [March 31] all 35,000 members of the NYPD were required to show up.” At this time, no unrest has occurred.
This is a developing story.
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