Manhattan DA warns of ‘attempts to bully’ after Trump calls for protest | donald trump

The Manhattan District Attorney, widely expected to indict Donald Trump this week, has vowed his staff will not be intimidated after the former US president called on his supporters to protest any action against him.

Trump unleashed a flurry of frenzied headlines and statements from his political allies on Saturday when he posted a message on social media claiming he was to be arrested this Tuesday on charges of silent payments to adult actor Stormy Daniels .

An indictment from Alvin Bragg’s office is widely expected this week, but Trump officials and lawyers said they have no certainty when or what will actually happen in court.

But Bragg sent an email to his office, obtained by Politico, which did not mention Trump by name but appeared to address the matter, including widespread security fears around Manhattan’s lower courts following of any indictment.

“As with all of our investigations, we will continue to apply the law evenly and fairly and speak publicly only when appropriate,” Bragg wrote.

He added, “We do not condone attempts by our office to intimidate or threaten the rule of law in New York…Our law enforcement partners will ensure that any specific or credible threats against the office is thoroughly investigated and that the appropriate safeguards are in place. Thus, we are all 1,600 to have a secure work environment.

On Saturday afternoon, Trump supporters gathered at his home and country club in Mar-a-Lago, Florida to show their support. Trump then boarded a private jet to fly from Palm Beach to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to attend a college wrestling tournament.

Trump made no mention of a criminal charge and arrest at the Tulsa event. He appeared alongside Sen. Markwayne Mullin, congratulated wrestlers and posed for photos with supporters, according to images released by Tulsa World.

Trump and Mullin sat in a closed area and stayed for all 10 matches, while Mullin, a former wrestler, explained the intricacies of the sport. Trump spoke with fans between games, but reporters were kept away.

Speaking ahead of Trump’s arrival, Mullin appeared to compare likely accusations against Trump with unproven and widely discredited claims that former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Trump’s 2016 opponent, had committed crimes. criminal security breaches while serving in the Obama administration.

“They’ve been after the president (Trump) since day one,” Mullin reportedly remarked. “Everyone sees it for what it is. That’s not what this country is. We had the opportunity to tackle Hilary, … and we didn’t.

“THE [Manhattan] the district attorney needs to focus on putting the bad guys in jail,” he added.

It was Trump’s first public appearance since he said in a social media post that he would be arrested over payments to Daniels, a month before the 2016 presidential election. charge is made, it is likely that the payments are an illegal use of campaign funds.

Trump received a standing ovation in Tulsa and raised a defiant fist as he arrived at the wrestling event to cheers from fans. Earlier Saturday, Trump had urged his supporters to “protest, protest, protest” in comments made on his Truth Social platform.

Insider reported that the grand jury hearing the case may still hear from another witness on Monday, raising the possibility of an indictment later in the week.

Michael Cohen, the former Trump lawyer and “fixer” who was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion and campaign finance violations, said Trump’s comments signal a desire to another violent confrontation.

“It’s eerily similar to the battle cry he gave just before the January 6 uprising, you know, especially the call, you know, for protest,” Cohen told MSNBC. Cohen added that “it would have been smart for Donald to write ‘peaceful protest’, but he doesn’t want a peaceful protest.”

Cohen also speculated that Trump would view his arrest as a potential boost to his 2024 presidential campaign, as he has frequently sought to cast himself as the center of a political “witch hunt.”