Trump expected to deliver remarks after indictment unsealing
- The indictment against former President Donald Trump will be unsealed on Tuesday
- It’s the first time criminal charges have been brought against a former U.S. president
- The government's case is weak, according to an attorney for Trump
(NewsNation) — All eyes are on Manhattan after a grand jury made history Thursday, indicting former President Donald Trump in the so-called hush-money case involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump is expected to deliver remarks from Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday evening, the same day the indictment against is scheduled to be unsealed.
It’s the first time ever criminal charges have been brought against a former U.S. president.
Clark Brewster, the attorney representing Daniels, told NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo that his client’s only concern is the truth getting to the public.
“I don’t think the story is accurate that she’s taking any glory with what has happened here in the indictment of President Trump,” Brewster said.
But it’s still unclear what the former president is actually charged with, since the indictment is under seal until Tuesday.
The Associated Press reports that there is at least one felony charge.
One of the former president’s attorneys appeared on “Dan Abrams Live” to make the claim that the case against Trump is weak.
“Everything that’s come out from all of these leaks, and from what we’ve known about the government’s theory, is incredibly frail.” said Jim Trusty, a Trump attorney in the classified documents case.
To get to this point, 12 of the 23 grand jurors that heard evidence from prosecutors had to vote in favor of an indictment, believing there is probable cause a crime was committed.
“That is the lowest standard in the criminal justice system,” said independent legal analyst Misty Marris. “To go to trial, you have to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Judge Andrew Napolitano agreed that it doesn’t take much to get an indictment, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more behind the scenes.
“There may have been other avenues that may be in the indictment, which is why I have been cautioning Republicans to hold off on blasting (Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg) and the indictment until they have read it,” Napolitano said.
That can’t happen until Tuesday when the former president will fly from Florida to New York and surrender — at which point the indictment will be unsealed, and Trump’s mugshot and DNA will be taken — all while being closely guarded by the Secret Service.
“Whether the president wants to go in through the front door or the back door, if that can be safely accommodated, it will,” said security expert Charles Marino. “And as he goes inside and moves about, there will always be eyes on the former president.”