Donald Trump will not be handcuffed or have his photo ID taken, it was reported Monday night, as sources within the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office laid out the charges to a reporter – which infuriated Trump himself.
Yahoo News reporter Michael Isikoff said he was told there would be 34 crimes. He also described the charges.
Trump, who is in Trump Tower ahead of Tuesday’s impeachment, reacted furiously to Isikoff’s report and said Bragg should be prosecuted.
‘Wow! District Attorney Bragg just illegally LEAKED the various points and complete information about the pathetic indictment against me,’ he wrote on Truth Social.
“I know the journalist and he too, unfortunately.
“That means he MUST BE IMMEDIATELY UNKNOWN. Now, if he really wants to clean up his reputation, he’ll do the honorable thing and, as district attorney, incriminate himself.
“He will go down in legal history and his wife Trump Hating will, I’m sure, be very proud of him!”
Former President Donald Trump is seen arriving at Trump Tower on Monday afternoon. He flew to New York on Monday aboard his 757 accompanied by several aides, but not former first lady Melania Trump
A number of aides accompanied the former president to New York on Monday, but Melania and Barron Trump were absent from the crowd
Trump then went on to attack Bragg and demand his resignation.
“DA BRAGG JUST ILLEGALLY LEFT ALL 33 points of the indictment,” the 76-year-old said.
“There are no changes or surprises from those he disclosed a few days ago directly from the Grand Jury.
“No crime by Trump.
‘What a mess. Bragg should resign NOW! »
Isikoff, in his report, said there would be 34 charges.
He said all would be felonies, for falsifying business records.
Isikoff cited “a source who has been briefed on the former president’s impeachment proceedings.”
It is unusual for the falsification of business documents to be prosecuted as a crime: they are normally considered misdemeanors.
Bragg’s office classified all charges as Class E felonies – the lowest level of felonies in the New York State Penal Code – on the grounds that the conduct was intended to cover up another underlying crime. , according to Isikoff’s source.
A Class E felony conviction of falsifying business documents can result in a prison sentence of up to four years, but this is considered unlikely.
It remains unclear what the underlying crime is that turned Trump’s alleged misdemeanors into felonies.
The indictment will be officially released on Tuesday, the website reported.
It is believed to be linked to campaign finance violations, linked to the silent $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
New York is preparing for possible protests.
Police began constructing barricades along the sidewalks around Trump Tower and the Manhattan Criminal Court building in downtown Manhattan over the weekend.
On Monday in Florida, his motorcade stopped at his jet and the former president boarded alone, before campaign staff and lawyers followed him on the back steps.
Trump arrives at Palm Beach International Airport to board his plane for a flight to New York on Monday afternoon. He is expected to report to authorities on Tuesday
Trump landed in New York on Monday afternoon before his motorcade made its way to his property in the heart of the Big Apple
Trump’s private plane sits on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport with the Rikers Island prison in the background
Crowds gathered outside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue on Monday
The 45th president is pictured entering his Manhattan property on Monday afternoon as he prepares to surrender to authorities on Tuesday
After leaving office, his presidential motorcade was reduced to about four vehicles. But on Monday it was swelled by additional SUVs carrying personnel.
His campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, along with senior adviser Jason Miller and spokesperson Steven Cheung, were traveling with him, along with his son Eric.
His lawyers have said he will plead not guilty and his legal team is preparing to add a constitutional expert, fearing the judge handling the case may impose a gag order.
On Monday, his legal team also appealed to the judge to ban cameras from the courtroom and hired top defense attorney Todd Blanche to bolster their defense.
“I will be leaving Mar-a-Lago at noon on Monday, heading to Trump Tower in New York,” the former president said Sunday evening.
“Tuesday morning, believe it or not, I will go to the courthouse. America wasn’t supposed to be like this!
Court officials say he is due for arraignment at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday.
He is then expected to return to his home in Mar-a-Lago where he plans to deliver a speech in the evening.