NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- When will the grand jury reach its decision? That’s the question on everyone’s mind as New York City continued to brace Tuesday for the potential indictment of former President Donald Trump.
A day after the NYPD put up barricades and cameras outside Manhattan Criminal Court at 100 Centre St. and Trump Tower in Midtown, the anticipation was palpable as the public waits for an eventual grand jury vote. Hanging in the balance is whether Trump will be the first president in history to be indicted for a criminal offense.
It appeared that grand jury—which is investigating Trump over an alleged 2016 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels—was poised to complete its work soon, but the process is shrouded in secrecy and the next steps remained unclear.
While Trump said over the weekend that he expected to face criminal charges on Tuesday, there was no immediate indication it would happen that day. In fact, another witness was expected to go before the grand jury on Wednesday to testify, sources said.
On Monday, the NYPD and other safety agencies met to prepare for protests and hash out a security plan for getting people in and out of the courthouse in the event the grand jury hands down an indictment.
The Secret Service would be the overriding agency, providing topflight security and determining how Trump enters and leaves the courthouse.
Trump, who was in Florida on Tuesday, would likely go to the court very early in the morning to be brought before a judge and then whisked out of the building, according to sources. He wouldn’t necessarily have to appear in court on the day a potential indictment is filed.
On Monday, dozens of pro-Trump protesters rallied in Lower Manhattan. More protests—both supporting and opposing Trump—were planned for Tuesday.
A caravan of Trump supporters was expected to travel to Lower Manhattan from Long Island, NBC News reported. Another protest was expected to go from Trump Tower in Midtown to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office downtown.
New York officials have been monitoring online chatter of threats of varying specificity.
On Tuesday morning, Manhattan court proceedings were temporarily halted by a bomb threat called in via 911, according to a court spokesman. That delayed the start of a hearing in a separate case, the New York attorney general’s lawsuit accusing Trump and his company of a yearslong fraud scheme.
WABC reported that the NYPD and other agencies also received unfounded bomb threats that were later cleared.
In a statement Tuesday, the NYPD said the department “continues to work with our federal, state and local partners to keep New Yorkers safe.”
“While you will see an increased uniformed presence throughout the five boroughs, there are currently no credible threats to New York City,” the statement said. “The department remains ready and available to respond to protests and counter protests and will ensure everyone is able to peacefully exercise their first amendment rights. We will never tolerate violence or property damage.”
The grand jury heard Monday from Robert Costello, a lawyer requested by the Trump defense team. Costello was brought in to dispute claims of key witness and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who admitted he paid off Stormy Daniels in 2016 to keep her quiet about allegations of an affair with Trump.
Potential charges against Trump could also involve falsification of Trump Organization business records and campaign finance violations, as the money was paid right before the 2016 presidential election.
Trump has denied having sex with Daniels and he has branded Cohen a liar.
Trump has railed against the Manhattan district attorney in recent days and encouraged his supporters to protest over the possible indictment, though no large demonstrations have materialized in the city.
Even as the Manhattan investigation pushes toward conclusion, Trump faces criminal probes in Atlanta and Washington that, taken together, pose significant legal peril and carry the prospect of upending a Republican presidential race in which Trump remains a leading contender.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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