Former President Donald Trump flew Monday from Florida to New York for his historic booking and arraignment on hush money charges, as the nationB次元官网网址檚 largest city bolstered security and warned potential protesters it was B次元官网网址渘ot a playground for your misplaced anger.B次元官网网址�
罢谤耻尘辫B次元官网网址檚 , white and blue Boeing 757, emblazoned with his name in gold letters, was carried live on cable television. It took him past supporters waving banners and cheering, decrying the case against him B次元官网网址� stemming from payments made during his 2016 campaign B次元官网网址� as politically motivated.
Trump is already months into a third campaign to reclaim the White House he lost to President Joe Biden in 2020, and he and his advisers seemed to relish the attention. Cable networks followed his plane at airports in Florida and New York with video from the air, and Trump was joined aboard by a small group of senior campaign aides as well as his son, Eric Trump, who eagerly posted photos of the wall-to-wall TV coverage from his seat.
The scene was quite different in New York, where Trump built a national profile in business and entertainment but became deeply unpopular as he moved into politics. Prosecutors say their case against him has nothing to do with politics and have defended the work of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg who is leading it.
Trump is facing multiple charges of falsifying business records, including at least one felony offense, in the indictment handed down by a Manhattan grand jury last week. The investigation is scrutinizing six-figure payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he got into politics. Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrongdoing involving payments.
ItB次元官网网址檚 an unprecedented chapter in American history, with Trump the first former president to face criminal charges. But heB次元官网网址檚 betting it could actually boost his chances at winning the presidency again next year. In the meantime, the case is causing major legal, political and cultural events to collide in unprecedented ways.
罢谤耻尘辫B次元官网网址檚 team was embracing the media circus. After initially being caught off guard by news of the indictment last Thursday evening, he and his aides are hoping to use the case to his advantage. That idea clashed with the former presidentB次元官网网址檚 own attorneys, however, who asked the judge in a Monday filing to ban photo and video coverage of his arraignment, which is expected Tuesday afternoon.
Repeating his frequent denunciation, Trump posted, B次元官网网址淲ITCH HUNTB次元官网网址� on his social media network.
He also bolstered his legal team Monday, adding a third high-profile attorney, Todd Blanche, according to three people familiar with the matter. Blanche, a former federal prosecutor, has previously represented 罢谤耻尘辫B次元官网网址檚 former campaign chairman Paul Manafort. The people would not publicly discuss details of the legal teamB次元官网网址檚 plan and therefore spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The former president planned to spend the night at Trump Tower, then surrender to authorities on Tuesday for booking and the arraignment.
Officials have so far not seen an influx of people coming into the city, as was the case in Washington in the days before a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. Still, they warned that possessing a weapon in certain areas of the city, including near courthouses, is a crime.
B次元官网网址淲hile there may be some rabble rousers thinking about coming to our city tomorrow, our message is clear and simple: control yourselves,B次元官网网址� said New York Mayor Eric Adams. B次元官网网址淣ew York City is our home, not a playground for your misplaced anger. We are the safest large city in America because we respect the rule of law in New York City.B次元官网网址�
Trump Tower was open Monday, but traffic was expected to be snarled by nearby street closings, especially as the former president came and went. Additional security was also in the works. A small group of supporters hung large B次元官网网址淭rump 2024B次元官网网址� banners across from a makeshift pen of reporters, a block away from Trump Tower.
One of 罢谤耻尘辫B次元官网网址檚 staunchest defenders in Congress, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, was helping to organize a rally in New York for Tuesday morning, and Mayor Adams took the unusual step of calling her out by name.
B次元官网网址淎lthough we have no specific threats, people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known to spread misinformation and hate speech, sheB次元官网网址檚 stated sheB次元官网网址檚 coming to town,B次元官网网址� Adams said. B次元官网网址淲hile youB次元官网网址檙e in town, be on your best behavior.B次元官网网址�
Arriving in Minnesota where he was touring a factory to promote his administrationB次元官网网址檚 economic policies, Biden was asked if he thought there would be unrest in New York.
B次元官网网址淣o, I have faith in the New York Police Department,B次元官网网址� the president replied. He also said he had faith in the nationB次元官网网址檚 legal system.
Florida Trump supporters gathered at a West Palm Beach shopping center on the way to the airport, hours before he was set to pass along the route. Boca Raton firefighter Erik Solensten and his retired colleague, John Fischer, put up banners. One was 30 by 6 feet (9 by 2 meters), picturing police officers and firefighters saying, B次元官网网址淭hanks for having our backs, President Trump.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e are fire-rescue. We are prepared and donB次元官网网址檛 like to wait for things to happen,B次元官网网址� said Solensten, who took a vacation day to show support for Trump. B次元官网网址淗e needs morale just like everyone else needs morale. HeB次元官网网址檚 done more for this country than any 10 presidents combined.B次元官网网址�
Trump senior adviser Jason Miller said the campaign had raised $7 million since word of the indictment broke, but official figures have not yet been released. One Trump fundraising email Monday carried the subject line, B次元官网网址淭omorrow, I will be arrested.B次元官网网址�
Top Republicans, including some of 罢谤耻尘辫B次元官网网址檚 potential rivals in next yearB次元官网网址檚 GOP presidential primary, have decried the case against him. Biden, who has yet to formally announce that heB次元官网网址檚 seeking reelection next year, and other leading Democrats have largely had little to say about it, including on Monday.
罢谤耻尘辫B次元官网网址檚 former U.N. Ambassador, Nikki Haley, was campaigning near the U.S.-Mexico border and suggested that coverage of the former presidentB次元官网网址檚 indictment was distracting from other key issues such as immigration. But she also said, B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檝e got a liberal prosecutor thatB次元官网网址檚 doing political revenge against a former president.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e dealing with a lot of political drama thatB次元官网网址檚 unnecessary because youB次元官网网址檝e got political, vengeful people out there,B次元官网网址� Haley told Fox B次元官网网址 Channel.
B次元官网网址� Michael R. Sisak, Terry Spencer And Will Weissert, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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