A Manhattan grand jury, which considers former President Trump’s involvement in the 2016 hush money, is not expected to hear additional evidence in this week’s investigation, according to a source familiar with the matter.
A grand jury will not convene on Wednesday and will meet on Thursday to consider another case, sources said.
The plan was first reported by NBC News.
A grand jury is hearing evidence that Trump’s personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen paid $130,000 in hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election. A case Trump denies.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, has taken a series of steps in recent weeks that indicate prosecutors are nearing a final decision on whether to file charges.
Juries tended to meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Jurors often hear multiple cases while they are empowered, and the timeline remains fluid as proceedings proceed behind closed doors.
Former publisher of the National Enquirer, David Pecker, was seen leaving the building where the grand jury was assembled on Monday.
A key figure in the investigation, Pecker bought the rights to tell embarrassing stories about Trump without any plans to expose the practice known as “catch and kill.” However, Pecker refused to pay Daniels to buy her silence, telling Cohen to arrange payment directly.
Outside legal experts say Trump’s repayments to Cohen could lead to charges of falsifying business records against the former president if prosecutors can show he improperly considered legal fees. It suggests that there is
But to upgrade the indictment to a felony, prosecutors must also link the misdemeanor of falsifying business records to another crime.
After predicting an arrest last week, Trump repeatedly attacked Bragg. The former president’s lawyers claim he legally repaid Cohen with personal funds.
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