(NEW YORK) — A federal judge on Monday indefinitely delayed the defamation lawsuit writer E. Jean Carroll brought against former President Donald Trump.
Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist, claimed Trump defamed her when he denied her allegation that he raped her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room in the 1990s.
The trial had been set to begin on April 10. Attorneys for Carroll and Trump declined to comment.
Judge Lewis Kaplan adjourned the case without setting a new date while he awaits a decision from a different court that could affect whether the trial goes forward.
The Washington, D.C., Court of Appeals, which governs the conduct of federal employees, is deciding whether Trump was acting in his official capacity as president when he spoke out against Carroll. If so, the Justice Department would substitute for Trump as the defendant and the case would be over, as the federal government cannot be sued for defamation.
Last year Carroll filed a second defamation lawsuit against Trump that also alleged battery. In his ruling, Judge Kaplan declined to merge the cases for the purposes of trial.
In a criminal case, Trump could decline to testify in his defense. In a civil case, he could be called to testify by the plaintiff. Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, has not said whether she would.
(NEW YORK) — The story has become a sadly familiar one in New York.
A delivery worker finishes a long day, parks their e-bike outside, and leaves its drained battery in their hallway overnight to charge.
The battery ignites overnight, spreading with the ferocity of an explosion. Residents are trapped in their apartments, the fire spreads, and New Yorkers die.
New York witnessed 219 fires related to these kinds of devices in 2022, causing 147 injuries and six deaths. So far in 2023, 33 fires, 42 injuries and three deaths have been attributed to these fires.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed a package of e-bike safety legislation Monday to stop that chain of events, two weeks after the New York City Council approved the laws.
“E-bikes and e-scooters are here, you might as well get used to them,” Adams said. “They are now part of our movement, now we must make sure they are incorporated in our everyday lives … in a safe and efficient manner.”
The legislation most notably ensures that any micro-mobility device meets standards set by UL solutions, an industry leader in battery technology. Other measures ban the resale of bikes or batteries, change New York City Fire Department reporting standards, and restrict the reconditioning of used batteries.
Amid a surge in demand for food and grocery delivery, New York legalized electric bikes and scooters in August 2020, opening the door to a relatively unregulated market of potentially dangerous e-bikes. Shoddy batteries in New York have had a catastrophic impact on residential buildings, not only starting fires but also potentially causing structural damage due to their explosive nature, officials said.
“They are not just regular fires, they are basically explosions and they spread so rapidly, and it’s more than just water to take them out,” Adams said.
Despite New York City passing the comprehensive set of laws governing these kinds of devices, it remains unclear how these new laws will retroactively prevent fires from the 65,000 e-bikes purchased before this law took effect in New York.
Nationwide, e-bike sales have rapidly grown since the pandemic changed the lifestyle habits of millions of Americans, including the proliferation of app-based delivery services.
“More than 65,000 app-based delivery workers rely on these electrical micro-mobility devices to meet the brutal delivery schedule that they receive from the app delivery industry, to be able to travel the long distances, and also to be able to do as many deliveries a day so they can provide for their families,” Workers Justice Project executive irector Ligia M. Guallpa said at Monday’s press conference.
A projected one million micro-mobility devices were likely sold in the U.S. in 2022, an exponential growth compared to the 288,000 sold in 2019, according to Ed Benjamin, chairman of the Light Electric Vehicle Association.
At least 19 people died nationwide in 2022 because of fires stemming from micro-mobility devices, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said this week.
According to UL Solutions Chief Scientist Robert Slone, the regulations governing micro-mobility devices (notably UL 2272 and UL 2849) already existed prior to the New York law. Despite the framework for governing e-bikes already existing, lawmakers have been delayed in responding to the quick growth of micro-mobility devices.
“I think it’s the type of a technology that was initially slow to be adopted and then ramped up very quickly, and I think the laws and the requirements are catching up,” he said. “The standards have been there for quite some time.”
The delay in preventing unregulated e-bikes has had deadly consequences for New York. Slone said the most common living arrangement in New York — multi-story apartments in which residents literally live on top of each other — can also increase the impact of these challenging fires.
“When first responders like FDNY are fighting these fires, it appears to be out and then it comes back and reignites with no sign that it’s going to do that…,” he said. “So they are more complicated fires to fight, and in some ways, honestly more dangerous fires to fight when they do happen.”
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will be hosting the cast of Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso at the White House Monday to discuss the importance of talking about mental health.
Several actors from the hit show including Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein will visit to discuss why people should address “mental health to promote overall well-being.”
Biden tweeted a suggestion to the visit Sunday with a photo of a sign that reads, “BELIEVE” above one of the doors to the Oval Office, which references the sign that the title character, played by Sudeikis, hangs above his office door.
According to a press release from the streaming service, the themes of Ted Lasso have focused on “optimism, kindness, and determination.”
The series, which saw its third season premiere last week, has also not shied away from depicting mental health struggles.
Lasso is an American football coach who moves to England to coach a Premier League soccer team. He generally has a sunny disposition, but cracks begin to show as past trauma catches up with him.
Dr. Sharon Fieldstone, played by Sarah Niles, is brought in to help one of the team’s soccer players after a penalty kick gone wrong shakes him up. However, she soon begins to have one-on-one conversations with all the players.
Although Lasso initially resists Fieldstone’s attempts to have a session with him, he eventually visits her after experiencing a debilitating panic attack.
Over a series of sessions, Lasso and Fieldstone dig down to discover the root cause of Lasso’s anxiety.
Ted Lasso co-creator and cast member Brendan Hunt, who plays Coach Beard, told Phil Lipof on “ABC News Live” Friday that the response from fans to Lasso entering therapy has been overwhelmingly positive.
“The feedback we’ve gotten from people on this show is so uniquely moving — and has been from the beginning for various reasons — but, when we added the therapy element, heard back from a lot of different people about how therapy has helped their lives and some people who were just finally taking the step to start therapy because of the show,” Hunt said.
In several speeches, including his most recent State of the Union in January, Biden has said one of the key proposals of his administration is improving mental health.
The administration has provided more than $500 million to help states launch the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and has distributed funds to help more schools hire mental health professionals that can connect with students either in person or via telehealth.
Biden has also called on lawmakers to pass legislation that would prevent social media companies from collecting personal data on children and teenagers as well as ban targeted advertising to children.
“President Biden has made addressing the mental health crisis a core pillar of his Unity Agenda,” the White House said in a statement. “His strategy is focused on training more providers, making care more affordable and accessible, and creating healthier and safer communities, including online.”
The White House did not immediately return ABC News’ request for comment.
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) — Police in Nashville, Tennessee, say they’re searching for two suspects who were caught on camera spray-painting houses with swastikas and other hate messages.
Nashville police said five homes in the Sylvan Park area were targeted by the vandalism early Sunday.
Home surveillance video showed the suspects spray-painting a camera at one of the homes around 1:30 a.m.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper tweeted, “Nashville stands united against the hate and bigotry these disgusting acts represent.”
“Grateful to [Nashville police] Chief Drake & his team for their ongoing work to track down those responsible and hold them accountable,” Cooper said. “We will not tolerate antisemitism or discrimination of any kind in our city.”
The police department said its officers are increasing their presence in Sylvan Park and at Nashville’s Jewish institutions.
Police ask anyone with information to call the department’s Specialized Investigations Division at 615-742-7463.
(NEW YORK) — An American missionary who was kidnapped in Niger has been released, U.S. officials said Monday.
Jeffery Woodke, a Christian humanitarian aid worker, was released on Monday after more than six years in captivity, the White House said.
“I’m gratified & relieved to see the release of U.S. hostage Jeff Woodke after over 6 years in captivity,” U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan tweeted. “The U.S. thanks Niger for its help in bringing him home to all who miss & love him.”
Woodke, who had been kidnapped in October 2016, was released outside of Niger, “in the Mali-Burkina” Faso area, according to a senior Biden administration official.
He had been captured by a hostage-taking network after working for years in the region, according to the official, who declined to say which specific terrorist organization had been holding the American.
“There are a number of kind of intersecting, overlapping terrorist networks in that part of West Africa that, unfortunately, see kidnapping and hostage-taking as part of their business model, frankly, and as a source of revenue and support for them,” the official said. “And unfortunately, he has spent six-and-a-half years enduring that.”
Woodke’s wife, Els, told ABC News in 2021 that her family had come to believe that her husband had been held by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (IS-GS) to an al-Qaida affiliate in northwest Africa known as JNIM.
In a call with reporters, the official didn’t say where Woodke was now, although a White House official said Woodke had been transferred to U.S. government custody.
The senior official said the U.S. didn’t know where Woodke had actually been held over the years, and that officials hoped to learn more from Woodke himself.
The official declined to provide details of how Woodke was freed, deferring to Niger’s government to provide more information. He noted Woodke would be offered an array of medical services, including psychiatric support.
While the official declined to provide details about how Woodke was released, he emphasized “there was no quid pro quo” with Woodke’s captors.
“There was no direct negotiation here between the U.S. government and a terrorist organization,” the official said. “It’s worth making that clear. Certainly, we did not pay a ransom or make a concession to a terrorist organization here.”
He credited Niger’s government and said that the U.S. worked through Niger, which he said had “their own engagements.”
Woodke’s wife appeared in the 2021 ABC News documentary 3212 UN-REDACTED, which focused on an ill-fated U.S. Special Forces mission in 2017 that left four Green Beret soldiers dead.
A former commanding general of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) had claimed publicly that the mission had been tied to finding Woodke.
On Monday, the Biden administration official said the U.S. had invested intelligence and military resources over the years to find Woodke, who had worked for years helping nomadic people in the Sahel region.
“We owe a great deal of thanks to the government of Niger for its critical role in securing Jeff’s release,” the senior administration official said.
The official said the Woodke family had been notified first, the administration had also notified members of Congress, and the U.S. was notifying “foreign partners,” as well.
(NEW YORK) — Greenhouse gas emissions are continuing to increase, exacerbating the challenge world leaders face in preventing the impacts of climate change from worsening, the United Nations warns in its latest climate report.
Emissions in 2019 were about 12% higher than they were in 2010 and 54% higher than they were in 1990, largely due to increases in fossil fuel production, industrial activities and methane emissions, the report, released Monday by the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, states.
As a result, human-caused climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe, leading to widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and people, according to the report.
The window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future is “rapidly” closing, the report states. It will take a “quantum leap in climate action” to mitigate global warming, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement.
“Humanity is on thin ice — and that ice is melting fast,” Guterres said.
Continued greenhouse gas emissions will lead to increased warming, and every increment of increased warming will intensify hazards, but deep and rapid reductions in emissions would slow warming down within about two decades, the report states. However, some future changes, like sea level rise, are unavoidable or irreversible but can be limited with deep, rapid and sustained cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the report.
The authors emphasized, again, that the world must reach net zero by the early 2050s to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, which means any manmade carbon or greenhouse gas emissions would be eliminated or removed.
The report also lays out why that goal is so important, saying that any incremental warming beyond that amount will worsen hazards such as extreme heat and severe precipitation and increase the risks of species loss, more extreme heat days that could be dangerous to human health, and decreased yields from crops or fisheries.
“The choices and actions implemented in this decade will have impacts now and for thousands of years,” the U.N. advised in the report.
The report synthesizes nearly a decade of work from the IPCC, which brings together the best climate scientists around the world to create definitive reports to guide international and domestic climate policies and goals. The language has been accepted by every country that participates in the Paris Agreement and will be used as the backdrop for climate negotiations for the rest of the year when countries are expected to submit critical updates in their plans to reduce emissions.
The literature is being framed by civil society groups as the last U.N. climate report before the world starts to run up against these critical deadlines to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit — cutting global emissions nearly in half by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050.
The report, which encompasses about 200 years of warming, is extremely important because it “represents the most comprehensive collection of the knowledge on climate change,” Stephanie Roe, global climate and energy lead scientist for the World Wildlife Foundation, told ABC News.
“It clearly lays out, essentially, the main causes and drivers of climate change, impacts from climate change and also the solutions to climate change in a way that is much more accessible and clear and succinct for policymakers, decision-makers and the general public,” Roe said.
Many groups see the report as yet another call to action rather than a reason to despair.
“This IPCC report is both a blistering condemnation of major emitters’ inaction and a sound blueprint for a much safer and more equitable world,” Ani Dasgupta, president and CEO of the World Resources Institute, said in a statement.
The IPCC remains “hopeful” despite the dire warnings of the report, which offers a “narrow” path to secure a livable future if the world corrects course in a rapid manner, Dasgupta added.
“This involves deep emission reductions from every sector of the economy, as well as much greater investments to build resilience to climate impacts and support for people facing unavoidable climate losses and damage,” Dasgupta said.
The report was approved by all 195 countries that participate in the Paris Agreement, making it the definitive summary of climate science and solutions going into the next few years of global climate talks.
Guterres has proposed a “Climate Solidarity Pact” to G-20 countries, which would require all big emitters to make extra efforts to cut emissions, and wealthier countries mobilize financial and technical resources to support emerging economies in a common effort to keep the goal of staying below 1.5 degrees of warming “alive.”
“Every country must be part of the solution,” Guterres said. “Demanding others move first only ensures humanity comes last.”
(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) — A high-ranking Memphis, Tennessee police officer on duty at the scene of the beating that would end Tyre Nichols life, retired one day before he was expected to be fired, according to Memphis City Council Vice Chairman JB Smiley, Jr.
“We’re accountable to the people who pay taxes,” Smiley told ABC News. “And if we’re wronging the people who pay taxes, we shouldn’t be allowed to receive dollars that are ultimately theirs.”
“We call for Memphis police and officials to do everything in their power to hold Lt. Smith and all of those involved fully accountable and not allow Lt. Smith to cowardly sidestep the consequences of his actions,” the Nichols family’s attorneys said in a statement. “His cowardice in resigning and not facing his own disciplinary board to defend himself is not an end-around on accountability or reckoning.”
The mother and stepfather of Nichols, RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, spoke alongside Ben Crump, who leads their legal team, and Al Sharpton at the National Action Network (NAN) House of Justice in Harlem Saturday.
“In my heart, I just feel like, my son, he had to be sacrificed for the greater good,” RowVaughn Wells said through tears. “That’s the only explanation that I have as the reason why all this is happening. Because he was such a good person. He was a free-spirited person.”
Crump supported RowVaughn Wells’ belief that her son was sent to this world on an “assignment.”
“She’s got to believe some greater good is going to come from this,” Crump said. “All these families joining Tyre Nichols’ family, we’re finally going to get the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act passed. So, we can try to prevent some of these unnecessary, these unjustifiable, and unconstitutional killings of our people.”
According to a statement from Wells’ attorneys, Lt. Smith observed Nichols as he lay battered on the ground, neither rendering aid nor asking for immediate medical attention for Nichols. The Memphis Police Department declined to comment and did not respond to requests to obtain the police reports related to Lt. Smith’s retirement.
After Nichols died, seven other police officers were terminated following the beating on Jan. 7, according to city of Memphis chief legal officer Jennifer Sink. All five officers who were directly involved in the beating have been charged with second-degree murder.
Nichols, 29, died three days after a violent traffic stop caught on body camera footage. He cried out for his mother as he was beaten with fists, boots and batons by the five officers after fleeing the scene of his alleged traffic violation. The officers all pleaded not guilty in their first court appearance on Feb. 17.
“Tyre’s parents believe Smith was one of the first officers who came to their house and told them about Tyre’s beating,” Wells’ attorneys said in a statement. “[Lt. Smith] said Tyre was involved in a DUI or on drugs, and did not tell them about the severity of the situation.”
The statement also said Smith told Wells she would not be permitted to see her son in the hospital.
When reached by ABC News in a phone call, Lt. Smith declined to comment.
(NEW YORK) — Let’s be honest: electric vehicles can get a bad rap.
Maybe it’s range anxiety. Or the scarcity — and uncertainty — of public charging stations. Both are valid reasons why some Americans are dubious of electric vehicles.
More industry watchers are now arguing a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) may be the “ideal” powertrain of choice for those wanting to try out EVs. Plug-in hybrids have a gasoline engine, at least one electric motor and a battery pack, which can be charged via regenerative braking or a plug. Some PHEVs can even travel up to 60 miles in electric mode.
They were once seen as a temporary solution to EV adoption. Not anymore.
“The reality is electric vehicles won’t work for everyone — not now, not in the next five or even 15 years,” Robby DeGraff, an analyst at AutoPacific, told ABC News. “There will always be people living in apartments or homes who don’t have a place to plug in. We should not be forcing EVs on people.”
DeGraff said the EV charging infrastructure lags in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he lives. He can count the number of level 3 chargers in the city, adding that many are often broken or offline. He attributes the excitement around EVs to Tesla, the top-selling EV automaker in the U.S., noting that the “Tesla buzz” hasn’t stopped even with the increased competition.
“If you’re a consumer toying with the idea of an EV … you look at the Tesla charging network, which is fantastic,” he said. “Teslas are still very desirable and hot.”
Last year 186,400 PHEV units were sold in the U.S. versus 774,000 battery electric vehicles (BEV). AutoPacific predicts sales of plug-ins to hit 305,000 this year and 425,900 in 2024. There are currently 51 PHEVs (including cars, SUVs, crossovers and one minivan) on the market and 61 BEVs. DeGraff said consumers would buy more PHEVs if they were aware of the benefits of owning one.
“They’re more affordable than a common electric vehicle and operate like a traditional hybrid when the electric range is out,” he said. “They have more flexibility … I think they’re perfect.”
The No. 1 selling PHEV in the U.S. is the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, which launched in 2021. The Wrangler 4xe now accounts for 24% of all Wrangler sales and more than 43,100 units were sold in 2022. (The 4xe is available in Willys, Sahara, High Altitude and Rubicon models.) Jeep then debuted the Grand Cherokee 4xe in late 2022.
The Wrangler 4xe gets 21 miles of electric range; the Grand Cherokee 4xe tops out at 25 miles. Jeep, part of the Stellantis automotive conglomerate, will introduce even more electrified models by 2025.
“By 2030, more than 50% of Jeep brand sales in the United States will be fully electric,” a spokesperson told ABC News.
Japanese automaker Toyota will add the latest generation of its Prius Prime this spring following the success of the RAV4 Prime sport utility vehicle, which has an EPA-estimated electric range of 42 miles.
“The demand for our Prime vehicles exceeds our ability to manufacture them,” a Toyota spokesperson told ABC News. “Almost every RAV4 Prime is pre-sold before they hit the lots. With the design and features of our all-new 2023 Prius Prime, we expect the same customer demand when it goes on sale.”
Toyota, a pioneer of hybrid technology, recently said it would focus more attention on BEVs, a significant shift for the company. Plug-in hybrids, however, will still be available to drivers who prefer them.
“Our strategy will continue to evolve as we work to meet customer demands but PHEVs will continue to be a piece of that strategy,” the spokesperson said.
Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.com, said plug-in hybrids have “zero downside” for owners, especially since they can be easily charged with a standard, 110v outlet — no pricey external charger required.
“With a PHEV you’re not at the mercy of the public charging infrastructure, which is still pretty lacking,” he told ABC News. “You will never face lines or deal with non-functioning chargers.”
Many PHEVs can qualify for state and federal tax credits, too. PHEVs may weigh more than non-hybrids but the instant torque from the electric motor will immediately satisfy drivers, Brauer said.
“PHEVs are the most complex type of car and the tech keeps getting better and better,” he said. “Battery packs are getting more efficient and lighter. The newest versions won’t suffer weight penalties as earlier models did.”
Mitsubishi Motors has been producing a plug-in version of its Outlander for a decade. The electrified SUV was a hit globally and landed in the U.S. in 2018. The niche automaker recently unveiled an updated Outlander PHEV with boosted electric range (38 miles), a third row and improved styling and handling.
“We essentially invented the segment,” Cason Grover, Mitsubishi Motors North America director of product planning, told ABC News. “The Outlander was a huge success for us, surprising a lot of people. It set us on a really good path.”
Grover touted the “surprising acceleration” of PHEVs, adding that electrification “brings lots of benefits.” He agreed that pairing a gasoline engine with an electric motor eliminates the fears drivers share about EVs.
“It’s nice to have that ability to drive long distances with an internal combustion engine,” he said.
Luxury automakers like BMW, Porsche and Bentley have also been making PHEVs for years. BMW recently added the XM, a high-performance plug-in hybrid SUV that produces a combined 644 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque from a twin-turbo V8 engine and electric motor.
The modish SUV can travel for 30 miles as EV before the 4.4-liter engine kicks in. Plus, the battery charges from zero to 100% in 3.25 hours, BMW says.
Bentley pairs a turbocharged V6 engine with an electric motor in its plug-in hybrid Bentayga and Flying Spur. The vehicles are powered by a 18.0 kWh lithium-ion battery that can be recharged in as little as two-and-a-half hours. The electric-only range on the Bentayga hybrid is at least 28 miles; the Flying Spur hybrid gets 25 miles in EV Drive mode.
German automaker Porsche sells more plug-ins overseas but the company’s all-electric Taycan has actually boosted interest in the company’s hybrids in the U.S., according to a spokesperson. Porsche launched the Panamera E-Hybrid in 2013 followed by the Cayenne E-Hybrid a year later.
“The Taycan has acted as a lighthouse and drawn the attention of non-traditional Porsche customers to the availability of a PHEV model range,” the spokesperson told ABC News.
The E-Hybrids have an EPA-tested range of 15 and 14 miles.
“In the real world, drivers found they would get 20% more range than listed,” the spokesperson said.
Plug-ins are starting to revolutionize the supercar world as well. Ferrari’s SF90 Stradale pairs a twin-turbocharged V8 with three electric motors, giving the car aphrodisiac qualities and mind-blowing acceleration.
McLaren’s Artura, the British’s marque new plug-in hybrid, delivers sleek styling, scintillating performance and insane speeds with minimal to no emissions. Owners can drive in silence for 19 miles before the twin-turbo V6 engine awakens.
Nicolas Brown, president of McLaren the Americas, said customers are not demanding a pure EV quite yet.
“Our focus is on high-performance hybrids,” he told ABC News. “This hybrid ticks all the boxes and the driver experience isn’t compromised. The battery technology isn’t there yet to have a true, all-electric track car.”
Brauer expects the electric range of PHEVs to increase in the coming years, with 100 miles a real possibility. Now, automakers have to do more to educate motorists about these vehicles, he argued.
“It’s unfortunate the average consumer isn’t more aware of plug-ins,” he said. “If you look at all the pros and cons of drivetrains, PHEVs would be that much more popular.”
(MIAMI) — For the third year in a row, the City of Miami Beach has imposed a state of emergency and an overnight curfew for South Beach starting 11:59 p.m. Sunday after multiple fatal shootings occurred during spring break festivities this weekend.
The decision comes after two people were fatally shot between Friday and Sunday morning in the area, according to the Miami Beach Police Department.
Police responded to emergency calls on Friday night, discovering two men who were shot near 7 Street and Ocean Drive, officials said.
Both men were sent to Jackson Memorial Hospital, with one victim succumbing to his injuries at the hospital, police said. The other victim is in critical condition.
According to Miami Beach Police, one person has been detained and three guns were found at the scene.
Police responded to a shooting Sunday morning, where they discovered a wounded man near the 1000 block of Ocean Drive.
The unidentified man was sent to an area hospital, where he later died from his injuries, Miami Beach Police said on Twitter.
Law enforcement officials are investigating both incidents.
According to Miami Beach city officials, the curfew will be effective until Monday morning at 6 a.m. local time.
City officials said businesses in the area must close early enough to allow customers time to avoid a curfew violation.
Further curfew limits are expected to go into effect from Thursday, March 23, through Monday, March 27, according to Miami Beach officials.
Last year, Miami Beach issued a curfew after multiple people were hurt after a string of violent incidents in the area.
(NEW YORK) — The Manhattan grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump over a payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels will hear from an additional witness on Monday, attorney and longtime Trump ally Bob Costello, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Costello at one point represented Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer and attorney, who is a key witness for the district attorney’s office since Cohen wrote the $130,000 check to Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 election.
Prosecutors in New York are looking into whether Trump falsified business records in connection with that money, which was allegedly to keep Daniels from talking about a long-denied affair, sources familiar with the matter previously told ABC News.
The district attorney’s office informed Trump earlier this month of his right to testify before a grand jury in the probe, a possible signal that prosecutors are moving toward a charging decision.
In New York, potential targets of investigations are, by law, given the chance to appear before the grand jury hearing evidence.
Trump has “no plans” to participate in the grand jury investigation, his attorney Joe Tacopina told George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s Good Morning America last week.
However, the Trump legal team did petition to have Costello testify before the grand jury, sources said Sunday.
Cohen, whom Trump has turned on and dismissed as a “fraudster,” said Sunday he was asked to make himself available Monday as a rebuttal witness.
Reached by ABC News, Costello declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg also declined to comment. News of Costello’s pending appearance was first reported by The New York Times.
Trump has acknowledged paying Daniels, which Tacopina described as akin to an extortion payment, but Trump has said he did nothing wrong and cast the district attorney’s work as biased.
On social media on Saturday, he claimed he would be arrested on Tuesday and called for protests to “TAKE OUR NATION BACK.”
A spokesperson subsequently walked some of that back and said there had been no notification that Bragg “has decided to take his Witch-Hunt to the next level.”
In an email to staff, reviewed by ABC News, Bragg wrote that “we do not tolerate attempts to intimidate our office or threaten the rule of law in New York.”
Trump’s social media post was denounced as “reckless” by Democrats including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, appearing on ABC’s This Week,”said, “No one is above the law.”
In a separate sit-down for This Week, former Vice President Mike Pence said of Trump’s potential arrest: “It just feels like a politically charged prosecution.”
