Not even a seven nation army can hold The White Stripes back from the inevitable marching of time.
Jack and Meg White‘s landmark fourth album, Elephant, was released April 1, 2003 — 20 years ago this Saturday.
Elephant is the fake brother-sister/real-life ex-husband-and-wife duo’s best-selling record, having been certified double Platinum by the RIAA. It produced the Stripes classics “The Hardest Button to Button,” “Black Math” and “Ball and Biscuit,” as well as the band’s signature song, “Seven Nation Army.”
Perhaps the definitive guitar anthem of the 2000s alternative scene — and maybe the 21st century — “Seven Nation Army” features an instantly recognizable riff that soon made the jump from headphones and concert halls to an omnipresent chant in sports arenas and stadiums.
Elephant and “Seven Nation Army” also earned The White Stripes their first Grammy wins, taking home Best Alternative Music Album and Best Rock Song, respectively.
After Elephant, The White Stripes released two more albums — 2005’s Get Behind Me Satan and 2007’s Icky Thump — before breaking up in 2011. Jack launched a solo career in 2012, and has continued to play in bands including The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather. Meg, meanwhile, has stayed largely out of the public eye, though her name was dragged into the online discourse recently after a tweet insulting her drumming went viral, leading musicians, including Jack, to share their support for her.
Jack and Meg might have a chance to reunite if they’re inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year. The White Stripes were nominated for the honor in their first year of eligibility.
Meanwhile, a 20th anniversary reissue of Elephant, featuring remastered HD audio and a full live recording of a 2003 Chicago concert, is out now via digital outlets.
Earlier this month Joni Mitchell was honored in Washington, D.C., with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, and music fans are finally going to get to see what went down at the event.
Joni Mitchell: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is set to air on PBS Friday, March 31. It will feature performances by Joni, James Taylor, Graham Nash, Annie Lennox, Brandi Carlile, Cyndi Lauper and more. Mitchell’s visual art will also be highlighted during the show.
The night’s performances and performers include:
“Summertime”- Joni Mitchell
“California” – James Taylor
“Both Sides Now” – Annie Lennox
“Big Yellow Taxi” – Brandi Carlile, Angélique Kidjo, Cyndi Lauper, Annie Lennox, Ledisi, Lucius
“Carey” – Marcus Mumford
“River” – Herbie Hancock & Ledisi
“Shine” – Brandi Carlile & Lucius
“Blue” – Cyndi Lauper
“A Case of You” – Graham Nash
“Help Me” – Angélique Kidjo
“For the Roses” – Diana Krall
The Gershwin Prize has been handed out since 2007, with Paul Simon the first honoree. Last year Lionel Richie received the award, with Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Carole King and Stevie Wonder among the previous honorees.
Joni Mitchell: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song will debut at 9 p.m. ET on PBS, and will also be broadcast on PBS.org and on the PBS app.
(NEW YORK) — A grand jury is continuing to weigh charges against former President Donald Trump in connection with the Manhattan district attorney’s probe into the 2016 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
No current or former president has ever been indicted for criminal conduct.
Here is how the news is developing. All times Eastern. Check back for updates:
Mar 30, 8:44 PM EDT
Scenes from Manhattan, Mar-a-Lago
Demonstrators gathered outside Manhattan Criminal Court and near Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in the wake of the indictment Thursday evening.
In Manhattan, a giant sign that stated “Trump lies all the time” could be seen unfurled outside Manhattan Criminal Court, where police had erected barricades last week ahead of a possible indictment.
Meanwhile, several supporters gathered near Mar-a-Lago with Trump 2024 flags and signs.
Mar 30, 8:15 PM EDT
Schumer: ‘Trump is subject to the same laws as every American’
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged “Trump’s critics and supporters to let the process proceed peacefully and according to the law” in a statement following the indictment of the former president.
“Mr. Trump is subject to the same laws as every American,” Schumer said. “He will be able to avail himself of the legal system and a jury, not politics, to determine his fate according to the facts and the law.”
Mar 30, 7:41 PM EDT
Lawmakers react to historic indictment
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle took to Twitter to react to the historic indictment on Thursday evening, laying bare the sharp partisan divide when it comes to Donald Trump.
GOP House and Senate members decried the investigation by the Manhattan district attorney as a political prosecution.
Many Democrats, on the other hand, praised the decision as proof “no one is above the law.”
-ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler
Mar 30, 7:24 PM EDT
Trump expected to surrender in New York early next week: Sources
Former President Trump is expected to surrender in New York early next week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
While a day has not been firmed up, sources said that Tuesday is the day being discussed by Trump’s legal team and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Mar 30, 7:24 PM EDT
House Speaker McCarthy vows to hold Manhattan DA accountable
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said in a tweet that the House GOP will use its power to hold Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg “and his unprecedented abuse of power to account.”
“The American people will not tolerate this injustice,” McCarthy said, adding that Bragg has “weaponized our sacred system of justice against President Donald Trump.”
House Republicans have requested documents and testimony from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in its investigation of Trump, but Bragg has said he won’t comply.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Mar 30, 7:18 PM EDT
DA’s office has contacted Trump’s attorney ‘to coordinate his surrender’
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said in a statement that it has contacted former President Donald Trump’s attorney “to coordinate his surrender” for arraignment on a state Supreme Court indictment, noting that it remains under seal.
“Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected,” the office said.
Mar 30, 7:00 PM EDT
NYPD officers to deploy across city on Friday
In the wake of the indictment, all officers with the New York Police Department have been ordered to show up in uniform Friday morning for deployments around New York City, police sources told ABC News.
There are no credible threats, according to the mayor’s office.
Mar 30, 6:49 PM EDT
Trump indictment marks unprecedented moment in presidential history
The indictment of Donald Trump marks an unprecedented development in the country’s history — the first time a former president has ever faced criminal charges.
Historians say that not since Richard Nixon had there been the real prospect of a commander-in-chief being formally accused of a crime, though Nixon avoided that fate after being pardoned by successor Gerald Ford.
-ABC News’ Tal Axelrod
Mar 30, 6:42 PM EDT
RNC calls indictment ‘blatant abuse of power’
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel called the indictment “a blatant abuse of power from a DA focused on political vengeance.”
“When our justice system is weaponized as a political tool, it endangers all of us,” she tweeted.
Mar 30, 6:36 PM EDT
What to know about an indictment with Trump facing charges
Criminal prosecution proceedings typically start with an arrest and a court appearance, but legal experts say that on many occasions, especially in white-collar crimes, suspects aren’t hit with charges or a visit from an officer until long after an official investigation is underway.
Typically, if a crime is being investigated, law enforcement agents will make an arrest, file initial charges and bring a suspect to be arraigned in court, Vincent Southerland, an assistant professor of clinical law and the director of the criminal defense and reentry clinic at NYU School of Law, told ABC News.
However, Southerland noted that prosecutors can start with the criminal indictment process in the beginning, especially if their case needs more evidence to press those charges.
Cheryl Bader, an associate clinical professor of law at Fordham University, told ABC News that such a move is common in white-collar criminal investigations that involve looking at delicate nuances in the state law and require more time.
Bader said investigations into prominent figures, such as the current investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office into former President Donald Trump, also prompt prosecutors’ offices to make their case to the grand jury in the most meticulous and thorough way possible.
-ABC News’ Ivan Pereira
Mar 30, 6:28 PM EDT
DNC responds
The Democratic National Committee said in a statement Thursday, “No matter what happens in Trump’s upcoming legal proceedings, it’s obvious the Republican Party remains firmly in the hold of Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.”
The DNC vowed, “We will continue to hold Trump and all Republican candidates accountable for the extreme MAGA agenda that includes banning abortion, cutting Social Security and Medicare, and undermining free and fair elections.”
Mar 30, 6:27 PM EDT
Trump could still be elected president despite indictment, experts say
Former President Donald Trump can still be elected president — even if he is convicted — experts tell ABC News. But there are practical reasons that could make it a challenge, experts say.
Trump said recently at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that he would “absolutely” stay in the race for president even if he were to be criminally indicted.
Trump has denied wrongdoing and has characterized the probe as part of a “witch hunt” against him.
The U.S. Constitution does not list the absence of a criminal record as a qualification for the presidency.
Constitutional experts also told ABC News that previous Supreme Court rulings hold that Congress cannot add qualifications to the office of the president. In addition, a state cannot prohibit indicted or convicted felons from running for federal office.
-ABC News’ Laura Romero
Mar 30, 6:16 PM EDT
Trump tells ABC News indictment is ‘attack on our country’
Former President Donald Trump told ABC News over the phone that the indictment is “an attack on our country.”
He called it a “political persecution,” adding, “They are trying to impact an election.”
Mar 30, 6:14 PM EDT
Stormy Daniels’ lawyer responds to indictment
Stormy Daniels’ lawyer, Clark Brewster, issued a statement on the indictment, saying: “The indictment of Donald Trump is no cause for joy. The hard work and conscientiousness of the grand jurors must be respected. Now let truth and justice prevail. No one is above the law.”
While the indictment remains under seal, Trump had been under investigation by the Manhattan district attorney over a $130,000 payment he made to the adult film actress to keep her from going public with a claim of an affair, which he denies.
Mar 30, 6:03 PM EDT
Trump’s indictment could mark turning point in 2024 campaign, even if he says otherwise: ANALYSIS
Donald Trump being formally accused of a crime could change the outlook for the still-forming field of Republican presidential candidates in 2024 — either rallying primary voters primed by his talk of the “deep state” and “retribution” or opening up an unprecedented line of criticism for Trump’s rivals.
The indictment itself isn’t disqualifying, legally speaking. The U.S. Constitution doesn’t prevent people under indictment or criminal investigation from running for the White House, experts have told ABC News, so the former president could still be reelected despite the indictment — and would still be eligible even if it leads to a conviction, regardless of practical obstacles like potential incarceration.
Mar 30, 5:34 PM EDT
Trump indicted
ABC News has learned that former president Donald Trump has been indicted, according to multiple sources with knowledge.
Mar 28, 9:29 PM EDT
Grand jury expected to meet Thursday on other matters: Sources
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump will not convene on Wednesday and is expected to meet Thursday on other matters, sources familiar with the situation told ABC News.
The proceeding is conducted in secret and the grand jury could be presented with evidence or vote at any time.
Mar 27, 4:30 PM EDT
Former publisher of the National Enquirer seen leaving DA’s office
David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, was seen leaving the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office with his lawyer on Monday.
Pecker testified before the grand jury for about an hour, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Pecker, who allegedly helped arrange the payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, previously spoke to the grand jury in January.
The district attorney’s office may have called Pecker to bolster Michael Cohen’s earlier testimony about the purpose of the payment.
Mar 27, 7:29 AM EDT
Manhattan grand jury expected to reconvene Monday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump is expected to reconvene on Monday, sources tell ABC News.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky
Mar 26, 4:48 PM EDT
GOP oversight chair defends getting involved in NY Trump probe
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Sunday defended taking the escalatory step of getting Congress involved in the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation of Donald Trump by using his position to request answers from the prosecutor, Alvin Bragg.
“If Mr. Bragg wants to come in and explain to us what he what he’s doing, and he makes a good explanation, he makes a good argument and we see that we’re in an area where we shouldn’t belong, such as the Republicans — some of the Republican senators — say, then we will back off,” Comer, R-Ky., said on CNN. But, he added, “I don’t believe that Bragg would be doing this if Donald Trump were not running for president, and that’s something that we would like to ask Mr. Bragg as well.”
Pushed by CNN anchor Jake Tapper, who said Bragg is investigating potential violations of state and not federal crimes, Comer said, “This is about politics. This is a presidential candidate.”
Comer insisted that he would be more accepting of the investigation if it was being brought by the Department of Justice rather than a local district attorney, though he later said he wanted all “meddling” to end.
Bragg’s office has signaled that they may be moving closer to a charging decision — such as for falsifying business records, sources have said — in relation to $130,000 that Trump paid the adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election in order to prevent her from going public with an affair claim.
Trump denies all wrongdoing, including a relationship with Daniels.
He falsely said that he would be arrested last week and has urged protests.
-ABC News’ Adam Carlson and Cheyenne Haslett
Mar 25, 7:46 PM EDT
Republicans urge Alvin Bragg to comply with their request for documents, testimony
In a new letter Saturday, the Republican leaders of three powerful House committees responded to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s rebuff of their request for documents and testimony related to the Trump probe.
Reps. Jim Jordan, James Comer and Brian Steil argued in the 8-page letter they have legislative purpose for demanding such material.
Bragg’s office pushed back against the chairmen’s original request on March 20, stating it would “not be intimidated by attempts to undermine the justice process.”
Leslie Dubeck, Bragg’s general counsel, responded that it was “an unlawful incursion into New York’s sovereignty.”
In a new statement Saturday, Bragg’s office said it is “not appropriate for Congress to interfere with pending local investigations.”
“This unprecedented inquiry by federal elected officials into an ongoing matter serves only to hinder, disrupt and undermine the legitimate work of our dedicated prosecutors,” his office said.
Read more about the GOP request for information on the Trump case here.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Mar 24, 10:30 PM EDT
Mayor Adams’ office condemns threat to DA Bragg
A spokesman for New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement Friday evening condemning the threatening letter sent to District Attorney Alvin Bragg that included powder later deemed non-hazardous.
“While we cannot comment on the specifics of any ongoing investigation, no public official should ever be subject to threats for doing his or her job,” the statement read.
The spokesman added, “I’m confident that every elected official in the City, including Manhattan DA Bragg, will continue to do their work undeterred, and anyone found to be engaging in illegal conduct will be brought to justice.”
Mar 24, 5:35 PM EDT
DA Bragg stresses ‘safety’ for staff after threat sent to him
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg thanked his staff for their “strength and professionalism” in an email sent Friday and reassured them the powder sent to him in a letter discovered earlier in the day was not hazardous.
The email, which was obtained by ABC News, was sent to Bragg’s 1,600-member staff about three hours after the letter was discovered in a basement mail room on Friday.
“I want to reiterate my message from Saturday: your safety is our top priority,” the email said, referring to an earlier message to staff obtained by ABC News that followed former President Donald Trump’s social media call for protest and an inaccurate prediction he would be arrested on Tuesday.
The latest message revealed that some in the office had received “offensive or threatening phone calls or emails” and Bragg apologized for what he called the “distressing disruptions.”
Bragg concluded with his often-repeated vow to apply the law evenly and fairly.
He also mentioned a film shoot occurring this weekend outside the courthouse at 60 Centre St. could include simulated explosions.
Mar 24, 4:33 PM EDT
Letter threatening to kill ‘Alvin’ found at Manhattan DA’s office: Sources
A white powder was discovered in the mailroom at 80 Centre Street, where the Manhattan District Attorney has offices and where a grand jury has been meeting to hear evidence in former President Donald Trump’s case, according to a court official. The powder was determined to be non-hazardous, officials said.
The powder came in an envelope addressed to “Alvin,” an apparent reference to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, according police sources.
Inside the envelope was a letter containing the typewritten message, “Alvin: I am going to kill you,” with 13 exclamation points, according to sources.
This envelope followed a series of unfounded threats that targeted municipal offices in New York this week.
“For three days we got four emails,” Susan Stetzer, district manager at Manhattan Community Board 3, told ABC News on Friday.
At least one of the messages prompted the court to pause a hearing in the New York Attorney General’s civil lawsuit against Trump.
None of the email messages mentioned Trump by name. One included what Stetzer described as a “horrible homophobic rant.”
According to Stetzer, the messages came from @mail.ru domains and some contained Cyrillic characters. The FBI is aware but does not immediately assess that the emails came from Russia, according to a law enforcement official.
“We did not get one today so I’m hoping it stops,” Stetzer said.
New York City courthouses will see increased security, the Office of Court Administration said Friday.
Mar 24, 4:12 PM EDT
White powder addressed to ‘Alvin’ found at Manhattan DA’s office
A white powder was discovered in the mailroom at 80 Centre Street, where the Manhattan District Attorney has offices and where a grand jury has been meeting to hear evidence in former President Donald Trump’s case, according to a court official. The contents of the envelope were determined to be non-hazardous, officials said.
The powder came in an envelope addressed to “Alvin,” an apparent reference to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, according police sources.
This envelope followed a series of unfounded threats that targeted municipal offices in New York this week.
“For three days we got four emails,” Susan Stetzer, district manager at Manhattan Community Board 3, told ABC News on Friday.
At least one of the messages prompted the court to pause a hearing in the New York Attorney General’s civil lawsuit against Trump.
None of the email messages mentioned Trump by name. One included what Stetzer described as a “horrible homophobic rant.”
According to Stetzer, the messages came from @mail.ru domains and some contained Cyrillic characters. The FBI is aware but does not immediately assess that the emails came from Russia, according to a law enforcement official.
“We did not get one today so I’m hoping it stops,” Stetzer said.
New York City courthouses will see increased security, the Office of Court Administration said Friday.
Mar 24, 4:08 PM EDT
Trump escalating attacks on Manhattan DA
Former President Donald Trump has escalated his attacks on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his staff. Overnight, Trump posted on social media that if he were to be indicted it could result in “potential death and destruction.”
Senior administration officials at the Department of Homeland Security are continuing to “watch closely, particularly in the online environment” surrounding a potential indictment against former President Donald Trump, a senior administration official said.
There is nothing “that rises to the level of being credible and specific” or “actionable,” the administration official said. However, the official said that online “there are always things that emerge that will cause people to take note and possibly raise concern.”
As the grand jury continues, the lines of communication with local authorities like the NYPD and Capitol Police have been “wide open.”
“It’s been a several day period of, I’d say, very open and continued information exchange between and among federal and state partners, focused on this issue,” a senior administration official said.
Senior administration officials at the Department of Homeland Security are continuing to “watch closely, particularly in the online environment” surrounding a potential indictment against former President Donald Trump, a senior administration official said.
There is nothing “that rises to the level of being credible and specific” or “actionable,” the administration official said. However, the official said that online “there are always things that emerge that will cause people to take note and possibly raise concern.”
As the grand jury continues, the lines of communication with local authorities like the NYPD and Capitol Police have been “wide open.”
“It’s been a several day period of, I’d say, very open and continued information exchange between and among federal and state partners, focused on this issue,” a senior administration official said.
-ABC News’ Luke Barr
Mar 23, 11:31 AM EDT
DA says compliance with GOP’s requests for information would interfere with investigation
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s general counsel responded to House Republicans Thursday, telling them compliance with their requests for information would interfere with a legitimate law enforcement investigation.
General counsel Leslie Dubeck noted the House inquiry only resulted from former President Donald Trump’s social media post.
“Your letter dated March 20, 2023 (the “Letter”), in contrast, is an unprecedented inquiry into a pending local prosecution,” Dubeck wrote. “The Letter only came after Donald Trump created a false expectation that he would be arrested the next day and his lawyers reportedly urged you to intervene. Neither fact is a legitimate basis for congressional inquiry.”
Mar 23, 9:50 AM EDT
Grand jury won’t meet about Trump case this week
The grand jury hearing evidence of former President Donald Trump’s role in alleged hush money paid to Stormy Daniels will not meet about the case for the remainder of the week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
The grand jury is meeting Thursday to consider a different case, the sources said. The grand jury news was first reported by Business Insider.
The grand jury is expected to reconvene Monday to consider the Trump case, at which time at least one additional witness may be called to testify, the sources said.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment.
It is not uncommon for grand juries to sit in consideration of multiple cases at once.
Mar 23, 7:37 AM EDT
Manhattan grand jury expected to reconvene Thursday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump is expected to reconvene on Thursday, sources tell ABC News.
Mar 23, 5:28 AM EDT
Trump could still be elected president if indicted or convicted, experts say
According to law, former President Donald Trump can be elected president if indicted — or even convicted — in any of the state and federal investigations he is currently facing, experts tell ABC News. But there are practical reasons that could make it a challenge, experts say.
Trump said earlier this month at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that he would “absolutely” run for president even if he were to be criminally indicted.
“I wouldn’t even think about leaving,” Trump told reporters ahead of a speech. “Probably it will enhance my numbers.”
Mar 22, 12:51 PM EDT
Manhattan grand jury to reconvene as early as Thursday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump in connection to the Stormy Daniels hush payment investigation is not meeting on Wednesday, sources told ABC News. The earliest the grand jury would reconvene is Thursday, sources said.
The grand jurors were called Wednesday morning and told they were not needed during the day as scheduled, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The grand jurors were told to be prepared to reconvene on Thursday when it’s possible they will hear from at least one additional witness, the sources said.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment, citing a policy of not discussing grand jury matters.
-ABC News’ John Santucci and Luke Barr
Mar 22, 8:25 AM EDT
With Trump case looming, what is an indictment?
Criminal prosecution proceedings typically start with an arrest and a court appearance, but legal experts say that on many occasions, especially in white collar crimes, suspects aren’t hit with charges or a visit from an officer until long after an official investigation is underway.
Typically, if a crime is being investigated, law enforcement agents will make an arrest, file initial charges and bring a suspect to be arraigned in court, Vincent Southerland, an assistant professor of clinical law and the director of the criminal defense and reentry clinic at NYU School of Law, told ABC News.
After this arraignment, prosecutors would impanel a grand jury for a formal criminal indictment. Southerland, who has been practicing law in New York state for 19 years, said this process includes giving the jury evidence, possible testimony and other exhibits before they can officially charge a person with felonies.
A Manhattan grand jury is currently investigating Trump’s possible role in the hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The former president has denied any wrongdoing and having an affair with Daniels. His attorneys have framed the funds as a response to an extortion plot.
-ABC News’ Ivan Pereira
Mar 21, 6:11 PM EDT
Pence discourages protests if Trump indicted
Former Vice President Mike Pence discouraged any protests should a grand jury indict Donald Trump.
“Every American has the right to let their voice be heard. The Constitution provides the right to peaceably assemble. But I think in this instance, I would discourage Americans from engaging in protests if in fact the former president is indicted,” Pence said Tuesday when asked by ABC News if Americans should protest a possible indictment.
Pence said he understood the “frustration” while calling the case “politically motivated.”
“But I think letting our voices be heard in other ways, and in not engaging in protests, I think is most prudent at this time,” he said.
-ABC News’ Libby Cathey
Mar 21, 11:00 AM EDT
McCarthy grows frustrated as Trump questions persist at House GOP retreat
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy again ripped into Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg when asked about the potential charges against former President Donald Trump at a Tuesday press conference at the House GOP retreat in Orlando.
When McCarthy was asked directly if had concerns about Trump’s alleged conduct regarding the alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, he didn’t answer the question and instead pivoted to talking about Hillary Clinton and Bragg.
“What we see before us is a political game being played by a local. Look, this isn’t New York City, this is just a Manhattan,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy said he hasn’t spoken to Trump in three weeks.
When asked if Trump is still the leader of the Republican Party, McCarthy took a jab at the press: “In the press room, for all of you, he is.”
-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Will Steakin
Mar 21, 10:14 AM EDT
Grand jury to reconvene on Wednesday
A grand jury will reconvene on Wednesday to continue to weigh charges against former President Donald Trump in connection with the Manhattan district attorney’s probe into the 2016 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, paid $130,000 to Daniels in the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign to allegedly keep her from talking about an affair she claimed to have had with Trump.
Trump has denied the affair and his attorneys have framed the funds as an extortion payment.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is mulling whether to charge Trump with falsifying business records, after the Trump Organization allegedly reimbursed Cohen for the payment then logged the reimbursement as a legal expense, sources have told ABC News. Trump has called the payment “a private contract between two parties” and has denied all wrongdoing.
Trump this weekend wrote on his Truth Social platform that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday.
The U.S. Secret Service is coordinating security plans with the NYPD in the event of an indictment and arraignment in an open courtroom in Manhattan, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The two agencies had a call Monday to discuss logistics, including court security and how Trump would potentially surrender for booking and processing, according to sources briefed on the discussions. White collar criminal defendants in New York are typically allowed to negotiate a surrender.
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — The indictment of Donald Trump marks an unprecedented development in the country’s history — the first time a former president has ever faced criminal charges.
Historians say that not since Richard Nixon had there been the real prospect of a commander-in-chief being formally accused of a crime, though Nixon avoided that fate after being pardoned by successor Gerald Ford.
Trump’s indictment by a New York City grand jury was confirmed to ABC News by multiple sources on Thursday. While the charge or charges against him remain unclear, he had been under investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during Trump’s 2016 presidential bid to stop Daniels from going public about what she claimed was an affair with Trump.
Trump denies any wrongdoing, saying he is being politically persecuted, and maintains he never had a relationship with Daniels.
He has defended the $130,000 he paid Daniels, with his attorneys describing it as extortion.
The indictment — resulting from just one of multiple investigations into Trump — comes in the early stages of the 2024 presidential race as Trump seeks the Republican nomination for a third time.
Beyond the uncertainty that being indicted inserts into Trump’s comeback campaign, the legal development thrusts him, the judicial system and perhaps the country itself into uncharted waters.
“There’s nothing even remotely like it in American history. The closest that we come is Richard Nixon back in 1974, after he had left the White House upon resignation in the face of almost certain impeachment by the House of Representatives,” said ABC News presidential historian Mark Updegrove.
The only other point of comparison is when then-Vice President Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804 and, after leaving office, was arrested, tried and found innocent around charges of staging an insurrection, Updegrove said. (Decades alter, in a separate matter, then-President Ulysses S. Grant was arrested in 1872 related to speeding on his carriage.)
“With Trump, it’s a very different circumstance,” Updegrove said.
Unlike Nixon, who was ultimately pushed out of office under bipartisan pressure, Trump has gotten backing from his fellow conservatives.
And unlike Nixon, Trump has no hope of a presidential pardon from his successor, Democrat Joe Biden.
President Ford pardoned Nixon in September 1974 — igniting instant controversy — and said in a speech to the public that his decision was in the interest of ending the prolonged fallout from Watergate and its cover-up, which had roiled the country and led to a slew of political resignations or officials being charged.
In his pardon speech, Ford called Nixon a “longtime friend” who had “suffered enough, and will continue to suffer” amid “serious allegations and accusations [that] hang like a sword.”
Attorney Nick Akerman, who helped investigate Nixon while working for Watergate special prosecutor Leon Jaworski, told ABC News he believed Nixon “could have been indicted” but Jaworski decided the appropriate channel for bringing charges against a sitting president was through Congress.
“He was even named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the cover-up trial,” Akerman said.
By the time Nixon resigned from office, and the idea of an indictment could be revisited, the pardon from Ford came just weeks later, Akerman said.
Updegrove said the political mood around Nixon is much different than now, around Trump.
“It was Republicans, as well as Democrats, who saw the misdeeds of Watergate as being an indication that Richard Nixon was not fit for office,” he said. “You have so much more division in Washington and in the country today than you did back then. So, I’m not sure that these charges will really matter what the Republican base. We’ll see.”
Even before the indictment came down against Trump, leading members of the GOP cast him as the victim of a partisan vendetta by Bragg, a Democrat, with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy telling GOP-led House committees to investigate if federal funds were used as part of Bragg’s investigation.
“I think most people in Trump’s base are of the mind that New York is a liberal bastion, and it’s those people first who would be out to get Donald Trump. I think they subscribe to the notion that there is a ‘deep state’ [of anti-Trump forces in the government], there is a conscious effort to get Donald Trump, and it plays into this brilliant us-versus-them, they’re-all-out-to-get-me narrative that Trump has been so successful in propagating,” Updegrove said.
The indictment may ultimately play a minor role in Trump’s legacy by virtue of the fact that opinions are already settled on Trump’s scandal-plagued personal life and the other investigations into his conduct involve government activity, Updegrove said.
Those probes include his handling of classified documents while out of office as well as his push to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
“Those are more serious as they relate to matters of the state,” Updegrove said. “But this is a personal thing, which I think makes it a fundamentally different thing. We know that Donald Trump has character blemishes on his personal side. I think people were willing, particularly in his base, were willing to overlook them because he was willing to uphold the policies that they advocated. That’s a different matter altogether.”
“I think it’s probably a big part of a chapter on a book about Donald Trump. I don’t see this as the major thing,” Updegrove said.
Still, that doesn’t take away from the historic nature of the indictment, he said, adding to a notorious resume for Trump that already includes being the first president to be impeached twice — once over allegations he withheld aid to Ukraine to force the launch of a probe into Biden and once over Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. He was acquitted by the Senate in both cases.
Updegrove said Trump’s indictment and the related proceedings — being processed by the criminal justice system, being summoned to court — have immense symbolic power because he was president.
Ford acknowledged as much when granting clemency to Nixon, and he said then that he worried about the alternative. In his official proclamation of a pardon, Ford contended that “it is believed that a trial of Richard Nixon, if it became necessary, could not fairly begin until a year or more has elapsed. In the meantime, the tranquility to which this nation has been restored by the events of recent weeks could be irreparably lost by the prospects of bringing to trial a former President of the United States.”
Trump now becoming the first president on the brink of a criminal trial permanently changes how he is remembered, Updegrove said.
“In the photo gallery that will be in that book, you are going to see as one of the larger photographs the mugshot of Trump, based on these proceedings. That’s a pretty big deal. That in itself is a pretty big deal,” Updegrove said. “It becomes a symbol, more or less, of the Trump presidency, not just a reflection of this particular aspect of Trump’s legacy. It’s the bigger picture of Donald Trump.”
More broadly, Updegrove said, Trump’s indictment reflects back on the state of the country.
“There was a time when honesty and integrity were the bedrock of the presidency,” he said, citing George Washington and the myth of the cherry tree, or Abraham Lincoln’s “Honest Abe” nickname, contrasted with Trump’s habit of falsehoods.
“Now Trump has been indicted with other possible indictments to come,” Updegrove said. “One has to wonder, does the morality of our president still matter to the American people or does it just matter that your side wins?”
ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.
(NEW ORLEANS) — Two Black teenage girls from New Orleans say they could be the first mathematicians in at least 2,000 years to find trigonometric proof for the Pythagorean Theorem.
“After we get it peer reviewed and if it is approved, we would publish it in an undergraduate journal,” Calcea Johnson, one of the high school mathematicians, said. “And then it would be cemented in, pretty much, the math world.”
According to Johnson and her classmate, Ne’Kiya Jackson, the high school seniors of St. Mary’s Academy could be the first to use trigonometry to prove the Pythagorean Theorem.
The Pythagorean Theorem (a2 + b2 = c2) is usually taught in high school geometry and represents the theory that the two sides of a right triangle, when squared, equal the square of the hypotenuse, according to Johnson.
According to UCLA’s computer science department, scholars in ancient Babylon and Egypt knew of the theorem and it was displayed on a 4000-year-old Babylonian tablet. Pythagoras was an ancient Greek philosopher who revealed it to the western world nearly 2000 years later.
“Well, it all started with a math contest that was taught at our school,” Jackson said when asked why they attempted to find proof of the theorem. “And there was a bonus question.”
According to Jackson, the bonus question was to find a new proof of Pythagoras.
“It has been done in the past by other people, but the proofs have not really been trigonometric,” Johnson said. “They’ve been like algebraic or like calculous based, but this is really using like the trigonometric rules.”
According to the high school seniors, the teenagers presented their study at the American Mathematical Society’s Annual Southeastern Conference where they were the only high school students to attend and present.
“At first, going up I was very nervous,” Jackson said. “But once I got up and started talking, it felt like the words just started to float.”
But Johnson and Jackson’s theory has not yet been academically peer-reviewed to prove the validity, according to Dr. Catherine Roberts, the executive director of the American Mathematical Society. She says she is worried that their findings may be blown out of proportion.
“Indeed, I am concerned about this story going viral,” Roberts said in a statement to ABC News. “The important thing to celebrate is two young African American women presenting their math research at a major conference, which is a rare thing since most speakers are in college or above.”
St. Mary’s Academy said the institution is in the process of preparing the teens’ research to be turned in for peer review. The school wasn’t able to estimate when it would be ready for review but said it “shouldn’t be too long.”
Once the two teenagers feel their argument is cohesive and “self-standing,” they would submit their study to a scientific journal, the American Mathematical Society (AMS) told ABC News in a statement. The journal would then send the research to “peers” who are experts in that field to make their assessments. The process could take months and even years in some cases, according to AMS.
“I am personally unfamiliar with the hundreds of existing proofs of the Pythagorean Theorem,” Roberts said. “But from online conversations this week, it appears to me that there very well may already be existing proofs through trigonometry. So — even if their work ends up being certified as technically correct, it may or may not be a new contribution to the literature.”
Regardless of whether the findings end up becoming a new contribution to more than 2000 years of mathematical research, Johnson and Jackson still have their whole lives ahead of them and are focused on their plans for the future.
When asked about their upcoming goals, Johnson replied, “Just going to college and finishing out our high school careers.”
The jury sided with Gwyneth Paltrow in the civil trial over a 2016 ski crash involving her and Terry Sanderson, a retired optometrist.
The jury unanimously found Sanderson 100% at fault in the ski crash after just over two and a half hours of deliberation. They awarded Paltrow $1 in damages.
“I felt that acquiescing to a false claim compromised my integrity,” Paltrow said in a statement. “I am pleased with the outcome and I appreciate all of the hard work of Judge Holmberg and the jury, and thank them for their thoughtfulness in handling this case.”
Paltrow’s attorney, Steve Owens, said in a statement, “We are pleased with this unanimous outcome and appreciate the judge and jury’s thoughtful handling of the case. Gwyneth has a history of advocating for what she believes in – this situation was no different and she will continue to stand up for what is right.”
The civil trial centered on a ski accident involving Paltrow and Sanderson that occurred on Feb. 26, 2016, at Deer Valley Ski Resort in Utah.
The trial began on March 21 and both sides rested on March 30, handing the case over to the jury for deliberation.
Sanderson’s original complaint, filed in January 2019, accused Paltrow of having “skied out of control” into Sanderson and “knocking him down hard, knocking him out, and causing a brain injury, four broken ribs and other serious injuries.”
Paltrow filed a countersuit in February 2019 in which she claimed it was Sanderson who “plowed into her back,” delivering a “full ‘body blow'” and leaving her “shaken and upset.” Ultimately, she said she sustained “relatively minor” injuries.
(WASHINGTON) — Congressional Republicans quickly came to former President Donald Trump’s defense Thursday after he was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, with Rep. Jim Jordan summarizing the party’s response in a one word tweet: “Outrageous.”
Jordan has led the charge against Alvin Bragg, teaming up with two other influential House committee chairs to demand testimony and documents from the district attorney related to the Trump probe. Bragg has rebuffed his efforts, stating it’s inappropriate for Congress to intervene in state or local investigations.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy vowed his caucus will “hold Alvin Bragg and his unprecedented abuse of power to account” and said the American people “will not tolerate this injustice.”
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle took to Twitter to react to the historic indictment on Thursday evening, laying bare the sharp partisan divide when it comes to Trump.
GOP House and Senate members decried the investigation by the Manhattan district attorney as a political prosecution.
“The Democrat Party’s hatred for Donald Trump knows no bounds,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wrote. “The ‘substance’ of this political persecution is utter garbage. This is completely unprecedented and is a catastrophic escalation in the weaponization of the justice system.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, called it a “sham” that is “one of the clearest examples of extremist Democrats weaponizing government to attack their political opponents.”
With the indictment under seal, it’s not yet clear what exact charges are being brought against Trump or whether they are related to the probe into the $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the final days of the 2016 presidential race.
“President Trump has been indicted,” Trump’s lawyers Susan Cecheles and Joe Tacopina said in a statement. “He did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in Court.”
Many Democrats, on the other hand, praised the decision as proof “no one is above the law.”
Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead House prosecutor in Trump’s first Senate trial following his impeachment — and a member of the House Jan. 6 select committee — said the historic indictment mirrored Trump’s “unprecedented” conduct.”
“A nation of laws must hold the rich and powerful accountable, even when they hold high office,” Schiff wrote. “Especially when they do. To do otherwise is not democracy.”
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Wisc., posted: “Today is a somber day for our nation. Former President Trump’s indictment reminds us that no one is above the law and that we are all afforded due process and equal protection under the law.”
While Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel called it a “blatant abuse of power, the Democratic National Committee commented on what it said was Trump’s hold over the GOP.
“No matter what happens in Trump’s upcoming legal proceedings, it’s obvious the Republican Party remains firmly in the hold of Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans,” Ammar Moussa, the DNC’s national press secretary, said in a statement. “We will continue to hold Trump and all Republican candidates accountable for the extreme MAGA agenda that includes banning abortion, cutting Social Security and Medicare, and undermining free and fair elections.”
Late night TV is getting a little heavier next week, courtesy of Brann Dailor.
The Mastodon drummer is set to appear on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers from April 3-6 while sitting in with the show’s house 8G Band.
“Excited to be joining my pals in the @8gband all next week on @latenightseth,” Dailor writes in an Instagram post. “Stay up past your bedtime with us, you know you want to.”
Dailor previously drummed with the 8G Band on Late Night in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Over the years, other guest Late Night drummers have included Tool‘s Danny Carey, Pearl Jam‘s Matt Cameron and The Black Keys‘ Patrick Carney.
Late Night with Seth Meyers airs weekdays at 12:35 a.m. ET.
In addition to on your TV screen, you can catch Dailor drumming on Mastodon’s upcoming tour with Gojira, launching April 18 in Portland, Oregon.
The fourth studio effort from Lynn Gunn and company — and the first since 2020’s Use Me — is due out July 14.
Evergreen includes the previously released songs “Goddess,” “Animal” and “Anywhere But Here.” A fourth cut, titled “Good Enemy,” is out now via digital outlets.
Here’s the Evergreen track list:
“I Don’t Wanna Do This Anymore”
“Good Enemy”
“Goddess”
“Animal”
“Hype Zombies”
“Take My Nirvana”
“Senti-mental”
“Anywhere But Here”
“Headlights”
“Love Is a…”
“Evergreen”
(NEW YORK) — A grand jury is continuing to weigh charges against former President Donald Trump in connection with the Manhattan district attorney’s probe into the 2016 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
No current or former president has ever been indicted for criminal conduct.
Here is how the news is developing. All times Eastern. Check back for updates:
Mar 30, 6:36 PM EDT
What to know about an indictment with Trump facing charges
Criminal prosecution proceedings typically start with an arrest and a court appearance, but legal experts say that on many occasions, especially in white-collar crimes, suspects aren’t hit with charges or a visit from an officer until long after an official investigation is underway.
Typically, if a crime is being investigated, law enforcement agents will make an arrest, file initial charges and bring a suspect to be arraigned in court, Vincent Southerland, an assistant professor of clinical law and the director of the criminal defense and reentry clinic at NYU School of Law, told ABC News.
However, Southerland noted that prosecutors can start with the criminal indictment process in the beginning, especially if their case needs more evidence to press those charges.
Cheryl Bader, an associate clinical professor of law at Fordham University, told ABC News that such a move is common in white-collar criminal investigations that involve looking at delicate nuances in the state law and require more time.
Bader said investigations into prominent figures, such as the current investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office into former President Donald Trump, also prompt prosecutors’ offices to make their case to the grand jury in the most meticulous and thorough way possible.
-ABC News’ Ivan Pereira
Mar 30, 6:28 PM EDT
DNC responds
The Democratic National Committee said in a statement Thursday, “No matter what happens in Trump’s upcoming legal proceedings, it’s obvious the Republican Party remains firmly in the hold of Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans.”
The DNC vowed, “We will continue to hold Trump and all Republican candidates accountable for the extreme MAGA agenda that includes banning abortion, cutting Social Security and Medicare, and undermining free and fair elections.”
Mar 30, 6:27 PM EDT
Trump could still be elected president despite indictment, experts say
Former President Donald Trump can still be elected president — even if he is convicted — experts tell ABC News. But there are practical reasons that could make it a challenge, experts say.
Trump said recently at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that he would “absolutely” stay in the race for president even if he were to be criminally indicted.
Trump has denied wrongdoing and has characterized the probe as part of a “witch hunt” against him.
The U.S. Constitution does not list the absence of a criminal record as a qualification for the presidency.
Constitutional experts also told ABC News that previous Supreme Court rulings hold that Congress cannot add qualifications to the office of the president. In addition, a state cannot prohibit indicted or convicted felons from running for federal office.
-ABC News’ Laura Romero
Mar 30, 6:16 PM EDT
Trump tells ABC News indictment is ‘attack on our country’
Former President Donald Trump told ABC News over the phone that the indictment is “an attack on our country.”
He called it a “political persecution,” adding, “They are trying to impact an election.”
Mar 30, 6:14 PM EDT
Stormy Daniels’ lawyer responds to indictment
Stormy Daniels’ lawyer, Clark Brewster, issued a statement on the indictment, saying: “The indictment of Donald Trump is no cause for joy. The hard work and conscientiousness of the grand jurors must be respected. Now let truth and justice prevail. No one is above the law.”
While the indictment remains under seal, Trump had been under investigation by the Manhattan district attorney over a $130,000 payment he made to the adult film actress to keep her from going public with a claim of an affair, which he denies.
Mar 30, 6:03 PM EDT
Trump’s indictment could mark turning point in 2024 campaign, even if he says otherwise: ANALYSIS
Donald Trump being formally accused of a crime could change the outlook for the still-forming field of Republican presidential candidates in 2024 — either rallying primary voters primed by his talk of the “deep state” and “retribution” or opening up an unprecedented line of criticism for Trump’s rivals.
The indictment itself isn’t disqualifying, legally speaking. The U.S. Constitution doesn’t prevent people under indictment or criminal investigation from running for the White House, experts have told ABC News, so the former president could still be reelected despite the indictment — and would still be eligible even if it leads to a conviction, regardless of practical obstacles like potential incarceration.
Mar 30, 5:34 PM EDT
Trump indicted
ABC News has learned that former president Donald Trump has been indicted, according to multiple sources with knowledge.
Mar 28, 9:29 PM EDT
Grand jury expected to meet Thursday on other matters: Sources
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump will not convene on Wednesday and is expected to meet Thursday on other matters, sources familiar with the situation told ABC News.
The proceeding is conducted in secret and the grand jury could be presented with evidence or vote at any time.
Mar 27, 4:30 PM EDT
Former publisher of the National Enquirer seen leaving DA’s office
David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, was seen leaving the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office with his lawyer on Monday.
Pecker testified before the grand jury for about an hour, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Pecker, who allegedly helped arrange the payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, previously spoke to the grand jury in January.
The district attorney’s office may have called Pecker to bolster Michael Cohen’s earlier testimony about the purpose of the payment.
Mar 27, 7:29 AM EDT
Manhattan grand jury expected to reconvene Monday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump is expected to reconvene on Monday, sources tell ABC News.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky
Mar 26, 4:48 PM EDT
GOP oversight chair defends getting involved in NY Trump probe
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Sunday defended taking the escalatory step of getting Congress involved in the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation of Donald Trump by using his position to request answers from the prosecutor, Alvin Bragg.
“If Mr. Bragg wants to come in and explain to us what he what he’s doing, and he makes a good explanation, he makes a good argument and we see that we’re in an area where we shouldn’t belong, such as the Republicans — some of the Republican senators — say, then we will back off,” Comer, R-Ky., said on CNN. But, he added, “I don’t believe that Bragg would be doing this if Donald Trump were not running for president, and that’s something that we would like to ask Mr. Bragg as well.”
Pushed by CNN anchor Jake Tapper, who said Bragg is investigating potential violations of state and not federal crimes, Comer said, “This is about politics. This is a presidential candidate.”
Comer insisted that he would be more accepting of the investigation if it was being brought by the Department of Justice rather than a local district attorney, though he later said he wanted all “meddling” to end.
Bragg’s office has signaled that they may be moving closer to a charging decision — such as for falsifying business records, sources have said — in relation to $130,000 that Trump paid the adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election in order to prevent her from going public with an affair claim.
Trump denies all wrongdoing, including a relationship with Daniels.
He falsely said that he would be arrested last week and has urged protests.
-ABC News’ Adam Carlson and Cheyenne Haslett
Mar 25, 7:46 PM EDT
Republicans urge Alvin Bragg to comply with their request for documents, testimony
In a new letter Saturday, the Republican leaders of three powerful House committees responded to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s rebuff of their request for documents and testimony related to the Trump probe.
Reps. Jim Jordan, James Comer and Brian Steil argued in the 8-page letter they have legislative purpose for demanding such material.
Bragg’s office pushed back against the chairmen’s original request on March 20, stating it would “not be intimidated by attempts to undermine the justice process.”
Leslie Dubeck, Bragg’s general counsel, responded that it was “an unlawful incursion into New York’s sovereignty.”
In a new statement Saturday, Bragg’s office said it is “not appropriate for Congress to interfere with pending local investigations.”
“This unprecedented inquiry by federal elected officials into an ongoing matter serves only to hinder, disrupt and undermine the legitimate work of our dedicated prosecutors,” his office said.
Read more about the GOP request for information on the Trump case here.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Mar 24, 10:30 PM EDT
Mayor Adams’ office condemns threat to DA Bragg
A spokesman for New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement Friday evening condemning the threatening letter sent to District Attorney Alvin Bragg that included powder later deemed non-hazardous.
“While we cannot comment on the specifics of any ongoing investigation, no public official should ever be subject to threats for doing his or her job,” the statement read.
The spokesman added, “I’m confident that every elected official in the City, including Manhattan DA Bragg, will continue to do their work undeterred, and anyone found to be engaging in illegal conduct will be brought to justice.”
Mar 24, 5:35 PM EDT
DA Bragg stresses ‘safety’ for staff after threat sent to him
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg thanked his staff for their “strength and professionalism” in an email sent Friday and reassured them the powder sent to him in a letter discovered earlier in the day was not hazardous.
The email, which was obtained by ABC News, was sent to Bragg’s 1,600-member staff about three hours after the letter was discovered in a basement mail room on Friday.
“I want to reiterate my message from Saturday: your safety is our top priority,” the email said, referring to an earlier message to staff obtained by ABC News that followed former President Donald Trump’s social media call for protest and an inaccurate prediction he would be arrested on Tuesday.
The latest message revealed that some in the office had received “offensive or threatening phone calls or emails” and Bragg apologized for what he called the “distressing disruptions.”
Bragg concluded with his often-repeated vow to apply the law evenly and fairly.
He also mentioned a film shoot occurring this weekend outside the courthouse at 60 Centre St. could include simulated explosions.
Mar 24, 4:33 PM EDT
Letter threatening to kill ‘Alvin’ found at Manhattan DA’s office: Sources
A white powder was discovered in the mailroom at 80 Centre Street, where the Manhattan District Attorney has offices and where a grand jury has been meeting to hear evidence in former President Donald Trump’s case, according to a court official. The powder was determined to be non-hazardous, officials said.
The powder came in an envelope addressed to “Alvin,” an apparent reference to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, according police sources.
Inside the envelope was a letter containing the typewritten message, “Alvin: I am going to kill you,” with 13 exclamation points, according to sources.
This envelope followed a series of unfounded threats that targeted municipal offices in New York this week.
“For three days we got four emails,” Susan Stetzer, district manager at Manhattan Community Board 3, told ABC News on Friday.
At least one of the messages prompted the court to pause a hearing in the New York Attorney General’s civil lawsuit against Trump.
None of the email messages mentioned Trump by name. One included what Stetzer described as a “horrible homophobic rant.”
According to Stetzer, the messages came from @mail.ru domains and some contained Cyrillic characters. The FBI is aware but does not immediately assess that the emails came from Russia, according to a law enforcement official.
“We did not get one today so I’m hoping it stops,” Stetzer said.
New York City courthouses will see increased security, the Office of Court Administration said Friday.
Mar 24, 4:12 PM EDT
White powder addressed to ‘Alvin’ found at Manhattan DA’s office
A white powder was discovered in the mailroom at 80 Centre Street, where the Manhattan District Attorney has offices and where a grand jury has been meeting to hear evidence in former President Donald Trump’s case, according to a court official. The contents of the envelope were determined to be non-hazardous, officials said.
The powder came in an envelope addressed to “Alvin,” an apparent reference to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, according police sources.
This envelope followed a series of unfounded threats that targeted municipal offices in New York this week.
“For three days we got four emails,” Susan Stetzer, district manager at Manhattan Community Board 3, told ABC News on Friday.
At least one of the messages prompted the court to pause a hearing in the New York Attorney General’s civil lawsuit against Trump.
None of the email messages mentioned Trump by name. One included what Stetzer described as a “horrible homophobic rant.”
According to Stetzer, the messages came from @mail.ru domains and some contained Cyrillic characters. The FBI is aware but does not immediately assess that the emails came from Russia, according to a law enforcement official.
“We did not get one today so I’m hoping it stops,” Stetzer said.
New York City courthouses will see increased security, the Office of Court Administration said Friday.
Mar 24, 4:08 PM EDT
Trump escalating attacks on Manhattan DA
Former President Donald Trump has escalated his attacks on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his staff. Overnight, Trump posted on social media that if he were to be indicted it could result in “potential death and destruction.”
Senior administration officials at the Department of Homeland Security are continuing to “watch closely, particularly in the online environment” surrounding a potential indictment against former President Donald Trump, a senior administration official said.
There is nothing “that rises to the level of being credible and specific” or “actionable,” the administration official said. However, the official said that online “there are always things that emerge that will cause people to take note and possibly raise concern.”
As the grand jury continues, the lines of communication with local authorities like the NYPD and Capitol Police have been “wide open.”
“It’s been a several day period of, I’d say, very open and continued information exchange between and among federal and state partners, focused on this issue,” a senior administration official said.
Senior administration officials at the Department of Homeland Security are continuing to “watch closely, particularly in the online environment” surrounding a potential indictment against former President Donald Trump, a senior administration official said.
There is nothing “that rises to the level of being credible and specific” or “actionable,” the administration official said. However, the official said that online “there are always things that emerge that will cause people to take note and possibly raise concern.”
As the grand jury continues, the lines of communication with local authorities like the NYPD and Capitol Police have been “wide open.”
“It’s been a several day period of, I’d say, very open and continued information exchange between and among federal and state partners, focused on this issue,” a senior administration official said.
-ABC News’ Luke Barr
Mar 23, 11:31 AM EDT
DA says compliance with GOP’s requests for information would interfere with investigation
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s general counsel responded to House Republicans Thursday, telling them compliance with their requests for information would interfere with a legitimate law enforcement investigation.
General counsel Leslie Dubeck noted the House inquiry only resulted from former President Donald Trump’s social media post.
“Your letter dated March 20, 2023 (the “Letter”), in contrast, is an unprecedented inquiry into a pending local prosecution,” Dubeck wrote. “The Letter only came after Donald Trump created a false expectation that he would be arrested the next day and his lawyers reportedly urged you to intervene. Neither fact is a legitimate basis for congressional inquiry.”
Mar 23, 9:50 AM EDT
Grand jury won’t meet about Trump case this week
The grand jury hearing evidence of former President Donald Trump’s role in alleged hush money paid to Stormy Daniels will not meet about the case for the remainder of the week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
The grand jury is meeting Thursday to consider a different case, the sources said. The grand jury news was first reported by Business Insider.
The grand jury is expected to reconvene Monday to consider the Trump case, at which time at least one additional witness may be called to testify, the sources said.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment.
It is not uncommon for grand juries to sit in consideration of multiple cases at once.
Mar 23, 7:37 AM EDT
Manhattan grand jury expected to reconvene Thursday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump is expected to reconvene on Thursday, sources tell ABC News.
Mar 23, 5:28 AM EDT
Trump could still be elected president if indicted or convicted, experts say
According to law, former President Donald Trump can be elected president if indicted — or even convicted — in any of the state and federal investigations he is currently facing, experts tell ABC News. But there are practical reasons that could make it a challenge, experts say.
Trump said earlier this month at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that he would “absolutely” run for president even if he were to be criminally indicted.
“I wouldn’t even think about leaving,” Trump told reporters ahead of a speech. “Probably it will enhance my numbers.”
Mar 22, 12:51 PM EDT
Manhattan grand jury to reconvene as early as Thursday
The Manhattan grand jury weighing charges against former President Donald Trump in connection to the Stormy Daniels hush payment investigation is not meeting on Wednesday, sources told ABC News. The earliest the grand jury would reconvene is Thursday, sources said.
The grand jurors were called Wednesday morning and told they were not needed during the day as scheduled, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The grand jurors were told to be prepared to reconvene on Thursday when it’s possible they will hear from at least one additional witness, the sources said.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment, citing a policy of not discussing grand jury matters.
-ABC News’ John Santucci and Luke Barr
Mar 22, 8:25 AM EDT
With Trump case looming, what is an indictment?
Criminal prosecution proceedings typically start with an arrest and a court appearance, but legal experts say that on many occasions, especially in white collar crimes, suspects aren’t hit with charges or a visit from an officer until long after an official investigation is underway.
Typically, if a crime is being investigated, law enforcement agents will make an arrest, file initial charges and bring a suspect to be arraigned in court, Vincent Southerland, an assistant professor of clinical law and the director of the criminal defense and reentry clinic at NYU School of Law, told ABC News.
After this arraignment, prosecutors would impanel a grand jury for a formal criminal indictment. Southerland, who has been practicing law in New York state for 19 years, said this process includes giving the jury evidence, possible testimony and other exhibits before they can officially charge a person with felonies.
A Manhattan grand jury is currently investigating Trump’s possible role in the hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The former president has denied any wrongdoing and having an affair with Daniels. His attorneys have framed the funds as a response to an extortion plot.
-ABC News’ Ivan Pereira
Mar 21, 6:11 PM EDT
Pence discourages protests if Trump indicted
Former Vice President Mike Pence discouraged any protests should a grand jury indict Donald Trump.
“Every American has the right to let their voice be heard. The Constitution provides the right to peaceably assemble. But I think in this instance, I would discourage Americans from engaging in protests if in fact the former president is indicted,” Pence said Tuesday when asked by ABC News if Americans should protest a possible indictment.
Pence said he understood the “frustration” while calling the case “politically motivated.”
“But I think letting our voices be heard in other ways, and in not engaging in protests, I think is most prudent at this time,” he said.
-ABC News’ Libby Cathey
Mar 21, 11:00 AM EDT
McCarthy grows frustrated as Trump questions persist at House GOP retreat
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy again ripped into Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg when asked about the potential charges against former President Donald Trump at a Tuesday press conference at the House GOP retreat in Orlando.
When McCarthy was asked directly if had concerns about Trump’s alleged conduct regarding the alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, he didn’t answer the question and instead pivoted to talking about Hillary Clinton and Bragg.
“What we see before us is a political game being played by a local. Look, this isn’t New York City, this is just a Manhattan,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy said he hasn’t spoken to Trump in three weeks.
When asked if Trump is still the leader of the Republican Party, McCarthy took a jab at the press: “In the press room, for all of you, he is.”
-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Will Steakin
Mar 21, 10:14 AM EDT
Grand jury to reconvene on Wednesday
A grand jury will reconvene on Wednesday to continue to weigh charges against former President Donald Trump in connection with the Manhattan district attorney’s probe into the 2016 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, paid $130,000 to Daniels in the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign to allegedly keep her from talking about an affair she claimed to have had with Trump.
Trump has denied the affair and his attorneys have framed the funds as an extortion payment.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is mulling whether to charge Trump with falsifying business records, after the Trump Organization allegedly reimbursed Cohen for the payment then logged the reimbursement as a legal expense, sources have told ABC News. Trump has called the payment “a private contract between two parties” and has denied all wrongdoing.
Trump this weekend wrote on his Truth Social platform that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday.
The U.S. Secret Service is coordinating security plans with the NYPD in the event of an indictment and arraignment in an open courtroom in Manhattan, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The two agencies had a call Monday to discuss logistics, including court security and how Trump would potentially surrender for booking and processing, according to sources briefed on the discussions. White collar criminal defendants in New York are typically allowed to negotiate a surrender.
