Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has canceled a federal grand jury hearing scheduled for Wednesday, where members were expected to determine whether former President Donald Trump would face criminal charges for alleged hush money payments made during his 2016 campaign. The panel was told to stay home and be on standby for Thursday, but the reason for the cancellation is unclear. This delays a potential indictment of the 45th President in connection to a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stephanie Clifford, also known as “Stormy Daniels.”
The story involving Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels began in 2006 when the adult film actress claimed to have had an affair with Trump, despite both parties announcing the alleged affair never took place, as the New York Post reported in 2018, many still repeat the story.
In 2016, just before the US presidential election, Daniels alleged that she was paid $130,000 by Trump’s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) preventing her from discussing the alleged affair publicly.
In 2018, Daniels filed a lawsuit against Trump, claiming that the NDA was invalid because Trump never signed it, and she was free to speak about the affair. Trump denied any knowledge of the payment to Daniels, but later admitted that he reimbursed Cohen for the $130,000. The case gained national attention as it played out in court, and Daniels became a household name. The FBI raided Cohen’s office, home, and hotel room as part of an investigation into possible campaign finance violations relating to the payment to Daniels.
The investigation led to Cohen pleading guilty to eight counts, including campaign finance violations and tax evasion, and he was sentenced to three years in prison. Trump was not charged, but the investigation raised questions about his involvement in the hush money payment. Cohen testified before the grand jury twice last week and is expected to be the prosecution’s key witness if the case goes to trial.
Bragg’s office is considering charges against Trump that include falsifying business records with the intention of violating federal campaign-finance rules. The delay in the grand jury hearing leaves the American public uncertain about the outcome of the case and raises questions about the integrity of the legal process.
