New York grand jury not expected to vote on Trump’s possible indictment this week

The New York grand jury considering possible criminal charges against former President Donald Trump related to silent payments to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election should not be asked to vote on an indictment this week, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

The grand jury is not scheduled to meet on Wednesday, the sources said, the following day the panel was scheduled to meet regularly.

The development comes a day after the grand jury wrapped up Monday without voting on any indictments stemming from allegations made by Daniels, an adult film star who said she had an affair with Trump beginning in 2006. .

NBC News reported in late January that prosecutors had convened a grand jury to hear testimony in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into the $130,000 payment to Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. investigation focused on allegations that Trump falsified business documents in connection with the payment.

Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, pleaded guilty in 2018 to making the illegal payment to Daniels for the “primary purpose of influencing” the 2016 presidential election, saying in federal court that he did so. had done on Trump’s orders and that Trump had reimbursed him.

Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison for the payment and other crimes, testified before the Manhattan grand jury this month.

The grand jury heard from an additional witness in the inquest on Monday.

The panel met on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The sources warned that the schedule is subject to change, but the grand jury is currently expected to return Thursday to hear a separate case from the Trump Hush Money case.

Trump has repeatedly said he has no relationship with Daniels and has denied any wrongdoing regarding the payment.

“I never had a relationship with her. I never had an affair with her. It’s all made up,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity in an interview that aired Monday night.

Trump, who argued that the payment to Daniels was not a campaign contribution, also claimed that Bragg’s investigation was an election-cheating effort by his opponents. “It’s called election interference,” he said on Fox News.