Trump’s next in-person hearing in December on hush money case: report

New York:

The New York court in Manhattan has summoned former US President Donald Trump to his next in-person hearing on Dec. 4, CNN reported.

Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to the 34 charges against him, has left the courtroom without comment.

After exiting the courtroom, Trump left the building and got into his motorcade parked outside. The indictment against Donald Trump alleges the former president was involved in a conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election.

The indictment against Donald Trump alleges that the editor-in-chief and CEO of the National Enquirer reached out to Michael Cohen shortly after the October 2016 access to the Hollywood tape became known. He later told Cohen that adult film star Stormy Daniels claimed she had an affair with Donald Trump.

Cohen, according to the indictment, negotiated a hush-money payment with Daniels to “secure himself.” [Daniels’] Silence and prevent the disclosure of the harmful information in the last few weeks before the presidential election.”

According to CNN, citing prosecutors, Trump was part of a plan to suppress negative information, including a $130,000 illegal payment ordered by the defendant to suppress information that would harm his campaign.

He had previously surrendered to authorities in a lower Manhattan court before his arraignment.

Arriving at Lower Manhattan courthouse, Trump made a cryptic post about the experience being “SURREAL,” adding, “WOW, they’re going to ARREST ME. I can’t believe this is happening in America.”

According to CNN, Trump is expected to be fingerprinted as part of the arrest, although it’s unclear if his mug shot will be taken. Next, he is taken to a courtroom where he will be charged – an appearance that is expected to be quick and routine but represents a surreal and historic moment in US history.

Donald Trump arrived at New York’s La Guardia Airport Monday before he was expected at a Manhattan courthouse, CNN reported. Alina Habba, who represents Trump in several civil cases, said after meeting him in New York: “He’s in good spirits. Honestly, he’s who he normally would be. He’s ready to go in and do what he has to do.”

Trump, who is running for the Republican nomination in next year’s presidential race, has denied any wrongdoing and called the investigation and the indictment a partisan attack. Bragg is a Democrat.

A team of Secret Service agents, accompanied by officers from the New York City Police Department, toured the courthouse and its entrances on Friday and apparently recorded the former president’s transit.

The FBI is warning local and state police agencies across the country of concerns surrounding a possible indictment of Trump, and even New York officials are planning to close key streets in lower Manhattan as a security measure, ABC News reported.

(Except for the headline, this story was not edited by NDTV staff and was published by a syndicated feed.)