SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in Manhattan on May 18, 2021. (Photo: James Devaney/GC Images)
Trump Critics Celebrate 'Momentum' as Manhattan DA Convenes Grand Jury That Could Indict Ex-President
"The prosecutors are convinced they have a case. That's at least how I read it," said one legal expert.
May 25, 2021
In a major step toward holding former President Donald Trump--who often spewed "law and order" rhetoric while in office--accountable for his various alleged crimes, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. has convened a grand jury that is set to decide whether to indict Trump, others at his company, or the business itself.
That's according to the Washington Post, which broke the news Tuesday evening, citing two unnamed sources, and reported that it suggests the Democratic D.A. "believes he has found evidence of a crime--if not by Trump then by someone potentially close to him or by his company." A spokesperson for Vance declined to comment.
Noting that "Vance has been a cautious prosecutor," Georgetown University public policy professor Donald Moynihan tweeted Tuesday that there is "no real reason to do this unless there is some solid evidence of wrongdoing in the Trump Organization."
While Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, neither a spokesperson for the Republican ex-president nor an attorney for the Trump Organization--which has been described as a "rat's nest of hundreds of ambiguous limited liability companies"--responded to the Post's requests for comment.
Critics of Trump, meanwhile, welcomed the newspaper's reporting.
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) pointed to his declaration from shortly after the November 2020 election that "Trump along with his worst enablers must be tried for their crimes against our nation and Constitution."
Last week, a spokesperson for Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that her office has "informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the company is no longer purely civil in nature," and that it is "now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan D.A."
Vance's decision to convene the special panel comes after more than two years of investigators in New York reviewing hush-money payments, executive compensation, property valuations, tax decisions, and other matters.
The D.A.'s probe has reportedly intensified since Trump left office--and in February, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his attempt to block the enforcement of a subpoena for his tax returns and other financial documents.
The special grand jury "will sit three days a week for six months," and "is likely to hear several matters--not just the Trump case," according to the Post.
New York Law School professor Rebecca Roiphe, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan, explained the potential significance of Vance's move to the paper:
Roiphe said the recent step of seating a long-term panel shows that Vance's investigation has progressed to the point that prosecutors will visit the grand jury, bring them evidence and witnesses, and potentially ask them to contemplate charges. They were unlikely to take that step without believing they had evidence to show there was probable cause to believe someone committed a crime, she said.
"The prosecutors are convinced they have a case. That's at least how I read it," Roiphe added.
Vance is planning to leave office at the end of the year; the Democratic primary for his replacement will be held next month.
In addition to the investigations in New York, Trump faces a criminal probe into alleged election interference in Georgia.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In a major step toward holding former President Donald Trump--who often spewed "law and order" rhetoric while in office--accountable for his various alleged crimes, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. has convened a grand jury that is set to decide whether to indict Trump, others at his company, or the business itself.
That's according to the Washington Post, which broke the news Tuesday evening, citing two unnamed sources, and reported that it suggests the Democratic D.A. "believes he has found evidence of a crime--if not by Trump then by someone potentially close to him or by his company." A spokesperson for Vance declined to comment.
Noting that "Vance has been a cautious prosecutor," Georgetown University public policy professor Donald Moynihan tweeted Tuesday that there is "no real reason to do this unless there is some solid evidence of wrongdoing in the Trump Organization."
While Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, neither a spokesperson for the Republican ex-president nor an attorney for the Trump Organization--which has been described as a "rat's nest of hundreds of ambiguous limited liability companies"--responded to the Post's requests for comment.
Critics of Trump, meanwhile, welcomed the newspaper's reporting.
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) pointed to his declaration from shortly after the November 2020 election that "Trump along with his worst enablers must be tried for their crimes against our nation and Constitution."
Last week, a spokesperson for Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that her office has "informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the company is no longer purely civil in nature," and that it is "now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan D.A."
Vance's decision to convene the special panel comes after more than two years of investigators in New York reviewing hush-money payments, executive compensation, property valuations, tax decisions, and other matters.
The D.A.'s probe has reportedly intensified since Trump left office--and in February, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his attempt to block the enforcement of a subpoena for his tax returns and other financial documents.
The special grand jury "will sit three days a week for six months," and "is likely to hear several matters--not just the Trump case," according to the Post.
New York Law School professor Rebecca Roiphe, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan, explained the potential significance of Vance's move to the paper:
Roiphe said the recent step of seating a long-term panel shows that Vance's investigation has progressed to the point that prosecutors will visit the grand jury, bring them evidence and witnesses, and potentially ask them to contemplate charges. They were unlikely to take that step without believing they had evidence to show there was probable cause to believe someone committed a crime, she said.
"The prosecutors are convinced they have a case. That's at least how I read it," Roiphe added.
Vance is planning to leave office at the end of the year; the Democratic primary for his replacement will be held next month.
In addition to the investigations in New York, Trump faces a criminal probe into alleged election interference in Georgia.
In a major step toward holding former President Donald Trump--who often spewed "law and order" rhetoric while in office--accountable for his various alleged crimes, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. has convened a grand jury that is set to decide whether to indict Trump, others at his company, or the business itself.
That's according to the Washington Post, which broke the news Tuesday evening, citing two unnamed sources, and reported that it suggests the Democratic D.A. "believes he has found evidence of a crime--if not by Trump then by someone potentially close to him or by his company." A spokesperson for Vance declined to comment.
Noting that "Vance has been a cautious prosecutor," Georgetown University public policy professor Donald Moynihan tweeted Tuesday that there is "no real reason to do this unless there is some solid evidence of wrongdoing in the Trump Organization."
While Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, neither a spokesperson for the Republican ex-president nor an attorney for the Trump Organization--which has been described as a "rat's nest of hundreds of ambiguous limited liability companies"--responded to the Post's requests for comment.
Critics of Trump, meanwhile, welcomed the newspaper's reporting.
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) pointed to his declaration from shortly after the November 2020 election that "Trump along with his worst enablers must be tried for their crimes against our nation and Constitution."
Last week, a spokesperson for Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that her office has "informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the company is no longer purely civil in nature," and that it is "now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan D.A."
Vance's decision to convene the special panel comes after more than two years of investigators in New York reviewing hush-money payments, executive compensation, property valuations, tax decisions, and other matters.
The D.A.'s probe has reportedly intensified since Trump left office--and in February, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his attempt to block the enforcement of a subpoena for his tax returns and other financial documents.
The special grand jury "will sit three days a week for six months," and "is likely to hear several matters--not just the Trump case," according to the Post.
New York Law School professor Rebecca Roiphe, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan, explained the potential significance of Vance's move to the paper:
Roiphe said the recent step of seating a long-term panel shows that Vance's investigation has progressed to the point that prosecutors will visit the grand jury, bring them evidence and witnesses, and potentially ask them to contemplate charges. They were unlikely to take that step without believing they had evidence to show there was probable cause to believe someone committed a crime, she said.
"The prosecutors are convinced they have a case. That's at least how I read it," Roiphe added.
Vance is planning to leave office at the end of the year; the Democratic primary for his replacement will be held next month.
In addition to the investigations in New York, Trump faces a criminal probe into alleged election interference in Georgia.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy