Former President Donald Trump is due to be arraigned in Manhattan tomorrow for his alleged hush money payments to an adult film star.
Tuesday’s historic proceedings will mark the first time a former US president has ever been criminally charged after leaving office.
Trump flew from his home in Palm Beach, Florida to New York City on Monday. His private jet is expected to land at LaGuardia International Airport around 3.00pm.
His first hearing is scheduled for 2.15pm on Tuesday, April 4. He will be escorted by Secret Service to New York County Criminal Courthouse at 100 Centre Street in Lower Manhattan.
The former president is scheduled to be arraigned before New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw the grand jury that issued his indictment.
At the hearing, the defendant will be read the charges against him and issue a formal plea. Trump’s lawyers have stated that he intends to plead not guilty.
After the hearing, the indictment will also be unsealed – meaning the public will be able to read the specific charges against the former president for the first time.
Judge Merchan, who was first appointed to the bench in 2009, also presided over the criminal cases against the Trump Organization, the company’s CFO Allen Weisselberg, and former Trump political advisor Steve Bannon.
Trump plans to return to Florida the same night as his hearing. He is expected to speak before supporters at his estate at Mar-a-Lago the same evening.
Some of those supporters announced that they would show up to protest the hearing on Tuesday morning as well. The New York City Young Republicans Club announced they would be holding a rally outside the courthouse.
Far-right Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene announced that she would join protesters on Tuesday.
‘Protesting is a constitutional right and I am going to NY on Tuesday to protest this unprecedented abuse of our justice system and election interference,’ the Georgia Republican announced on Twitter.
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