The fix certainly seems to be in for former President Donald Trump after a Manhattan grand jury indicted him on Thursday.
NBC New York has reported that Trump, who is scheduled to appear for arraignment on April 4, will likely face Judge Juan Merchan in New York. Merchan was the judge presiding over the case in which the Trump Organization was found guilty on 17 counts, including conspiracy and falsifying business records.
The Manhattan judge ruled in January that the Trump Organization had to pay a $1.6 million fine for a long-standing practice of evading taxes by offering gifts and benefits to senior executives. The company’s former chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors and testified against the organization during the trial, the Daily Wire noted.
On Friday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to decry the judge and his previous ruling.
“The Judge ‘assigned’ to my Witch Hunt Case, a ‘Case’ that has NEVER BEEN CHARGED BEFORE, HATES ME,” Trump said. “His name is Juan Manuel Marchan, was hand picked by Bragg & the Prosecutors, & is the same person who ‘railroaded’ my 75 year old former CFO, Allen Weisselberg, to take a ‘plea’ deal (Plead GUILTY, even if you are not, 90 DAYS, fight us in Court, 10 years (life!) in jail. He strong armed Allen, which a judge is not allowed to do, & treated my companies, which didn’t ‘plead,’ VICIOUSLY. APPEALING!”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed Trump’s indictment in a statement on Thursday.
“This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal. Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected,” the statement noted.
The investigation into Trump by Bragg drew criticism from Republicans even before the indictment was announced.
Last week, top House Republicans began an investigation and sent a letter to Bragg, anticipating Trump’s indictment. The letter requested an interview with Bragg and asked for documents and communications related to the investigation, the Daily Wire added.
The Republican leaders characterized Bragg’s prosecution of a former president and current presidential candidate as an “unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority.”
