WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump probably will not testify before a New York City grand jury that is considering indicting him over hush money to an alleged former mistress, his attorney said Monday.
“We have no plans on participating in that proceeding,” Trump attorney Joe Tacopina told ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “Decision needs to be made still. There’s been no set deadline, so we’ll wait and see.”
A Manhattan grand jury is investigating the $130,000 that went to former porn star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election.
The Daniels case:Former Trump attorney Cohen to testify before NY grand jury in porn star hush money probe
By the book:Stormy Daniels: Her new book ‘will blow your mind’
Michael Cohen, the former Trump attorney who made the payment, tested Monday for about three hours before the grand jury considered the case. His lawyer, Lanny Davis, said Cohen is expected to return Wednesday to continue his testimony.
The grand jury is investigating whether the hush money amounted to an improper campaign contribution and was planned in order to evade campaign finance laws.
Trump, who has denied an affair with Daniels, has protested the prospect of an indictment. On the Truth Social media site, he said recently that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg “only cares about ‘getting Trump.'”
Tacopina also told ABC that he and another Trump attorney had met with prosecutors to make their case against any indictment.
In the ABC interview, Tacopina said the money paid to Daniels was in no way a campaign contribution: “He (Trump) made this with personal funds to prevent something coming out false but embarrassing himself and his family’s young son. That’s not a campaign finance violation, not by any stretch.”
Bragg told MSNBC over the weekend that politics has nothing to do with it: “We follow the facts. It doesn’t matter what party you are, it doesn’t matter your background. What did you do? And what does the law say?”
Running anyway:‘I won’t even think about leaving’: Trump at CPAC says indictment wouldn’t push him out of 2024 race
State of the race:‘Freaks.’ ‘Big spenders.’ Why 2024 GOP hopefuls Trump, Haley, DeSantis are ripping their own party
The Daniels case is one of several investigations looming over Trump, even as he pursues another campaign for the White House.
Trump also faces probes in Atlanta and Washington over his efforts to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election and the subsequent insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump is also under investigation over his handling of classified documents.
