Manhattan District Atty. Alvin Bragg , 49, currently deciding whether 76-year-old President Donald Trump faces hush money charges for a payment in 2016 to former adult film star Stormy Daniels, received a letter with an unknown substance. Included in the letter was a note saying, “Alvin, I’m going to kill you,” harking back to the days when the Bush-43 White House mailroom received letters Oct. 23, 2001 containing anthrax. Unlike the real threat from anthrax, Bragg received an innocuous substance most likely flower or powdered sugar, something confirmed by a NYPD crime lab. Trump has been making veiled threats on his Truth Social platform asking his base to protest if he’s charged by Bragg with illegally paying hush money to an alleged mistress. Trump was running for president in 2016 when his former personal attorney Michael Cohen arranged a $130,000 payout to Daniels.
Calling Bragg and “animal,” Trump posted a picture of himself with a baseball bat near Bragg’s photo, hinting that violent protesting could take place if he’s charged with a misdemeanor or felony related to the payment for Daniels. Even though a NYC crime lab found the substance harmless, the attempt to intimidate a New York City official carries itself felony charges. Trump’s angry that a Democrat prosecutor was using his office to harass a former president with threats of an indictment. Bragg said the grand jury would continue hearing from witnesses Monday, after a postponement due to the unknown letter found March 21. Bragg told the press March 18 that he wouldn’t be intimidated by Trump’s antics, saying Trump was using intimidation to undermine the grand jury currently weighing charges against the former president. Bragg isn’t sure he has legal jurisdiction to charge Trump.
New York’s 62-year-old Mayor Eric Adams called on the NYPD for beefed up security, not knowing the kind of response likely to follow should Bragg go ahead charging Trump. New York officials may not have any case against Trump in the Stormy Daniels affair but they might have one for intimidating public officials, making death threats against Bragg. Watching the latest episode, shows the public why Trump can never return to the White House, especially after his refusal to concede the Nov. 3, 2020 presidential election. Trump told his base since his loss to President Joe Biden that the election was stolen by massive voter fraud. No one on Trump’s legal team could prove voter fraud, prompting former Atty. Gen. Bill Barr to say he found no significant voter fraud in the 2020 election. Trump has harped on voter fraud since losing to Biden, called the “big lie” by Democrats and the media.
House Democrats charged Trump Jan. 11, 2021 with “incitements of insurrection:” in his second impeachment trial House Democrats led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) accused Trump of inciting violence at his Jan. 6, 2021 speech at Washington, D.C. Ellipse. Democrats insisted that Trump incited a mob to violence by saying he was robbed of a second term by corrupt Democrat election officials. Democrat officials knew at the time that the FBI confirmed the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots were planned for months, with right wing groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, planning the Capitol attacks. Right wing militia groups had a beef with Democrat elected officials for allowing Black Lives Matter and other left wing rampaged all over the country for months in the summer of 2021. Pelosi contended that Trump tried to stop the Electoral College vote certification.
New York City Mayor Spokesman Fabien Levy said the Mayor Eric Adams rejected any attempt by Trump to intimidate civil servants. “While we cannot comment on the specifics of any ongoing investigation, no public officials should ever be subject to threats for doing his or her job . . .” said Adams, warning Trump to stop the intimidation for face more possible charges. “I’m confident that every elected officials in the City, including Mahattan DA Bragg, will continue to do their work undeterred, and anyone found to be engaging in illegal conduct will be brought to justice,” Adams said, warning Trump that he’s walking a fine line. Whether admitted to or not, Trump hasn’t handled the threat of criminal charges by the DA. Trump’s followers have had enough of arrests, convictions and jail time for what they though was protesting voter fraud on the Nov. 3, 2020 election.
When Bragg re-convenes the grand jury as early as March 27, he must decide whether he has the legal authority to charge Trump with misdemeanors or felonies for paying off Stormy Daniels or former Playboy centerfold Susan McDougal. Rev. Al Sharpton said he would pray for Bragg’s safety in Harlem. Sharpton and other Black leaders condemned Trump’s intimidation of Bragg and Democrat billionaire fundraiser George Soros. Bragg hasn’t figured out whether or not Trump committed any crime paying Stormy Daniels and Susan McDougal to remain silent about their alleged affairs with Trump some 20 years before elected president. Bragg can’t figure out whether Trump committed any crime paying hush money to keep Daniels or McDougal from besmirching his reputation. Bragg insists, from convicted felon Michael Cohen, that Trump broke campaign finance laws.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
