Grand jury in Trump probe concludes on Monday with no vote

shutterstock_1080713477477785

The Manhattan grand jury concluded its proceedings in former President Trump’s case on Monday afternoon with no vote. The grand jury had reconvened Monday in New York City after its proceedings related to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into Trump were canceled twice last week.

Bragg has been investigating the $130,000 hush-money payment that then-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford. That payment was made in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 through his own company and was later reimbursed by Trump’s company, which logged the payments as “legal expenses.” Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing with regard to the payments made to Daniels, and he has repeatedly said the payments were “not a campaign violation” but rather a “simple private transaction.”

The grand jury heard from one witness, David Pecker, who served as president of National Enquirer’s parent company, American Media Inc. and had previously testified before the grand jury as part of this case. The grand jury is set to reconvene Wednesday.

Editorial credit: Evan El-Amin / Shutterstock.com