Former Manhattan district attorney (DA) Cyrus Vance Jr has said that former president Donald Trump's statements criticising the trial court and incumbent DA Alvin Bragg could potentially strengthen the case against him with another "charge of obstruction".
While speaking with the Press, the former district attorney said: "I've got to say, I was disturbed to hear the former president speak in the way he spoke about the District Attorney Bragg and even the trial court in the past week."
Donald Trump is facing the case of hush money paid to an adult film star Stormy Daniels back in 2016. However, he repeatedly denies all the charges claiming he is the most innocent man in the history of the US.
"I think if I were his lawyer – and, believe me, no one [has] called up to ask for my advice — I would be mindful of not committing some other criminal offence like obstruction of governmental administration, which is interfering with — by threat or otherwise — the operation of government," he noted.
Vance, who also prosecuted the Trump Organization in tax evasion and fraud case also highlighted during the interview that "adding an obstruction count to the charge could change the jury’s mind about the severity of the case that they're looking at."
Indictment of Donald Trump
Trump is allegedly involved in paying hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels, making him the first former president to face criminal charges.
However, the exact charges are not yet known as the indictment is currently under seal.
According to media reports, the charges against former president Trump could include more than 30 counts related to business fraud.
Trump denied any wrongdoing and has insisted that he is "completely innocent" of all charges. He also vowed not to drop out of the 2024 presidential race despite facing criminal charges, accusing District Attorney Bragg of engaging in "Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history."
The former president also appealed to his supporters to donate money for his legal defence, raising over $2 million since making the plea.
The hush money in question was paid to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, to keep silent about an alleged sexual encounter she had with Trump in 2006.
Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, has said that he coordinated the payments to Daniels and another woman, Karen McDougal, who claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Trump.
The former president initially denied any knowledge of the payment to Daniels but later acknowledged reimbursing Cohen for it.
Daniels' lawyer, Clark Brewster, emphasised that no one is above the law, and Cohen, who pleaded guilty to a campaign-finance violation in 2018, stood by his testimony and evidence provided to prosecutors.
