According to reports, the U.S. Capitol will tighten security in advance of the possible indictment of former President Donald Trump.
“The United States Capitol Police (USCP) expect demonstration activities all across the country, connected to the likely indictment of former President Trump,” according to a statement made Monday night by the Sergeant at Arms.
“There is a chance for demonstration activity, even if law enforcement is not monitoring any particular, credible threats to the Capitol or state offices,” according to the statement. “You might see a stronger police enforcement presence on Capitol Hill as a result of USCP’s collaboration with law enforcement partners.”
The statement concluded by stating that the “Senate Operations Center (SOC) and State Office Readiness Program (SORP) are keeping track of the situation and are ready to provide essential information with the Senate community as the situation requires.” It then went on to list a number of streets in which bike racks will stay open “to allow for pedestrian transit.”
The former president said on Saturday that “illegal leaks” from the Manhattan DA’s office had revealed he would be detained on Tuesday for allegedly paying Stormy Daniels, a porn star, and Karen McDougal, a Playboy model, hush money.
He also urged followers to demonstrate.
“ILLEGAL LEAKS FROM A CORRUPT & HIGHLY POLITICAL MANHATTAN DA’S OFFICE, WHICH HAS PERMITTED NEW RECORDS TO BE SET IN VIOLENT CRIME AND WHOSE LEADER IS BANKROLLED BY GEORGE SOROS, INDICATE THAT, WITHOUT ANY CRIME BEING ABLE TO BE PROVEN, AND BASED ON AN OLD AND COMPLETELY DEBUNKED (BY COUNTLESS OTHER PROSECUTORS!) FAIRYTALE, THE FAR & AWAY TOP REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE AND THE FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. PROTEST AND RESTORE OUR NATION!”
Since the announcement, Republicans have come together in support of the former president, claiming that such an arrest would represent a political misuse of power and comparing it to the Banana Republic.
Senator Steve Daines of Montana, the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), tweeted that the New York Times called the arrest a “risky legal theory” and suggested that the “Manhattan DA concentrate on the violent criminals tormenting New York rather than continuing to pursue politically motivated charges against President Trump.”
The New York Times reported last week that a conviction would be “difficult” and that an indictment of Donald Trump would not be a sure thing for the prosecutors.
“Even if Mr. Trump is indicted, it will be difficult to convict or imprison him,” according to the Times. “The case against the former president rests on an unproven and thus dangerous legal theory involving a complicated web of statutes that together amount to a low-level felony,” the prosecution claims.