AURN News with Ebony McMorris

Trump’s Hush Money Saga: Tune In to the Drama, Deceit and Possible Protests

Ebony McMorris
March 20, 2023

Security guards work outside of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, Friday, March 17, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump said in a social media post that he expects to be arrested Tuesday as a New York prosecutor is eyeing charges in a case examining hush money paid to women who alleged sexual encounters with the former president. Trump provided no evidence that suggested he was directly informed of a pending arrest and did not say how he knew of such plans. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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An ally of former President Donald Trump is set to testify before a grand jury in New York in connection with a hush money investigation. Lawyer Robert Costello, who once represented Trump’s former fixer and attorney Michael Cohen, will testify. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has been examining Trump’s purported involvement in a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

On his Truth Social platform, Trump said he expects to be arrested Tuesday and has urged his supporters to protest.

Cohen noted that the situation is reminiscent of the call to action Trump issued before the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol.

“It’s eerily similar to the battle cry that he put out just before the Jan. 6 insurrection, particularly including the call for protest.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, despite disagreeing with the protest, defended Trump.

FILE – House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., speaks during a Friends of Ireland Caucus St. Patrick’s Day luncheon at the U.S. Capitol, March 17, 2023, in Washington. Top Republicans, including some of former President Donald Trump’s potential rivals for the party’s nomination, rushed to his defense on Saturday after Trump said he is bracing for possible arrest. McCarthy said a possible indictment would be “an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance” against Trump. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

“He’s not speaking in a harmful way, and no one should harm one another in this.”

McCarthy and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan say they plan to investigate whether the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is using federal funds for its inquiry.

Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris is a native Washingtonian and University of South Carolina alumna. Her passion is mentoring young adults by teaching community empowerment and media education. She is an NAB member and board member of the Thurgood Marshall Center and was presented the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing more than 4,000 hours of community service under the Obama Administration.