Former Manhattan DA: Trump should ‘be mindful’ not to commit ‘some other criminal offense’

Former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., said on Sunday that former President Trump should be careful not to commit “some other criminal offense” as Trump critiques the Manhattan prosecutor over his recent indictment.

“I’ve got to say that 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. And 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 offense, like obstruction of governmental administration, which is interfering by threat or otherwise, the operation of government,” Vance said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“I think that could take what perhaps we think is not the strongest case, when you add a count like that, put it in front of a jury … It can change the jury’s mind about the severity of the case that they’re looking at,” Vance said.

Trump became the first president, current or former, to face criminal charges after he was indicted last week for his alleged role in organizing a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels amid his 2016 presidential campaign. Ahead of the indictment, Trump accused Bragg of “interference in a presidential election” and claimed the attorney, a locally elected official, was “taking his orders from D.C.”

Trump also called for his supporters to “protest” his arrest and “take our nation back.”

The former president is set to appear in court on Tuesday for arraignment.