Manhattan grand jury not scheduled to meet in Trump case until late April

The New York grand jury hearing evidence in a hush money probe involving former President Trump is not scheduled to meet about the case until late April, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The jurors are set to consider another case next Monday and Wednesday ahead of a previously scheduled two-week hiatus, but Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) could always change the schedule, according to the source.

The news was first reported by Politico.

The Hill has reached out to a Bragg spokesperson for comment.

Bragg is probing Trump’s involvement in a hush payment that his fixer, Michael Cohen, made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.

The district attorney has taken a series of steps in recent weeks that typically signal prosecutors are close to a final charging decision, but the probe has yet to turn up an indictment.

Trump had predicted he would be arrested last week. After that did not come to fruition, the former president repeatedly attacked Bragg, and earlier on Wednesday, Trump said he had “gained such respect” for the grand jury.

The decision on if and when to seek an indictment from the grand jury is ultimately up to Bragg, who has no deadline. The jury has tended to meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, but jurors have been hearing multiple cases while they are empaneled.

As the proceedings continue, Bragg has faced increasing questions about the strength of his case and whether he’ll pull back from the brink.

“They are bringing repeat witnesses in and it appears the grand jury is not having it. It is not normal to take a three week break when you are up against a statute of limitations,” Trump attorney Alina Habba said in a statement.

Some outside legal commentators have speculated that Bragg could now be waiting for another legal case involving Trump to move forward. The former president faces various state and federal criminal investigations related to the 2020 presidential election and his handling of classified documents.

A Quinnipiac poll released earlier on Wednesday found 62 percent of Americans think Bragg’s investigation is mainly motivated by politics, compared to 32 percent who think it is mainly motivated by the law.

Bragg has long insisted he does not stoop down to politics, saying during an appearance on MSNBC earlier this month, “yes, we live in this world where we may hear what this pundit says, and we may hear other commentary, but our focus is on the evidence and the law.”

Updated at 2:04 p.m.