OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A former prosecutor and current analyst for left-wing MSNBC opined on Saturday that former President Donald Trump may have to remain behind bars for an extended period of time if he is indicted this week as reports claimed he could be.
That’s because, according to legal analyst Glenn Kirschner, of something Trump posted to his Truth Social platform over the weekend.
On Saturday, Trump posted that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg was planning on indicting him on Tuesday. In the post, written in all caps, Trump warned: “The far & away leading Republican candidate & former President of the United States of America, will be arrested on Tuesday of next week,” a reference to himself.
The warrant would be issued by the “Corrupt & highly political Manhattan District Attorney’s office,” which was a reference to Bragg — again in all caps.
Then he wrote: “PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!”
Kirschner, who has been a vocal critic of Trump, commented on the former president’s post on Truth Social, referring to him as a “sad little man.” Kirschner further called for Trump to be “tried in every jurisdiction in which he committed crimes.”
In another tweet he claimed Trump was trying to “once again, [orchestrate] a dangerous gathering.”
I was so grateful to be on air with @KatiePhang when she broke this news. Here’s my real-time reaction to Donald Trump, once again, orchestrating a dangerous gathering in furtherance of his desperate determination to avoid accountability: https://t.co/NUGAV7rUTk
— Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) March 18, 2023
Trump says he'll be ARRESTED on Tuesday; tells his supporters to come to Manhattan for his arrest to "TAKE OUR NATION BACK!" When it comes to inciting imminent lawless conduct, Donald Trump has priors. #JusticeMatters https://t.co/18wNkDhvVK
— Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) March 18, 2023
Kirchner claimed that Trump’s post could lead to having his bail denied by a judge or have the terms of his release altered.
“I would slap a government exhibits sticker on this post and I would introduce it at his criminal trial,” Kirschner said on Saturday’s edition of MSNBC’s Katie Phang Show.
“He has now just given the judge that will preside over his arraignment hearing food for thought about what kind of conditions should be set for the release of this dangerous man pending trial,” he went on to say, opining that Trump’s remarks could be interpreted as him attempting to start a riot — though the former president has not called for any violence and did not call for any on Jan. 6, either, contrary to multiple reports.
“This is a dog whistle, just as sure as him telling The Proud Boys, ‘stand back and stand by,’” Kirschner, who was becoming increasingly animated, continued. “He just directed his supporters, some of whom we know are violent, to come to Manhattan for his arraignment.”
A lawyer for Trump has described the most likely scenario at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago estate should he be indicted this week by a Manhattan grand jury, and it doesn’t involve any violence of call to violence.
The attorney stated that Trump would not resist and would surrender to authorities in the event of an indictment in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into a hush-money agreement from his 2016 presidential campaign, The Hill reported.
“There won’t be a standoff at Mar-a-Lago with Secret Service and the Manhattan DA’s office,” Joe Tacopina told The New York Daily News. He suggested that Trump, whom he characterized as a survivor, would utilize any charges brought against him to his political advantage in the long run.
“Most people would collapse under the weight of this,” he said. “He seems to turn everything into a positive and everything into a boost for his campaign, so I’m sure this will just join that long list of things that people think no one could overcome, but he will.”
News broke on Friday that Bragg is close to indicting Trump over hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 campaign, allegedly to keep her quiet about an affair the two of them had in 2006.
Michael Cohen, a former attorney for Trump who testified before the grand jury in the investigation earlier this week, admitted guilt in 2018 to various offenses, including violating campaign finance laws by paying $130,000 to Daniels. Cohen, who was incarcerated for over a year, claims that he made the payment at Trump’s behest, The Hill noted.
Trump acknowledged reimbursing Cohen for the payment, but insisted that it was not associated with his campaign funds. The Trump Organization classified the payment reimbursing Cohen as a legitimate expenditure. Others have noted as well that Trump self-funded his first campaign.
Trump last week declined an invitation to appear before the grand jury, which experts say was another sign of an impending indictment.
