Getting Answers: possible indictment against former president Donald Trump

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - For the first time in history, a former president of the United States may be indicted for a crime as Donald Trump announced on social media that he expects to be arrested on Tuesday following a grand jury investigation in New York.

“This is the greatest possible thing for him and it’s an important moment for American justice because a former president has to be held accountable and it’s a really strange moment for the Secret Service because the Secret Service has to continue to have this possibility of guarding someone in jail that’s never happened before. It is almost unimaginable,” said Western New England University History Professor John Baick.

Trump faces the potential of being indicted on federal charges. It’s a first in our nation’s history as a grand jury in New York looks into alleged hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels right before the election in 2016. Baick said by announcing his imminent arrest on social media, Trump could be trying to help his presidential campaign.

“[It] puts him right back in the spotlight. We’re going to be talking to him for the next several days, no matter what happens because of the historic nature of this,” Baick added.

Now, as New York prepares for reaction to a possible indictment by barricading parts of the city, including the courthouse, Western Mass News wanted to get answers on whether or not the American public should fear a second insurrection.

“This is not January 6. Our democracy is not immediately in danger, but this is someone who believes he can turn his criminal actions into the recipe for political success and I think he’s going to get a big bounce in popularity,” Baick explained.

Baick does believe, however, there is a real threat for violence and chaos.

“The possibility of online and in-person, beyond mischief, actual beyond threats, but actual death, yes, I think there’s a very high likelihood of some chaos. All it takes is one person who believes that the former president is being taken as a political hostage. There have already been many death threats against the New York state prosecutor,” Baick noted.

Baick added that some Trump supporters have actually called on a potential run on banks to destabilize the global economy.

“These sorts of things could actually get kind of terrifying because run on a bank doesn’t take much to get going,” Baick said.

He added that if Trump does plead guilty, these charges could potentially go away and he’ll be left with a fine rather than jail time and as New York prepares for potential protests, Baick advised people to try to avoid going to the city for the coming days.

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