Numerous Manhattan elected officials, led by Congress Member Adriano Espaillat, rallied on Monday afternoon in Harlem in to support Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg while the world waits for a possible Donald Trump indictment.
The March 27 press conference on West 125th Street comes as Bragg continues to face death threats for his investigation into the former president’s alleged hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels and was aimed to support the DA as both the former president and his rabid fanbase slam the prosecutor as an “animal,” threatening “death and destruction” if the indictment occurs.
“Alvin Bragg is a thoughtful, smart and principled attorney who operates with the utmost integrity. He doesn’t make legal decisions based on politics – he makes them based on the facts and the law,” Espaillat said. “He did not bow to political pressure last year – and he will not bow to the Republican led pressure today. We do not know what will happen with investigations in other jurisdictions, but we do know that New York City stands in solidarity with Alvin Bragg, a son of Harlem, and we will not be intimidated by Republican tactics, threats, racist and hate-based rhetoric. No one is above the law and justice will prevail.”
Last week, Bragg was sent an envelope containing white powder and a threat on his life. While the substance was deemed non-hazardous, bomb threats and other intimidation efforts from Trump’s fringe, die-hards continue to pour intimidation efforts. It is with this in mind that several politicians are attempting to draw a line in the sand and stand by Bragg during the unprecedented process.
Espaillat along with several advocates vouched for Bragg’s character and condemned the former president and his supporters for attempting to incite violence and protests if an indictment takes place.
“No one is above the law. Not even a former president of the United States is above the law. So, we know that this process will continue. We will not be intimidated as a community. We are here to watch our DAs back to ensure that no one bullies their way through,” Espaillat said. “We will hear this week from the grand jury, and we will make sure with the help of our law enforcement agencies, there will be peace in the streets of New York City. So, no one, no one, absolutely no one is above the law.”
Council Member Julie Menin also joined in the support and recalled her years serving as a lawyer for Consumer Affairs, at which time she stated that she worked alongside Bragg, underscoring his professionalism, intelligence, and ability to fearlessly prosecute difficult cases. This includes cases against the Trump Foundation and Steve Bannon; however, Davis added that Bragg has never faced this level of threat that he does now.
“I found him to be an incredibly thoughtful and smart and highly principled attorney, which is again why these attacks on him, and his family are as absolutely unwarranted and dangerous,” Menin said.
“There have never been these kinds of threats against him. These threats are dangerous, but they’re not just dangerous, they are actually a crime and they’re actually three different crimes. So, it’s harassment in the first degree, it’s menacing in the second degree and it’s stopping in the third degree. So what Trump is doing is literally a crime against both the DA and against his family and we are standing here joined as a community to say these threats are absolutely unacceptable. We will not stand for this intimidation,” Menin added.
Meanwhile, the press’ vigil continued downtown outside the New York County Criminal Court House on Monday, nearly a week after Trump was supposed to have been indicted and arrested on March 21, as he claimed in a March 18 social media post. Former National Enquirer Publisher David Pecker reportedly testified Monday before the grand jury as part of the hush money probe.
It’s still unclear when, or if, the grand jury will ultimately vote on a possible Trump indictment.
