Ex Manhattan DA suggests ‘hush money’ prosecution was not best case to bring against Donald Trump
The former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance has revealed why he never charged Donald Trump over his “hush money” payments — and suggested that it wasn’t the strongest case to bring against the former president.
Vance, a Democrat, was Manhattan’s prosecutor before Alvin Bragg took over in 2022 — and opened an investigation into Trump around 2018.
“I ultimately believed that our investigation was best focused on financial crimes” related to the Trump Organization, Vance told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday — rather than the payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
“Unfortunately, we ran out of time.”
He said Trump’s conviction will result in “strong appeals.”
“I’m confident that we made the right choice for us at that time in pursuing the financial crimes investigation,” Vance said.
Vance said that he doubts that Trump will be given any time behind bars — though the judge’s multiple contempt of court rulings could stiffen the sentence.
“With the proximity of the Republican Convention four days after his sentencing and then if he is the candidate for the Republican Party — the proximity of the election — I would be surprised that he would be sentenced to any imprisonment,” he continued.
“That said, the court could adjourn sentencing until after the general election and essentially decide then.”
Trump’s sentencing is slated for July 11 and he could face up to 20 years behind bars.
New York County Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan repeatedly found Trump in violation of a gag order against attacking key players in the case as well as his family members. Merchan will oversee sentencing.
Trump had sought to bash Merchan’s daughter over her links to the Democratic Party.
The Republican National Convention will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from July 15–18.
Back when Vance was in charge, the DA’s office initially looked into the alleged hush money payments, but the probe veered off into a larger and more complicated case about potential business fraud.
Bragg later took the reins and shifted back to the hush money focus, prompting multiple prosecutors to resign in protest.
Bragg has defended his decision to pivot to the porn star payment issue. Last week, he took a victory lap after winning the case. Trump is the first former US president to get convicted.
Vance’s efforts eventually led to a guilty plea from former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg and the Trump Organization.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, pursued a civil fraud case against Trump and later scored a $355 million plus interest verdict against the former president. Trump is appealing that.
Despite Bragg’s victory Thursday, in which a 12-member jury in liberal Manhattan found Trump guilty on all 34 counts related to the falsification of business records to conceal hush money payments, Vance stressed that it’s not over yet.
Allies of Trump have pointed to the recent decision by the New York State Court of Appeals — the highest court in the Empire State — to overturn the sexual assault charges against film producer Harvey Weinstein.
The Manhattan DA’s office had prosecuted that case against Weinstein.
Trump has vowed to appeal his hush money conviction, which becomes official in court during his sentencing.
His attorneys have cited a litany of grievances over how the case was tried, including gripes with Merchan, who donated $15 to President Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign and another $20 to progressive groups but was still allowed to oversee the case.
“I really don’t think a $20 donation and a $30 donation rise to the level of a serious appearance of a conflict,” Vance contended, speaking in rough numbers.
Trump is also facing another 54 counts spanning three other indictments, including the Mar-a-Lago document case, the 2020 election tampering case, and the 2020 Georgia election subversion case.
None of those pending cases have trial start dates scheduled, amid various pretrial deliberations, including a high-stakes presidential immunity Supreme Court case.
Trump has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Meanwhile, congressional Republicans have made clear they intend to pursue testimony from Bragg over his prosecution of Trump.
The conviction of Trump proved to be a financial boon for his campaign, which claims to have racked in some $53 million within the first 24 hours.
