Trump indictment: What are the next steps and the implications? Experts weigh in
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Former President Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury Thursday surrounding a "hush money" payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.
CBS 2's Charlie De Mar spoke to some local experts, who explained the next steps and implications in this unprecedented development.
CNN reported Thursday night that Mr. Trump is facing more than 30 counts related to business fraud.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office says it has contacted Mr. Trump's attorney to coordinate his surrender, and the process is already in motion.
Mr. Trump is the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges.
The charges remain sealed.
"I personally was surprised that there was an indictment because the length of time that it's taken, and the fact that the grand jury has met several days without issuing an indictment or even voting," said CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller. "That's not typically the way it works."
Miller says Mr. Trump will likely be fingerprinted and processed just like anyone else. We're hearing that surrender could be as soon as Tuesday.
"Trying to work out what we call a self-surrender - in other words, they don't' need to send marshals down to Florida to physically arrest him," Miller said. "They'll allow him to get on the plane, come to New York to go from the airport to District Attorney's office - and at that point begin the booking process."
At times, the former president has called the investigation a witch hunt. The indictment is expected to rock the 2024 presidential race – in which Mr. Trump has already announced his candidacy.
In a statement responding to news of his indictment, the former president called it "Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history," and accused Democrats of "weaponizing our justice system to punish a political opponent, who just so happens to be a President of the United States."
"The Democrats have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession with trying to 'Get Trump,' but now they've done the unthinkable — indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference," Mr. Trump said.
"There are certainly political implications, Charlie. It seems like he's going to leverage this into a fundraising opportunity," professor and political analyst Stephen Maynard Caliendo told CBS 2's De Mar. "It will absolutely rally his base. The question is, how large is his base? Is it large enough to win a primary? Is it large enough to beat a democrat in a national election if he were to the nominee?"
Steve Balich is the Republican leader for the Will County Board.
"I believe that they don't want President Trump to run again, and they're going to do whatever they can to dirty him up," Balich said. "There's no reason to come after him now."
There are three additional and separate investigations into Mr. Trump – his handling of classified documents, allegations of election meddling in Georgia, and his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. All those cases could end in more legal trouble for the former president.
