Prosecutors investigating Donald Trump have told one of their key witnesses to prepare themselves for a grand jury testimony.
Per CNN, this is the latest development in the investigation of the former POTUS, which may lead to him becoming the first-ever ex-US leader to face criminal charges.
The New York prosecution team claims that the grand jury will gather to consider evidence discovered during their investigations into Trump's business dealings, as well as the alleged payment of hush money to various women on his behalf.
Donald Trump spoke about his second impeachment in this White House address:Manhattan attorney Cyrus Vance has been investigating Trump's real estate company, his tax returns, questioning employee perks, and probing into reimbursements Trump's business holdings made to Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen.
Commenting on the decision in a statement made to CNN, former prosecutor and chief assistant district attorney Daniel Alonso claimed:
"It's very rare for there to be a special grand jury empaneled in Manhattan supreme court and for that jury not to consider charges at some point."
Meanwhile, Adam S. Kaufmann, who served as chief of the office's investigative division, added: "It really suggests they've reached a point in their investigation where the district attorney believes there's evidence of a crime.
"You don't impanel a special grand jury unless you think you have a viable case."
Per Al Jazeera, Attorney General Letitia James has also been investigating whether the Trump Organization reported false property values to secure loans and obtain tax benefits.
Al Jazeera also reports that Fabien Levy, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office, said in a statement on Tuesday, May 18:
"We have informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the organization is no longer purely civil in nature.
"We are now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan DA."
Newsweek reports that Trump has since responded to the allegations against him, stating: "There is nothing more corrupt than an investigation that is in desperate search of a crime. But, make no mistake, that is exactly what is happening here."
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