New York Trump grand jury ends not with a bang but a whimper By Thomas Lifson
A six-month grand jury that was convened late last year to hear evidence against Donald Trump was set to expire this week, closing a chapter in a lengthy criminal investigation that appears to be fizzling out without charges against the former president, people familiar with matter said.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), who took office in January, inherited a probe launched by his predecessor, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., who was convinced that there was a case against Trump for crimes related to manipulating the value of property assets to secure tax advantages or better loan rates.
The grand jury was convened in November with a mandate to hear evidence against the former president. But the decision on whether to finish the presentation and ask the panel to vote on charges would ultimately fall on Bragg, who decided to pause the process, according to people with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss information that has not been declared publicly.
Nobody wants to be publicly associated with this disappointment for Trump-haters.
The New York Times adds:
The grand jury’s expiration at the end of the month does not preclude prosecutors from impaneling another jury, but the developments underscore the reduced possibility that Mr. Trump will face charges under Mr. Bragg, who along with several other prosecutors had concerns about proving the case. Some people close to the inquiry believe that it will not result in an indictment of the former president unless a witness cooperates unexpectedly — a long shot in an investigation that has been running for more than three years.
In recent weeks, Mr. Bragg’s prosecutors have issued a few additional subpoenas that indicate they are continuing to investigate but have not found a new path to charging Mr. Trump.
Donald Trump must be the most-investigated real estate tycoon in the history of the United States. The fact that dedicated poetical enemies with vast resources at their disposal have come up with nothing is a testament to his probity. In a field notorious for questionable practices when it comes to seeking permits and dealing with rapacious inspectors of various stripes, Donald Trump evidently has kept his hands clean.
Don’t ever expect a apology from his many critics who have assured us for years that he is a crook.
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