Sudden Cancellation of Trump Grand Jury Sparks Wave of Theories

Speculation is mounting after the grand jury in the Manhattan case involving Donald Trump's alleged hush money payment to former adult film actress Stormy Daniels did not meet Wednesday.

The jury typically meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, but for an unknown reason it did not meet today. High-ranking law enforcement officials told Business Insider that even if the jury reconvenes Thursday, a vote on a possible indictment of Trump by week's end remains unlikely.

Trump is being investigated by the Manhattan district attorney for his involvement in the alleged payment to Daniels of $130,000 in hush money during his 2016 presidential campaign. He has denied all allegations, including her claim that they had an affair.

"We can't confirm or comment on grand jury matters," a spokesperson for the Manhattan district attorney's office told Newsweek.

Trump attorney Joe Tacopina told Newsweek that he had no comment on the matter.

Rumors of an indictment swirled for days after Trump said Saturday on social media that he would be arrested on Tuesday. His prediction, which was rebuked by his own legal staff, included a call for protests against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his office following an arrest.

"The Rogue prosecutor, who is having a hard time with the Grand Jury, especially after the powerful testimony against him by Felon Cohen's highly respected former lawyer, is attempting to build a case that has NEVER BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE AND ACTUALLY, CAN'T BE BROUGHT," Trump posted Wednesday on Truth Social, breaking his silence.

"If he spent this time, effort, and money on fighting VIOLENT CRIME, which is destroying NYC, our once beautiful and safe Manhattan, which has become an absolute HELLHOLE, would be a much better place to live!" the former president said.

Paula Reid, the senior legal affairs correspondent for CNN, said earlier Wednesday that prosecutors continue to be in touch with an unspecified witness. "They signal they're leaving the door open for that witness to potentially come back before the grand jury to give additional testimony," she said.

It is unclear whether the grand jury has completed its investigation.

Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti tweeted that the public record remains limited on information, essentially causing confusion about what to make of the grand jury not meeting.

"Based on what we know publicly, there are plenty of loose ends that prosecutors may need to tie up, so delay is not all that surprising," he said.

Attorney Bradley Moss told people to "chill," tweeting that it "could be any number of issues that led to a delay."

On his Tuesday show, NewsNation host Leland Vittert aired a segment inquiring whether the worst thing besides indicting and arresting a former president is having the grand jury come back with a "not guilty" verdict.

"Bragg cancels grand jury meeting today—is Bragg looking for an off-ramp as we predicted last night?" Vittert tweeted Wednesday.

Trump and other Republicans, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, have recently amped up their questioning of Bragg's motives in his investigation.

On Monday, Jordan, along with GOP House committee heads James Comer and Bryan Steil, sent a letter to Bragg "demanding communications, documents and testimony relating to Bragg's unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority and the potential indictment of former President Donald Trump."

While the letter right now makes voluntary requests, House committees can issue subpoenas for testimony and documents if Bragg does not cooperate.

However, the House would be limited in its enforcement power, attorney Michel Huff told Newsweek.

"Most likely, they will either negotiate an agreement with Bragg or the House may try to vote to hold Bragg in contempt," Huff said. "But then the Department of Justice would likely decline to prosecute."

Huff said he was reminded of a similar instance in 2012 when the House voted to hold former Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress but the Obama administration's Justice Department chose not to pursue the charge.

"While congressional investigations have long been used to advance political goals and narratives, this move sets a potentially dangerous precedent of Congress using its investigation powers to potentially influence an ongoing state-level criminal investigation," Huff said.

Update, 3/22/23, 3:21 p.m. ET: This story was updated with more information and comments from attorney Michel Huff.