NASA’S FIRST MANNED LUNAR FLIGHT IN MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
>> Announcer: THIS IS
NBC "NIGHTLY NEWS"
WITH LESTER HOLT.
>>> GOOD EVENING AND
WELCOME ON THIS MONDAY
NIGHT FROM NEW YORK
CITY WHERE FORMER
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
ARRIVED LATE THIS
AFTERNOON, FLYING HERE
FROM PALM BEACH IN THE
LUXURY OF HIS PRIVATE
JET, JUST HOURS BEFORE
FACING THE DIM AND
SPARTAN CORRIDORS OF A
MANHATTAN COURTHOUSE
WHERE HE WILL
SURRENDER HIMSELF AND
BE ARRESTED, WE
BELIEVE ON
FRAUD-RELATED CHARGES.
HIS COURT APPEARANCE
TOMORROW AFTERNOON
EXPECTED TO COINCIDE
WITH THE UNSEALING OF
THE ACTUAL INDICTMENT
AGAINST HIM, WHEN WE
MAY KNOW MORE FOR THE
FIRST TIME THE
SERIOUSNESS OF THE
CRIMES MR. TRUMP IS
ACCUSED OF.
THE ARRAIGNMENT
PROCESS MAY SPARE MR.
TRUMP SOME OF THE
INDIGNITIES ASSOCIATED
WITH A SURRENDER,
WHICH TYPICALLY
INVOLVES HANDCUFFS,
FINGERPRINTING AND A
MUG SHOT.
MR. TRUMP SPENDING THE
NIGHT AT TRUMP TOWER,
JUST BLOCKS AWAY FROM
WHERE WE ARE AS THE
NYPD AND SECRET
SERVICE CAREFULLY
SECURE HIS MOVEMENTS.
NEW YORK’S MAYOR
TONIGHT WARNING
WOULD-BE PROTESTERS TO
CONTROL YOURSELVES
GARRETT HAAKE LEADS
OFF OUR COVERAGE.
>> Reporter: FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP
TOUCHING DOWN IN NEW
YORK CITY TONIGHT,
WALKING OFF HIS PLANE
INTO A WAITING VEHICLE
AT LaGUARDIA AIRPORT,
ESCORTED BY THE NYPD
AND SECRET SERVICE
THROUGH MANHATTAN,
WAVING AS HE THEN
WALKED INTO TRUMP
TOWER.
ALL AHEAD OF A
HISTORY-MAKING
APPEARANCE TOMORROW
BEFORE A NEW YORK
STATE JUDGE.
THE FIRST FORMER
PRESIDENT TO FACE
CRIMINAL CHARGES.
TONIGHT THE MAYOR WITH
THIS WARNING TO ANY
PROTESTERS OUTSIDE MR.
TRUMP’S ARRAIGNMENT.
>> CONTROL YOURSELVES.
NEW YORK CITY IS OUR
HOME, NOT A PLAYGROUND
FOR YOUR MISPLACED
ANGER.
>> Reporter: PRESIDENT
BIDEN WAS ASKED IF
HE’S WORRIED ABOUT
UNREST.
>> NO.
I HAVE FAITH IN THE
NEW YORK POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
>> Reporter: THE NYPD
NOW COORDINATING WITH
THE SECRET SERVICE TO
KEEP THE FORMER
PRESIDENT’S VISIBILITY
LOW DURING HIS
PROCESSING AT THE
COURTHOUSE IN LOWER
MANHATTAN.
SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH
THE PLANNING SAY MR.
TRUMP WILL BE
FINGERPRINTED BUT
LIKELY WON’T HAVE A
MUG SHOT OR DNA SWAB
TAKEN.
SECRET SERVICE AGENTS
WILL NEVER BE MORE
THAN ARM’S LENGTH AWAY
FROM HIM.
THE FORMER PRESIDENT
EXPECTED TO BE
ARRAIGNED ON SOME 30
DOCUMENT FRAUD-RELATED
COUNTS ACCORDING TO
TWO SOURCES FAMILIAR
WITH THE STILL SEALED
INDICTMENT.
HIS ATTORNEYS VOWING A
NOT GUILTY PLEA.
>> HE’S GEARING UP FOR
A BATTLE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT
OBVIOUSLY WE BELIEVE
IS A POLITICAL
PERSECUTION.
>> Reporter: MANHATTAN
D.A. ALVIN BRAGG’S
INVESTIGATION HAS
CENTERED AROUND 2016
HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS
MADE BY FORMER TRUMP
FIXER MICHAEL COHEN TO
ADULT FILM ACTRESS
STORMY DANIELS TO BUY
HER SILENCE ABOUT AN
ALLEGED AFFAIR WITH
MR. TRUMP, WHICH HE
DENIES.
FALSIFYING BUSINESS
RECORDS COULD BE A
MISDEMEANOR.
BUT IN AN UNTESTED
LEGAL GAMBLE BRAGG MAY
CHARGE MR. TRUMP WITH
A LOW-LEVEL FELONY.
MR. TRUMP BLASTING
BRAGG ON SOCIAL MEDIA
AS, QUOTE, CORRUPT AND
HIS CASE AS ELECTION
INTERFERENCE.
THE CHARGES FROM A
DEMOCRATIC D.A.
LARGELY UNITING
REPUBLICANS.
>> I WATCH IT HAPPEN
ALL THE TIME IN THE
THIRD WORLD AND IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
THEY USE PROSECUTORS
TO GO AFTER
CANDIDATES.
>> Reporter: EVEN
THOSE EXPECTED TO
CHALLENGE MR. TRUMP
FOR THE GOP NOMINATION
ARE SLAMMING THE
PROGRESSIVE
PROSECUTOR.
>> HE DOESN’T WANT TO
CHARGE PEOPLE WITH
FELONIES.
SO NOW HE TURNS AROUND
PURELY FOR POLITICAL
PURPOSES AND INDICTS A
FORMER PRESIDENT ON
MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES
THAT THEY’RE STRAINING
TO TRY TO CONVERT INTO
FELONIES.
THAT IS WHEN YOU KNOW
THAT THE LAW HAS BEEN
WEAPONIZED FOR
POLITICAL PURPOSES.
>> GARRETT, THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN IS INSISTING
THIS INDICTMENT HAS
BEEN HELPING THEM.
>> Reporter: WELL,
LESTER, THE CAMPAIGN
HAS BEEN USING THE
PUBLICITY AROUND THE
INDICTMENT AS A
FUND-RAISING TOOL AND
THEY SAY IT’S WORKED
WITH MORE THAN $7
MILLION RAISED SO FAR.
MR. TRUMP’S LEGAL
TEAM, ON THE OTHER