I'm Mari Melburgh, and we are reporting for you tonight on the eve of the arraignment of a former president.

Tomorrow marks the first court hearing in this case, New York versus Donald Trump defendant.

This is the legal process which compelled Trump to come to New York today from Florida because he had to.

The only alternative would have been resisting arrest and making

the NYPD come get him, which they're capable of doing for any defendant. Tomorrow, Trump goes

downtown to the New York court building, and like any citizen or any criminal defendant,

he will then surrender temporarily to the custody of the lawful authorities there.

We know a bit about that process, the fingerprinting, the booking, and like anyone,

afforded his rights and given the opportunity to enter his plea.

Now, authorities have ramped up security, including thousands of members of NYPD that were

told are on a stand-ready order.

But lately, Donald Trump has been trying to promote and fundraise off the charges.

And it's worth recalling tonight, as we know more than we used to, no more than we did last

week, this promotional effort by Mr. Trump is actually his plan B after the calls for protests repeatedly fizzled.

There were no large crowds for Donald Trump in Florida or New York today compared to the

infamous influx of visitors which did gather for the convicted sedition on January 6th in D.C.

Now, New York authorities say this time they see no signs of that level of gathering as of tonight.

They also say quite clearly and publicly they will both deter and confront and arrest any attempts at disruption or violence tomorrow.

So that's the terrain tonight as the United States embarks on this fundamentally legal process.

I could tell you a few more updates. Donald Trump now swiftly beefing up his legal team.

He's tapped a new former federal prosecutor as lead counsel, Todd Blanche, to lead his lawyers on this New York case.

We know that's new because that lawyer actually recently left his firm, emailing colleagues.

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