- Donald Trump appeared in court following his indictment
- Trump was requested to appear before a grand jury, but he refused
- Justice Juan Manuel Merchan chose not to issue a gag order against Trump
In an indictment released Tuesday, a New York grand jury accused former President Donald Trump of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Prosecutors detailed an alleged years-long plot to utilize "hush money" payments to suppress negative material before the 2016 election.
Donald Trump Indictment Update
Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges during a hearing in a lower Manhattan courthouse, making him the first former president to face criminal prosecution. His presence was historic, carefully planned, and followed rigorous security measures.
According to CBS News, he denied any wrongdoing and said Democratic District Attorney Alvin Bragg is motivated by politics in pursuing the case.
Prosecutors stated in a 16-page indictment and accompanying statement that Trump "orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and boost the Defendant's electoral prospects."
According to them, the plot involves three payments made by Trump loyalists to bury unfavorable stories: $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed Trump fathered an illegitimate child, $150,000 to a former Playboy model who claimed to have had an affair with Trump; and $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who also claimed to have had an affair with Trump.
Trump has denied having relationships with both women, and the former doorman's employer has concluded that his allegation is incorrect. Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney and "fixer," paid Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election. Authorities asserted that Trump improperly disguised his reimbursements to Cohen as legal fees.
In addition to hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, the indictment of former President Trump has lesser-known indirect payments that kept Playboy model Karen McDougal and a doorman quiet about Trump's alleged sexual encounters.
In 2006, Trump allegedly had a 10-month affair with McDougal, and Trump property doorman Dino Sajudin claimed to be aware of a kid Trump fathered with a previous cleaner. Both McDougal and Sajudin were compensated by the National Enquirer, linked to Trump. The former maid in issue denied ever having an affair with Trump, and Sajudin's ex-wife afterward referred to him as a "serial liar."
In the same year, American Media Inc. paid Sajudin $30,000 for the rights to the narrative he had to tell, but the contract included a $1 million fine if he shared the information with anyone else. Then, they rewrote the tale.
Trump's attorneys stated that the former president was aware of the payment when the transaction was finalized. Pecker allegedly testified before the grand jury in the Trump case last week, tying Trump personally to the agreement and to a larger conspiracy to bury bad reports about him before the 2016 race.
Cohen has stated that he arranged for the Enquirer to make the payment and recorded a discussion in which he discussed the payment with Trump. Per Daily Mail, Cohen also acknowledged discussing the payment to Sajudin with the Enquirer.
Under New York law, falsifying company documents is normally a misdemeanor but can be punished as a felony if committed with the "purpose to deceive, which includes the desire to conduct another crime or help or conceal its commission." According to prosecutors, Trump's actions were designed to break election laws.
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Trump's Speech in Mar-a-Lago
After the conclusion of the hearing, the former president was freed and immediately boarded an aircraft to Florida, where he will address supporters at his Mar-a-Lago club on Tuesday evening.
Here's a glimpse of what Donald Trump said in his speech last night at his Mar-a-Lago residence, according to BBC News:
- The contender for the White House in 2024 reiterated many of his campaign talking points, alleging that he is the victim of a Democratic plot to jeopardize his reelection attempt.
- Trump began by rejecting his guilt and claiming that his foes "seek to destroy" the United States.
- Then he falsely said that every legal expert and pundit agreed there was no case against him.
- Trump renewed his assaults against Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office is pursuing the case, and the judge's family.
- He also demanded that Bragg be punished, accusing him of information leakage.
In New York, individuals are routinely prosecuted for fabricating papers; however, these are typically minor counts. In this instance, they are crimes because, according to authorities, the former president forged the documents to cheat voters.
Per ABC7, experts predict that it will be a difficult case to prove in court. Authorities allege that the former president planned a "capture and kill" plot over two years to bribe individuals and squelch bad reports to increase his chances of becoming president.
Much was already known about the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels, but the indictment shows that Trump is behind a series of fabricated paperwork. Three individuals were paid, including a former doorman at Trump Towner who claimed to have information regarding an illegitimate kid the president fathered.
Jeremy Saland, a former assistant district attorney in Manhattan, stated that prosecutors are setting the groundwork for a "scheme" for which they must present additional evidence in court.
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