Manhattan prosecutors have indicted Donald Trump for paying adult movie star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to silence her about their relationship. Thus, the tycoon became the first former President in American history to be indicted.
The Wall Street Journal published an article in January 2018 that alleged that Donald Trump had dated the actress Stormy Daniels in 2006 and gave her $130,000 to keep quiet about their relationship shortly before the election for President in 2016.
Even if the tycoon continues to run for President in 2024, the grand jury’s decision will unprecedentedly affect US politics and influence the 2024 contest for the White House. Trump has already responded by attacking that it is political persecution and electoral interference and that Biden’s witch quest will backfire.
The grand jury’s vote was unexpected, as jurors were anticipated to consider other cases today and then take a break until the end of April.
According to a CNN report, on Thursday, three main prosecutors on the investigation entered the building where the grand jury was sitting before the panel’s 2 p.m. local time meeting. According to the report, approximately three hours later, prosecutors entered the court clerk’s office through the back door to initiate the indictment filing procedure.
Even Trump’s staff and the former President, evaluating his next steps in these Mar-a-Lago hours, did not anticipate a decision. The charges against him have not yet been made public, at least to the general public. What will happen now and when Trump is summoned to the prosecutor’s office is unclear: the Secret Service and New York authorities must define the details, despite the former President’s attorney’s assurance that his client will present himself spontaneously and undergo the necessary procedures, from fingerprinting to photos. Then he should be spared the punishment.
The New York City police have been on high alert for several days in anticipation of potential demonstrations and protests, as the former President has encouraged his supporters to take to the streets and make their voices heard. In the Big Apple, where some Trump supporters have been chanting “civil war” for days, a scenario resembling January 6 causes the most concern and has prompted law enforcement agencies to increase security measures and online checks.
No one is above the law, and this indictment is just the beginning, remarks Michael Cohen, the tycoon’s former attorney and chief accuser. The Republicans are already claiming foul, despite not knowing the exact charges: they refer to the decision as “outrageous.” The son of the former President, Eric Trump, characterises the indictment as an assault on a political rival. He references the Democrats and the first African-American Manhattan prosecutor, Alvin Bragg.
The Democratic House and the White House of Vice President Joe Biden are quiet. The indictment in the adult movie star case is just one of the investigations currently being conducted against Trump, whose legal situation may become more convoluted as the election approaches. Among the ongoing investigations are those about January 6, election interference in Georgia, and the discovery of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
According to CNN, which cites unnamed sources with knowledge of the situation., Donald Trump has been charged with thirty-four counts, some related to fraudulent business practices.
Next, district attorney Alvin Bragg is anticipated to negotiate Trump’s surrender. If he agrees to surrender, Trump will be photographed and fingerprinted at a New York state facility. According to the New York Times, Trump’s conviction is not certain.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy warned that Bragg would be held accountable for “abuse of power” by the lower chamber, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that his state would not extradite Trump due to the dubious circumstances surrounding the George Soros-backed district attorney.
