Trump indicted; New York grand jury shakes up US politics | World News

Donald Trump, who became the first former U.S. president to be indicted, is expected to turn himself in for arraignment on Tuesday. The indictment relates to paying adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, to keep quiet about the alleged sexual encounter. The payment was made on the eve of the 2016 presidential election.

On Thursday, a New York grand jury indicted Trump on criminal charges, the district attorney’s office and Trump’s attorney confirmed.

While specific charges will only be made public if he turns himself in, Trump is likely to be charged with falsifying business records and violating campaign finance laws.

CNN reported that he faces more than 30 fraud-related charges. The indictment follows a five-year investigation that will test the legal system and shape U.S. political dynamics within the Republican Party and between Republicans and Democrats ahead of next year’s presidential election.

Political struggle

The indictment brings additional uncertainty to the Republican field for the 2024 presidential nomination. Trump has announced his candidacy. The indictment does not pose any legal impediment to his continued bid for the nomination. But political observers are divided on whether that will work in his favor by further strengthening his base — or push Republican donors and voters toward other potential candidates, especially Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Trump called the indictment “witch hunt and election meddling at the highest level in history” and said “radical left Democrats” have been fighting the “Make America Happen” campaign since he announced his candidacy in 2016. “Political persecution” for “political persecution”. Great re-movement”.

“Democrats have cheated countless times over decades, including spying on my campaign, but weaponizing our justice system to punish political opponents who happen to be President of the United States and are by far the leading Republican presidential candidate, having previously never Never happened. Ever,” Trump said.

He claims that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is leading the case, was [billionaire] George Soros,” and said the move would backfire.

DeSantis, who has been facing attacks from Trump, also called the indictment “un-American,” suggesting it may have forced all Republicans to unite against the decision. He claimed that “Soros-backed Manhattan lawyers” were expanding the law to target political opponents. DeSantis did not specifically name Trump in his tweet.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who has feuded with Trump over the legality of the 2020 election, also called the prosecution “outrageous.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy threatened to hold Bragg and “his unprecedented abuse of power” accountable.

Democrats have emphasized the importance of letting the law take its course. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, from New York, said Trump is bound by the same laws as every American. Schumer added that Trump will be able to use the legal system and juries based on the facts and the law. “There should be no outside political influence, intimidation or interference in this case.”

legal background

The charges will only be unsealed on Tuesday after Trump turned himself in. But this is well known. The case does not depend on Trump paying off Daniels — nor has the former president denied it was paid (though he denies having any sexual encounters with Daniels), nor is the hush money itself illegal.

Instead, the case likely hinges on Trump reimbursement to his longtime confidant and attorney, Michael Cohen, who paid Daniels and then provided false invoices to show it was legal fees, thereby hiding the intent of the payment. So it’s probably built around this falsified business record.

Trump’s lawyers deny he knew about the misleading records, though Cohen claims the former president was fully aware of it.

In 2018, Cohen admitted in court that he “coordinated with and at the direction of a candidate for federal office to make payments to two women … with the primary purpose of influencing the election.” Daniels was among them.

But that would constitute a misdemeanor, not a crime. To criminalize it, the case could depend on proving that the payment violated election law because it was actually a contribution to influence the Trump campaign by silencing Daniels and avoiding a scandal. polling.

The $130,000 payment violated the campaign’s maximum donation limit, which is capped at $2,700. Cohen made the payment on Oct. 27, 2016, 12 days before the election.

If that was the allegation, Manhattan prosecutors may have used state election law, which defines a campaign contribution as “anything of value related to an election.”

In addition to the Manhattan case, Trump faces other legal challenges. These revolve around his possession of classified documents, his efforts to overturn the Georgia election results, his role in fomenting the January 6, 2021 uprising, and the Trump Organization’s business practices.