According to the National Public Radio, Former President Donald Trump is making history as the first former U.S. President to face a criminal indictment. A Manhattan grand jury has indicted Trump on charges relating to hush-money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump. The charges are expected to be unsealed in the coming days. Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, had made these payments in 2016, and Trump had reimbursed him for the same. Falsifying business records, as per New York law, could lead to a felony charge if it was done to further another crime such as a campaign finance violation. In this blog, we'll look into the details of the indictment, the political fallout from the event, and the possible implications of this indictment.
Indictment Details:
The grand jury has been investigating hush-money payments made to Stormy Daniels since 2018. In his plea, Cohen had stated that he paid $130,000 to silence Daniels, which he arranged to be reimbursed by Trump over the course of the next year. The monthly checks were identified as a "retainer" payment for Cohen, some of which were signed by Trump himself from his personal account. Trump has repeatedly denied having an affair with Daniels. The investigation under District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. began to probe into Trump's business practices, including his tax returns. Vance subpoenaed Trump for eight years of tax returns in 2019. Trump fought the request twice in the Supreme Court, but both times the high court sided with Vance, allowing him to obtain the records in early 2021. By the end of that year, Vance's team was preparing an indictment of Trump built around possible misrepresentations to banks and tax authorities over many years about property valuations. However, new District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr. decided against seeking an indictment for a wide-ranging fraud scheme.
Political Fallout:
Trump has called this indictment "political persecution" and "election interference at the highest level in history." His statement claims that this indictment is a continuation of the "witch-hunt" that began with the Mueller investigation. It should be noted that the Manhattan district attorney is not a part of the Mueller investigation. Trump has repeatedly claimed that the investigations against him are politically motivated. This indictment is sure to be a rallying cry for his supporters, many of whom have been critical of the investigations against him. Trump has also urged his supporters to mount large protests, further adding to the political fallout from this event.
Possible Implications:
The implications of this indictment are significant. Trump, who has been a dominant figure in the Republican party, could be further sidelined if he's convicted. He has been hinting at running for the presidency in 2024, but this indictment could make it difficult for him to win the Republican nomination. If he's convicted, he could face imprisonment, fines, and a ban from holding public office. While these are the direct implications of the indictment, the political fallout from this event is sure to be significant. This indictment will likely be a rallying cry for Trump's supporters, who have been critical of the investigations against him.
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