A grand jury in New York indicted former US President Donald Trump over hush payments made to adult movie actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.
The historic indictment makes him the first former US president to face criminal charges. Trump denies any wrongdoing in connection with the payments and has survived two impeachments and evaded prosecutors on multiple charges, including the US Capitol riot and missing classified files. However, he is now facing charges related to a sex scandal that could mark his legacy.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office confirmed they contacted Trump’s lawyers to “coordinate his surrender” for arraignment in New York. CNN has reported that Trump could face as many as 30 counts related to business fraud. Trump slammed the indictment as “political persecution and election interference” and vowed it would backfire on his successor, President Joe Biden.
Trump’s ex-lawyer Michael Cohen testified before the grand jury that he made the payment to Daniels on Trump’s behalf and was later reimbursed. However, prosecutors argue that the checks were not properly registered, and the jury was asked to consider if there had been a cover-up intended to benefit Trump’s campaign by burying the scandal.
The indictment is expected to impact the current presidential race as Trump hopes to regain office. It is also expected to mark the legacy of the former leader who evaded prosecution on various issues but has now been indicted in a sex scandal. Trump’s ex-lawyer Michael Cohen has stated that he expects Trump to go to jail if the hush money case is proven.
Trump has been a controversial figure since his first presidential campaign in 2016. He is seen as the frontrunner to be the Republican nominee in the 2024 election and has branded all investigations against him as political persecution. He is also facing felony investigations in Georgia relating to the 2020 election and in Washington over January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by his supporters.
The impact of the indictment on his election chances is unpredictable, with critics and adversaries alike voicing concerns about the legal merits of the hush money case. Moreover, detractors worry that if Trump were cleared, it could make it easier to dismiss as a “witch hunt” any future indictment in arguably more serious affairs, such as Trump’s efforts to overturn Georgia’s election results.
The Manhattan charges are expected to juice turnout among Trump’s base, boosting his chances in the party primary. Trump staged his first presidential campaign rally in Texas on Saturday, addressing several thousand supporters in Waco.
