Lawfare: Manhattan Grand Jury Votes to Indict Trump
A Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict former President Donald Trump in connection with alleged payouts to porn star Stormy Daniels, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The felony indictment was filed under seal by the Manhattan district attorney’s office and is set to be announced in the coming days, as reported by the New York Times.
Prosecutors working under District Attorney Alvin Bragg have been presenting evidence since January concerning Trump’s involvement in a $130,000 payment made by lawyer Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels.
Trump has been requested to surrender and face arraignment for the currently unclear charges.
Earlier this month, a letter released dated February 8, 2018, stated that Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 out of his own pocket and “neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford”.
Cohen’s team explained that “neither Mr. Cohen nor Essential Consultants LLC made any in-kind contributions to Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., or any other presidential campaign committee,” nor was Cohen a government employee at the time.
If Trump fails to surrender, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said, “I have no interest in getting involved in some type of manufactured circus by some Soros DA, okay. He’s trying to do a political spectacle. He’s trying to virtue signal for his base.”
On Thursday morning, it was reported that Manhattan prosecutors were also looking into a $150,000 payment made to a former Playboy model who claimed to have had an affair with the former president.
The grand jury was questioned about Karen McDougal, Playboy Magazine’s Playmate of the Year in 1998, who claimed she had a 10-month affair with Trump in 2006.
According to the New York Times, Trump is at Mar-a-Lago “absorbing this information”. His aides were caught off guard with the indictment occurring today.
In a statement following the indictment, Cohen said, “For the first time in our Country’s history, a President (current or former) of the United States has been indicted. I take no pride in issuing this statement and wish to also remind everyone of the presumption of innocence; as provided by the due process clause. However, I do take solace in validating the adage that no one is above the law; not even a former President. Today’s indictment is not the end of this chapter; but rather, just the beginning. Now that the charges have been filed, it is better for the case to let the indictment speak for itself. The two things I wish to say at this time is that accountability matters and I stand by my testimony and the evidence I have provided to DANY.”
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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