Trump Pleads Not Guilty to 34 Criminal Charges in New York

Former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in a key moment for the country. Prosecutors allege that Trump paid two women, adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, to suppress any stories of sexual activity with him, a violation of election laws. The indictment alleges Trump falsified books with fraudulent intent and violated the law through a scheme to suppress negative information about him ahead of the 2016 presidential election. During his appearance in court, Trump sat with his hands folded at the defense table, wearing a dark blue suit and a red tie.

Trump is the first sitting or former US president to face criminal charges. When asked to plead, he uttered “Not guilty.” Lawyers for Trump have stated that they will “fight it hard” and that their client was “frustrated, upset, and angry” about the accusations. The court hearing was set for a future date, and no gag order was issued on the parties involved.

Prosecutors say they have evidence of Trump discussing how to suppress stories about his affairs, which was secretly recorded in September 2016. An incriminating audio recording caught Trump asking “So what do we got to pay for this?” Subsequently, Trump reimbursed a lawyer for suppression payments, stating falsely that the money was for a “retainer agreement.”

If convicted, the charges carry a maximum sentence of over 100 years in prison under New York law, but experts predict a far shorter sentence.

A Manhattan grand jury indicted Trump after hearing evidence about a $130,000 payment made to Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. Daniels agreed to keep quiet about a sexual encounter with Trump at a Lake Tahoe hotel in 2006. Trump has denied having affairs with either woman but has confessed to reimbursing Cohen for payments to seal their silence.

Joe Tacopina, a lawyer for Trump, claimed that if his client were anyone else, there would have been no charges. Democrat Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney who convened the grand jury, will hold a news conference later today.

Trump announced his bid to regain the presidency in November, intending to compete in the 2024 presidential contest to thwart Democratic President Joe Biden’s re-election effort. The former president is a familiar New York City figure, having spent decades there building his real estate career and celebrity profile.

As police kept watch, rival pro- and anti-Trump protesters gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse where the ex-president entered his plea, with some heated confrontations amidst efforts to keep the peace. Meanwhile, the White House declined to comment on the developments.

Trump also faces a separate criminal investigation by a Democratic prosecutor in Georgia over allegations of illegal attempts to undo his election defeat in the state. There are also two US Justice Department investigations, one of which is led by a Special Counsel, into Trump’s handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.