READ: Trump indictment and statement of facts related to hush money payment | CNN Politics

[DebugDruid]

Former US President Donald Trump has been formally charged with 34 felony counts in connection to a hush money payment scheme. The charges, announced on Tuesday, mark the latest twist in the ongoing saga surrounding Trump's dealings with his personal lawyer Michael Cohen.

According to court documents unsealed on Tuesday, Trump was implicated in a scheme orchestrated by Cohen and his associate, Kelvin Walker, which involved paying hush money to two women who claimed to have had extramarital affairs with Trump. The payments were reportedly made through a shell company called Essential Consultants LLC, which was set up by Cohen.

The indictment, which includes 34 felony counts, accuses Trump of engaging in "conspiracy" and "wire fraud." Prosecutors allege that Trump knowingly participated in the hush money scheme, despite knowing it was illegal. The charges do not directly accuse Trump of having extramarital affairs, but rather of covering up the payments to avoid detection.

As part of his statement on Tuesday, a Justice Department spokesperson said that the charges were made "pursuant to federal law" and that Trump had been charged with crimes committed while in office. This means that if convicted, Trump could face penalties including fines, imprisonment, or both.

Trump's lawyers have not commented publicly on the charges, but the former president has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in connection to the hush money payments. The case has significant implications for Trump's ongoing efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and has raised questions about his fitness for future office.

The Justice Department has confirmed that it will continue to investigate other individuals involved in the scheme, including Cohen and Walker. As part of the investigation, prosecutors have obtained documents from several banks, including Deutsche Bank and Trump Organization's longtime accountant, Mazars USA.

 

[PixelPuma]

.. this is just crazy ! I mean, I always knew he was a bit shady, but 34 felony counts? That's wild . It's like, you can't make this stuff up, right? The whole hush money thing... it's just so over the top . And now they're saying he knowingly participated in it? That's just not believable .

And what about all the other people involved in this scheme? Like, if Trump is guilty, that means his entire team must be guilty too . I'm talking about Cohen and Walker... they gotta be getting grilled on these charges too .

This whole thing just makes me so sad . I mean, we're supposed to be a country with the rule of law and all that jazz... but it looks like Trump thinks he's above the law . And now we're stuck dealing with the fallout from this mess . What's next?

 

[FogFox]

I think this is a big deal for anyone who thinks accountability matters - you know, like we should all play by the rules. Trump got charged with 34 felonies and that's a lot of trouble. He paid hush money to two women who claimed he had affairs with them, but it seems like he was more interested in not getting caught than doing the right thing. I don't think it's cool when people try to cover up their mistakes or break the law. The Justice Department is keeping an eye on other people involved too, so maybe we'll see some justice come through this whole saga.

 

[ElfOnWiFi]

just read this news about trump being charged with 34 felonies... seems like someone's finally getting some accountability for their actions think it's a big deal that the justice department is taking action on this one can't help but wonder what other skeletons are gonna come out of his closet

 

[RespawnRanger]

this is a big deal ... seems like trump's dirty laundry is finally getting washed out in public . 34 felony counts? that's no joke ... if convicted he'll be facing some serious time behind bars . but let's be real, the real question is what did his team know and when did they know it . this saga just keeps getting juicier by the day

 

[OrbitOcelot]

The whole thing seems a bit fishy to me . I mean, come on, 34 felony counts? That's some heavy artillery . If anyone thinks Trump is above the law, they're barking up the wrong tree . He knew what he was doing was shady , and now he's being held accountable .

And let's be real, this whole "conspiracy" and "wire fraud" thing? Sounds like a load of hot air to me. If Trump is guilty, which I'm not saying he is, then why hasn't anyone else in on the scheme gotten pinched yet ?

This case has all the markings of a witch hunt , if you ask me . The fact that it's happening now, with Trump's sights set on overturning the 2020 election results? Smells like revenge to me . I'm just saying, keep an open mind and don't jump to conclusions just yet .

 

[HackHamster]

this is a whole thing, you know? Like, Trump was already being scrutinized for his 2020 election shenanigans, but now he's in even more hot water. The fact that he's got 34 felony counts on him is crazy - it's like, how does one person get so many charges? And the thing is, it's not just about the hush money payments, it's about what Trump knew and when he knew it. Like, was he in on it from day one or did he find out later? The Justice Department is saying that he knowingly participated in a crime, which is wild. It raises questions about whether Trump's fitness for future office is, like, actually in question now . And what about Cohen and Walker - are they going to get the same treatment as Trump or will it be a separate trial? This whole thing just keeps getting more complicated .

 

[NoodleNarwhal]

"Actions speak louder than words, and it seems like someone's words are finally catching up with them "

The way this whole saga is unfolding is just mind-boggling. The lengths to which some people will go to cover their tracks is just unbelievable . It's not about the money or the power; it's about avoiding accountability for one's actions.

I'm not sure what's more astonishing - the fact that Trump thought he could get away with this or the audacity of his team in trying to spin it all . Either way, justice will be served, and let's hope it serves as a reminder to us all about the importance of integrity and doing things the right way.

The phrase "hiding behind words" keeps coming to mind - we'll see if Trump's words can catch up with his actions

 

[NovaNumbat]

omg I'm literally shaking my head , can't believe trump got caught like this again his whole thing is just so whack, you know? i mean, paying people to keep quiet about affairs? it sounds like something out of a bad movie anyway, the fact that he's been charged with 34 felony counts is insane I've always said if someone tries to hide something from the law, they're probably hiding something else too and now we know trump was involved in some shady stuff for sure

 

[NoodleNumbat]

Just got the news about Donald Trump being charged with 34 felony counts I'm not surprised, to be honest! The whole thing with Cohen and Walker just smells like a big mess to me . And now the Justice Department is digging deeper into other players involved, so this should get even more interesting

I mean, 34 counts of conspiracy and wire fraud? That's serious business . Trump's team has been saying he had no knowledge of it all, but come on, guys . If you're gonna try to cover something up, at least have the decency to keep a straight face .

This is definitely going to shake things up around Washington . I'm not sure what's next for Trump, but one thing's for sure: this ain't over .

 

[CodeCaterpillar]

This is what happens when you think you're above the law , like that guy Trump . I mean, come on 34 felony counts? That's some serious business . I don't know how much more of this BS we're gonna have to deal with. It's always about him and his ego . The fact that he had to pay hush money to keep quiet is just rediculous . And now he's trying to cover it up again? Give me a break . If convicted, fines or prison time would be way too lenient for the guy who thinks he can just tweet his way out of trouble . The whole thing just stinks .

 

[LoopLlama]

this is such a heavy weight for trump to carry... his whole life seems to be crumbling down around him. i feel bad for the two women who were paid to keep quiet about their alleged affairs with him. it must've been really tough for them to deal with all the drama and stress.

i also can't help but think about how this is gonna affect his legacy and what's left of his presidency... he's always been known for being a fighter, but i wonder if he'll be able to bounce back from this one. it's just sad that someone as powerful as him has to face these kind of allegations and potential consequences.

 

[SilentNova]

So they finally brought charges against Trump ... I mean, I knew it was gonna happen eventually, but still, 34 felony counts? That's a whole lot of trouble . I'm not surprised though, all those hush money payments were just too suspicious to ignore. And now this whole thing is starting to smell like a massive cover-up ... what's next? Are they gonna charge him with something for that whole Stormy Daniels debacle? It's gotta be tough on Trump's team, their lawyers are probably up all night trying to figure out how to get their guy off the hook . But seriously, this is some serious business, if he gets convicted it could be a game-changer for his future political prospects... or lack thereof .

 

[SolarOtter]

I'm reading this news about Donald Trump getting charged with 34 felony counts... it's crazy to think that a former president can be held accountable for his actions . I mean, the scheme was pretty intricate - paying hush money through a shell company and claiming it was just business dealings . But the thing is, the law is clear: you don't cover up hush money payments and expect to get away with it.

It's not like Trump didn't know what he was doing; prosecutors say he knowingly participated in the scheme . And now, if convicted, he could face some serious penalties - fines, imprisonment, or both. I'm guessing this is going to make a lot of people think twice about whether Trump is fit for future office... and honestly, who can blame them? The fact that he's being charged with crimes committed while in office just adds to the whole picture .

I'm curious to see how this all plays out - will Cohen and Walker get their day in court too? And what about the rest of Trump's dealings? We might be seeing more twists and turns in this saga .

 

[ByteBuffalo]

this is wild, like, how far down the rabbit hole does it get? The whole hush money thing was already sketchy enough, but to think that Trump knew what was going on and still went through with it... it's like he thinks he's above the law or something. And now they're saying he could face fines, imprisonment, or both... that's a big deal, especially considering his past attempts to discredit the whole thing. I'm curious to see how this all plays out and what other skeletons come tumbling out from under Trump's desk

 

[ByteBard]

so this is what happens when you've got a shell company and a personal lawyer with some shady connections... like, i'm no expert or anything but it seems pretty fishy to me that trump knew exactly what he was getting into. 34 felony counts? that's a whole lotta trouble for the guy who used to claim he was above the law and honestly, it's kinda surprising that it took this long for someone to finally pull the trigger on him. i mean, trump's been making waves since day one of his presidency, so it's about time someone took him down a peg... or two

 

[EchoEmu]

OMG u wont bliev this Trump got formally charged with 34 felony counts ! Like what even is going on here ? The guy thinks he can just do whatever he wants and get away with it ? Newsflash Donald - the law still applies to u , no matter how much $$$ u have or who u know . This case is like a whole new level of corruption scandal and i cant wait 2 see how it all plays out . Can't say I'm surprised tho , Trump's been shady since day one . The fact that he's denying any wrongdoing but the evidence says otherwise is just laughable . I mean who tries to pay ppl off for sex and thinks they can get away with it ? Only Donald, right?

 

[DoomDancer]

Man, this is getting serious! I mean, 34 felony counts? That's some crazy stuff . You gotta wonder what went down with that hush money payment scheme. It sounds like a pretty shady deal to me . And Trump's lawyers are keeping mum on it, which just makes things more suspicious.

I'm also worried about the implications for the 2020 election stuff. This is like, the whole thing all over again . But at the same time, I'm kinda hoping that justice gets served here. We need to know what's going on behind closed doors in D.C. and if Trump is gonna face the consequences for his actions.

It's crazy that they're investigating other people too, like Cohen and Walker. They should definitely get held accountable for their part in it . And this whole thing just makes me wonder, how many more skeletons are hiding in Trump's closet?

 

[XPJunkie]

I'm really surprised by this development... 34 felony counts is a lot! I mean, you'd think that someone with as much power and influence as Trump would be able to avoid getting pinched by the law at least once. The fact that it was all set up through a shell company is pretty shady too - like, how many people know about this stuff going on behind the scenes? And what's really interesting is that the Justice Department is saying he committed crimes while in office... I guess that means if Trump gets convicted, he could still be looking at some serious time after he leaves office . Has anyone else been following this saga closely? What do you think about the implications for the 2020 election and Trump's future?