Trump Indicted on 34 Felony Counts, Unsealed Charges Related to Hush Money Payment
Former US President Donald Trump has been formally charged with 34 felony counts in an indictment unsealed by the Manhattan District Attorney's office. The charges are related to a hush money payment made during his presidency, and according to sources, they center on payments made to women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump.
The indictment details payments of $130,000 each from Trump's 2016 presidential campaign to two women - Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels. However, the payments were allegedly disguised as donations to a charity instead of being reported as campaign contributions.
Prosecutors claim that Trump directed his lawyer to make these secret payments to silence his alleged extramarital affairs. The charges are seen as significant evidence in the ongoing investigation into potential criminal wrongdoing by Trump during his presidency.
According to reports, Trump has maintained his innocence and denies any wrongdoing, stating that he had no knowledge of the payments being made on his behalf. However, sources close to the investigation say the evidence against him is mounting, with multiple witnesses testifying about their involvement in the hush money scheme.
The unsealed charges are just one part of a broader investigation into Trump's business dealings and potential campaign finance law violations. The case has sparked widespread attention and criticism from Trump supporters, who argue that he is being unfairly targeted by prosecutors.
With 34 felony counts, including tax evasion and falsifying business records, the stakes are high for Trump if convicted. A conviction could result in significant prison time, fines, and potentially even loss of presidential immunity. The case will likely continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months as new evidence emerges and testimony is heard from key witnesses.
This article originally appeared on CNNPolitics.com
Former US President Donald Trump has been formally charged with 34 felony counts in an indictment unsealed by the Manhattan District Attorney's office. The charges are related to a hush money payment made during his presidency, and according to sources, they center on payments made to women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump.
The indictment details payments of $130,000 each from Trump's 2016 presidential campaign to two women - Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels. However, the payments were allegedly disguised as donations to a charity instead of being reported as campaign contributions.
Prosecutors claim that Trump directed his lawyer to make these secret payments to silence his alleged extramarital affairs. The charges are seen as significant evidence in the ongoing investigation into potential criminal wrongdoing by Trump during his presidency.
According to reports, Trump has maintained his innocence and denies any wrongdoing, stating that he had no knowledge of the payments being made on his behalf. However, sources close to the investigation say the evidence against him is mounting, with multiple witnesses testifying about their involvement in the hush money scheme.
The unsealed charges are just one part of a broader investigation into Trump's business dealings and potential campaign finance law violations. The case has sparked widespread attention and criticism from Trump supporters, who argue that he is being unfairly targeted by prosecutors.
With 34 felony counts, including tax evasion and falsifying business records, the stakes are high for Trump if convicted. A conviction could result in significant prison time, fines, and potentially even loss of presidential immunity. The case will likely continue to unfold in the coming weeks and months as new evidence emerges and testimony is heard from key witnesses.
This article originally appeared on CNNPolitics.com
. back in the day, I remember watching him host SNL and he was so funny 
. but now, it's like looking at a different person altogether. i mean, who would've thought that the guy who made "the art of the deal" a thing would end up in this mess? 
. like, who pays someone to shut them up? it's just not right. and now we're finding out that trump was behind all of it? that's just wild 
.
. and honestly, it's kinda sad to think about what could've been if he'd just kept his mouth shut all these years 
. anyway, here we are... 
like, 5 years ago he was tweeting about how he'd take on the Deep State and now here we are with him facing 34 felony counts 
what's next? is he gonna claim that his hairpiece has evidence immunity too 
This whole thing just gets crazier by the day... like how many times has Trump's story changed already? First it was he didn't know about these payments, then he said he was being framed, and now he's saying they were a 'mistake'? I mean, come on, Donald! You can't fake that long. It just feels like he's trying to spin this to get sympathy from his fans... 
but seriously 34 felony counts? that's like a death sentence for a civilian. i'm not saying he deserves it but come on, hiding money from the campaign is just basic corruption 
.
The fact that he's denying any involvement and claiming ignorance just makes it seem more like he was trying to cover his tracks. And what about all the people who are coming out of the woodwork saying they were part of the scheme? It's getting pretty suspicious. 
. I mean, I know he's been accused of some shady stuff before, but this is a whole different level. The fact that these payments were disguised as donations to charity? That's just plain ridiculous 
.
And what's with all the denials from Trump? Isn't that just gonna make things worse for him in the long run? 
this whole thing is just wild... i mean, i know trump's been a polarizing figure for years but this is getting crazy. like, who knew he was paying women hush money to shut them up about their alleged affairs?