The former president of the United States, Donald Trump, was accused of orchestrating hush-money payments to two women before the 2016 presidential election to prevent the public disclosure of their sex acts with him. On Tuesday, he was charged with 34 felonies for falsifying business records in a landmark case.
Trump, the first U.S. president to be charged criminally while in office or thereafter, was accused by prosecutors in Manhattan of attempting to hide a violation of election rules during his successful 2016 campaign.
The former US President pleaded not guilty to all charges issued against him. He was charged with around 34 felonies, and Trump pleaded not guilty to every single one of them.
The Trump hush money case refers to the controversy
The Trump hush money case refers to the controversy surrounding payments made by former President Donald Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, to two women, adult film actress Stormy Daniels, in exchange for their silence about alleged affairs with Trump. Former Playboy model Karen McDougal is another name that allegedly was paid hush money.
The payments, which amounted to $130,000 to Daniels and $150,000 to McDougal, were made in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election. The purpose of the payments was to prevent the women from going public with their allegations, which could have potentially harmed Trump’s chances of winning the election.
The controversy surrounding the payments came to light in early 2018 when news reports revealed that Cohen had made the payments on behalf of Donald Trump. Cohen initially denied that Trump had any knowledge of the payments, but later admitted that Trump had directed him to make the payments.
The payments were seen by many as a violation of campaign finance laws, which prohibit the use of campaign funds for personal expenses. Cohen was later charged with several crimes, including campaign finance violations, and was sentenced to three years in prison.
In December 2018, federal prosecutors in New York announced that they had reached a non-prosecution agreement with American Media Inc., the publisher of the National Enquirer, in connection with the hush money payments. As part of the agreement, American Media admitted to making the $150,000 payment to McDougal to prevent her story from being published.
The Trump hush money case has been a source of controversy and criticism for Trump, who has been accused of attempting to cover up his alleged affairs with Daniels and McDougal. While Trump has denied the allegations, the payments made by Cohen and the subsequent legal proceedings have raised questions about his conduct and ethics as a public figure.
Falsifying company records in New York is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison when done to further or hide another crime, such as breaking election law. Falsifying business records alone is a misdemeanor penalized by no more than one year in jail.
Trump will be the first in the history of former presidents of the United States to face criminal charges. He was twice impeached by the US House of Representatives but was never found guilty in the US Senate. The Secret Service will accompany the country’s 45th president from Trump Tower to the courts, where he could be photographed for a mug shot.
Trump supporters who agree with the Republican former president that the New York grand jury indictment and three additional pending investigations are politically motivated and meant to undermine his bid to win the White House again in 2024 are preparing to demonstrate, according to New York police.
Trump is set to surrender to authorities due to the charges set against him.Â
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