A Manhattan grand jury voted Thursday to issue an indictment of former President Donald Trump on charges for his alleged involvement in making hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign, according to his legal counsel.
The indictment marks the first time a former U.S. president has been criminally charged, setting the stage for what could be an unprecedented trial as Trump seeks a return to the White House in 2024. The indictment comes days after reports emerged criminal charges may be forthcoming, eliciting pushback from several GOP lawmakers and Trump’s close allies.
MICHAEL COHEN CONFIRMS HE WILL BE REBUTTAL WITNESS IN MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY HUSH MONEY INQUIRY
The felony indictment is filed under seal by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office and will likely be announced in the coming days. Trump was contacted Thursday to coordinate his surrender to the office, a spokesperson for Bragg said.
“This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal. Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected,” the spokesperson added.
Joe Tacopina, an attorney for Trump, said he thinks it’s likely the former president will be arraigned early next week.
BREAKING: Trump reacts to Manhattan indictment:
“This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history…” pic.twitter.com/R5cLCTNXeX
— Christian Datoc (@TocRadio) March 30, 2023
In a statement issued shortly after the grand jury vote, Trump wrote: “This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history.”
Trump, decrying the vote as a “Witch-Hunt” that will “backfire massively on Joe Biden,” added: “Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who was hand-picked and funded by George Soros, is a disgrace. Rather than stopping the unprecedented crime wave taking over New York City, he’s doing Joe Biden’s dirty work, ignoring the murders and burglaries and assaults he should be focused on. This is how Bragg spends his time!”
Trump has consistently denied wrongdoing and has accused Bragg of leading a politically motivated prosecution against him. He has also denied any affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, who had been looking to make her story known during Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Alina Habba, a lawyer for Trump, said: “He will be vindicated.”
“A former president, a current candidate and my friend President Donald J. Trump is a victim of a corrupt and distorted version of the American justice system and history,” Habba said in a statement.
In the coming days, Bragg will likely attempt to negotiate for Trump’s surrender to his office. If Trump complies in accordance with the request, the former president would be photographed and fingerprinted in a New York state courthouse.
Reports of a looming indictment emerged after former Trump attorney Michael Cohen testified before the Manhattan grand jury multiple times earlier this month. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, also met with prosecutors earlier this month.
The case received increased attention after Trump posted on his Truth Social account earlier this month that he expected to be arrested, urging his supporters to protest and “take our nation back.” The call for protests prompted increased security measures outside the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Capitol building, and Trump’s home in Mar-a-Lago.
Cohen was previously convicted in 2018 after pleading guilty to paying two women who accused Trump of sexual affairs to be silent, including Daniels. As part of the scheme, Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 and was later reimbursed by the Trump Organization.
Manhattan prosecutors later opened an investigation into whether Trump falsified business records to list the reimbursement as a legal expense. Such a crime is a misdemeanor in New York but could be increased to a felony if Bragg’s office argues the fraud was intended to conceal a second crime.
At the time of Cohen’s trial, federal prosecutors did not press charges against Trump due to guidance from the Justice Department that a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime. However, prosecutors revived discussions about possible charges shortly before Trump left office in 2021.
Cohen said in a Thursday statement he takes “no pride” in stating for the first time in the nation’s history that “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,” Cohen added.
Meanwhile, Daniels attorney Clark Brewster said in a statement that the grand jury’s vote is “no cause for joy.”
“The hard work and conscientiousness of the grand jurors must be respected. Now let truth and justice prevail. No one is above the law. #teamstormy,” Brewster said.
The threat of an indictment of the former president sparked outrage among several GOP lawmakers, with House Republicans announcing that they would be opening investigations into Bragg regarding the matter.
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It’s not clear when the former president may be taken into custody.
The Washington Examiner contacted a spokesman for Trump.
