A grand jury in a New York court has voted to indict Donald Trump, US media reported Thursday, March 30.
The former tenant of the White House, who dreams of winning it back in 2024, should be officially charged in the coming days by Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg, dependent on New York justice, for the payment, during the presidential campaign of 2016, of 130,000 (approximately 119,000 euros) to the actress of pornographic films Stormy Daniels, in order to silence the allegations of an extramarital sexual relationship in 2006, report in particular the New York Times et CNNciting sources familiar with the matter.
Joe Tacopina, one of Donald Trump’s lawyers, said he was made aware of the indictment, making his client the first former US president to be criminally charged. Donald Trump quickly denounced a “political persecution”.
“They did the unthinkable, they charged a completely innocent person, in a blatant act of election interference”he said in a very long press release. “I am certain that this witch hunt will turn violently against Joe Biden”, he assured. Eric Trump, one of his sons, referred to, on Twitterand ” opportunistic act targeting a political opponent in the middle of an election campaign”.
“No one is above the law”said, for his part, Clark Brewster, the lawyer for Stormy Daniels. “Donald Trump’s indictment is no cause for celebration”, he assured on Twitter. “Now let truth and justice prevail”he added.
Donald Trump denies “any crime”
Donald Trump had pulled off a political coup on March 18 by claiming, without any evidence, on his Truth Social network that he would be ” stopped “ and would appear in a New York court three days later to be charged. Nothing had happened immediately, and the country waited ten days for this possible indictment.
Since March 20, a grand jury – a panel of citizens with investigative powers that works alongside prosecutors and votes on indictments – has met only twice and no further calls were scheduled. For his part, Donald Trump, who denies “any offence” and any connection with Stormy Daniels, had estimated Sunday and Monday that the investigation was ” death “a ” scam “ and an “election interference” orchestrated by “thugs” before the 2024 presidential election.
For years, justice has sought to determine whether the 76-year-old former Republican president was guilty of misrepresentation, a minor offense, or breach of campaign finance laws, a criminal offense, by having paid money to porn actress Stormy Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, just before her November 2016 presidential victory.
Michael Cohen, the key man
Accused by Mr. Trump of being a « animal » and one “racist”, and by Republicans to be motivated by a “political motivation”Prosecutor Bragg, an elected African-American Democrat, is in principle supposed to comply with the vote of indictment of the grand jury, the proceedings of which are confidential, according to the criminal procedure of the State of New York.
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In the coming days, once formally charged, the 45e President of the United States should in principle ” surrender “ to the Manhattan court to be served by a judge with his indictment, to be briefly placed ” under arrest “, photographed and his fingerprints taken. He will then have to plead guilty or not guilty.
The key man in the case is called Michael Cohen: a former lawyer and now an enemy of Mr. Trump, he had paid Stormy Daniels. He testified before the grand jury, and the actress also cooperated with the law.
