This is the first time that a former president has faced conviction for committing a crime. Donald Trump is due to appear in New York court on Monday for the prosecutor to read his indictment. The billionaire was indicted Thursday in connection with charges of paying a large sum of money to a pornographic actress. But what exactly are we accusing him of?
Possible illegal campaign financing
Donald Trump’s indictment is not officially known yet because it is “still sealed,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said on Twitter. But according to sources New York Times and Yahoo News, the document would include thirty charges. They would all be related to the same case.
The New York court opened an investigation in 2018 into a payment of $130,000 made by Donald Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels. This transaction would have been carried out just before the 2016 presidential elections, so the actress hides an alleged extramarital relationship with Donald Trump. The porn star assures that she had a sexual relationship with the tycoon in 2006, while the latter had been married to Melania since 2005.
Since then, the former president has been forced to admit that he reimbursed Michael Cohen when he was president, but says the transaction was not illegal.
If the agreement made with Stormy Daniels was authorized in law, however, it could be considered by justice as a campaign expense, because it prevented the matter from being made public before the elections. However, the sum had not been declared in the campaign accounts of the Republican candidate, but registered as “legal fees” in the accounts of his company, whose headquarters are in New York.
The main charge could therefore be that of “illegal financing of electoral campaigns” through an undeclared donation, according to the US media.
Donald Trump denies the facts
The former president proclaims his innocence and shouts “witch hunt”, while his supporters denounce “political persecution”.
When he stands before the judge on Tuesday, “the president will plead not guilty” because “there is no crime,” his attorney Joe Tacopina said. So, Donald Trump should be released, possibly under conditions, pending the staging of his trial.
In any case, this matter will not prevent him from running again for the presidency of the United States because the position, and even a criminal conviction, does not prevent him from being a candidate or elected, and this in any position. . Only an “insurrection” or “rebellion” against the United States could prevent him from holding an official role.
A House investigation recommended charging him with “calling an insurrection” in connection with the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, but no charges have been filed against him thus far.
Source: BFM TV
