Indicted, Trump denounces 'political persecution'
A New York jury voted Thursday to indict a Republican man in a case alleging he paid a porn actress to silence her.
247 - Donald Trump, the first former US president to face criminal charges, stated on Thursday, September 30th, that he is a victim of political persecution and unprecedented election interference. In a statement, the Republican accused Democrats of lying, cheating, and stealing in their obsession to try to "get Trump," asserting that he is completely innocent.
In addition to the case involving former porn actress Stormy Daniels, Trump is being investigated for election interference in the state of Georgia and is facing two federal inquiries for his role in the attack on the United States Capitol by his supporters on January 6, 2021, who attempted to overturn his 2020 election defeat. There is also an ongoing investigation into the top-secret documents he took from the White House to his official residence after leaving office.
Although the specifics of the indictment in New York, announced this Thursday, have not been disclosed, the case centers on the payment for Stormy Daniels' silence. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg recently presented evidence to a New York grand jury about a $130 payment (approximately R$682 at the current exchange rate) made to the porn actress in the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign, in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair.
The payment itself wouldn't be illegal, but the money was justified as legal fees for one of Trump's lawyers, Michael Cohen, and the attempt to conceal the nature of the payment could be considered criminal. Prosecutors claim it was a falsification of business records and that the indirect payment was also an attempt to hide a relationship with voters. Trump denies the allegations, and his lawyer accuses Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, of extortion.