Manhattan DA Indicts Trump in Hush Money Case

The Indictment

On March 30, 2023, a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Donald Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, making him the first former or sitting president in American history to face criminal charges. The indictment, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, alleged that Trump had orchestrated a scheme to falsify Trump Organization business records to conceal payments made to suppress negative stories during the 2016 presidential campaign, particularly a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

The Charges

Each of the 34 counts corresponded to a specific falsified business record, including invoices, ledger entries, and checks related to the reimbursement of Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen. Cohen had fronted the $130,000 payment to Daniels and was later reimbursed by the Trump Organization, with the payments disguised as legal fees under a retainer agreement that prosecutors said was fictitious. The charges were elevated from misdemeanors to felonies because prosecutors alleged the falsification was committed to conceal or further another crime, specifically a violation of New York election law.

The Arraignment

On April 4, 2023, Trump traveled from Florida to New York and surrendered at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, where he was fingerprinted and processed. In the courtroom, Trump pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges. He appeared stern-faced and did not speak except to enter his plea. The scene was unprecedented: a former President of the United States sitting at a defense table in a criminal courtroom. Afterward, Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago and delivered a defiant speech calling the prosecution “political persecution at the highest level.”

Political Impact

The indictment initially appeared to strengthen Trump’s position within the Republican primary. Republican voters rallied to his side, and his fundraising surged, with his campaign reporting millions in donations in the days following the indictment. Most of his Republican primary rivals either defended him or criticized the prosecution, with only a few, including former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, suggesting the charges should be taken seriously. The case would go to trial in April 2024, ultimately resulting in Trump’s conviction on all 34 counts.