| Trump charged with 34 felonies |
| Donald Trump was yesterday accused by Manhattan prosecutors of orchestrating a hush-money scheme to pave his path to the presidency and then covering it up from the White House. The former U.S. president pleaded not guilty in the case, which has far-reaching political consequences. He was indicted on 34 felony counts. |
| Trump stands accused of covering up a potential sex scandal involving the porn star Stormy Daniels. Appearing at the Criminal Courts Building in Lower Manhattan, he said fewer than a dozen words — of which “not guilty” were two — in a surreal scene for a man who months ago mounted a third run for the White House. His supporters rallied outside the building. |
| The case is the beginning of the former president’s journey through the criminal justice system. He faces three other criminal investigations related to accusations of undermining an election and mishandling sensitive government records, issues at the core of American democracy and security. |
| While the charges in New York focus on the payoff to Daniels, prosecutors also accused the former president of orchestrating a broader scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election by purchasing damaging stories about him to keep them under wraps. |
| Response: Speaking in a 21-minute televised address last night, Trump cast the case against him as unfair and politically motivated. “This is a persecution, not an investigation,” he said. |
| For more: Read the annotated indictment here. |
