The central allegation of the public prosecutor’s office is that Trump wanted to influence the 2016 election with the hush money payments. The next court hearing is in December. Trump’s lawyers see “little facts”.
Donald Trump has become the first former President in US history to be arrested and charged. The indictment, released Tuesday in a New York court, alleges that the Republican falsified business records in 34 counts. The 76-year-old pleaded not guilty. The charges are related to a hush money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election.
The court hearing lasted about an hour. Around 3:30 p.m. local time (9:30 p.m. CEST), Trump left the courthouse, got into a black car and drove away. He did not answer questions from the press. Trump was driven to LaGuardia Airport where he boarded his private plane. Trump was expected to address supporters in the evening (local time) upon his return to his Florida home.
The main hearing could coincide with the start of the election campaign
Judge Juan Merchan set the next court date for December 4th, the main hearing could begin as early as January and thus coincide with the start of the US presidential primaries. Trump wants to try a comeback as US President in the 2024 election. Merchan said he wanted to deal with the case “as soon as possible”. He called on both parties to exercise restraint. They should contain statements “that could cause violence or unrest”.
“/> This is how the court artist saw the scene in court in Manhattan. REUTERS
According to media reports, the indictment brought out heavy artillery against Trump. Current social media posts by the ex-president were presented to the court, which are intended to show that Trump wanted to intimidate his opponents. The central allegation of the public prosecutor’s office is that Trump wanted to influence the 2016 election with the hush money payments. The voters should be withheld from the payments to Stormy Daniels and two other people namely negative information about the candidate. “We cannot allow New York City corporations to tamper with their records to cover up criminal behavior,” said prosecutor Alvin Bragg.
Trump is “frustrated” but also “motivated”
Trump’s lawyers rejected the allegations. “It’s sad and we’re going to fight it,” one of his attorneys, Todd Blanche, said after the indictment. The indictment “doesn’t contain any facts,” Blanche said. Trump was “frustrated”, “angry” but also “motivated”, he described his client’s state of mind. A trial and a potential conviction in the New York case could at best affect Trump’s plans for a renewed presidential candidacy from a political point of view. In purely legal terms, on the other hand, Trump could theoretically also stand as a convicted criminal in the 2024 election, as legal experts emphasize.
The court date took place without live television coverage at the request of the defense. Only a few photographers were able to take photos at the beginning of the appointment, but had to leave the room after just a few minutes. According to media reports, a police photo was taken of Trump, and his fingerprints were taken as is usual with the accused. On the way to the courthouse, Trump described his upcoming arrest as “SURREAL”. “WOW they are going to ARREST me I can’t believe this is happening in America,” he wrote on his online platform Truth Social. Police photos were to be taken of Trump and his fingerprints taken while he was in custody.
Hush money – What was billed and how?
The hush money payment to Stormy Daniels itself is not a criminal offense under US law. Rather, the process revolves around the question of whether the money was incorrectly accounted for and thus violated the law. According to the indictment, Bragg accuses Trump of committing “felonies” – crimes – which is defined in US law as a possible prison sentence of one year or more. Overall, the threat of punishment against Trump in the 34 counts adds up to 136 years, but this is only a theoretical possibility. There is a maximum penalty of four years for forgery.
The courthouse was secured with a large contingent of police officers. Dozens of supporters had gathered in the immediate vicinity hours earlier. They assessed the charges as purely politically motivated. They waved Trump flags and held up signs that said something like “witch hunt”. At the same time, Trump opponents also gathered in front of the court and shouted: “Lock him up.” Both sides were separated by police cordons.
Trump’s successor Joe Biden left the court date commented on calmly. The charges against Trump are “not something he focuses on,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said at Tuesday’s daily news briefing when asked if Biden was following Trump’s events in New York. If Biden has time, he will certainly get at least some of the news, since it is reported on many channels, said Jean-Pierre. However, Biden is concentrating on the American people and does not want to comment on an ongoing process.
Orbán supports Trump
Trump spoke up early in the morning in an email. “Today (Tuesday) is the day a ruling political party ARRESTS its leading opponent for committing NO CRIME.” Shortly after 1:00 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. CEST) he left his residence in Trump Tower and boarded a car that took him to the courthouse on the southern part of Manhattan Island. He got there around 1:30 p.m. The 76-year-old traveled to New York from his private property Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Monday evening to attend the appointment. He spent Tuesday night in Trump Tower.
Trump also received support from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. “Keep fighting, Mr. President! We are with you,” Orbán wrote on Twitter, posting a photo together. Commenting on Orbán’s post on Tuesday, US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman quoted Orbán’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó earlier: “We show our respect by not interfering in other countries’ domestic politics, by not expressing our opinion on them or by don’t try to influence the opinions of others.”
(Ag.)