NEW YORK Apr 4 Former US President Donald Trump, who is being charged by a jury in a case of allegedly paying money to a pornographic actress for keeping quiet about their affair, will arrive Tuesday at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York; it is expected that he will be formally charged, and the former American leader will have to admit or not admit guilt.
The uniqueness of the case is that never before in the history of the United States have ex-presidents faced criminal charges.
Trump's lawyer Joe Tacopina has already said that his ward does not admit guilt, and expressed the hope that the appearance in court will go as quickly and smoothly as possible. In this scenario, Trump appears before a judge, declares that he is innocent, the parties determine the schedule for filing petitions, claiming evidence, then the ex-president leaves the court.
CNN, citing sources, reported that the official filing of charges would take place on Tuesday at approximately 2:15 p.m. (21:15 Moscow time). And already at 20.15 Trump plans to make an address from his residence in Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Accusations What specific charges will be brought against Trump will become known when he appears in court. At least one criminal charge will be filed, the Associated Press reported, citing sources. According to the agency, numerous accusations against Trump relate to the falsification of business documents.
Porn actress Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, became the object of public attention in 2018. Then the Wall Street Journal, citing a source, wrote that shortly before Trump's candidacy in the 2016 presidential election, his lawyer Michael Cohen paid the actress $130,000 as part of a non-disclosure agreement about her relationship with the president. Daniels claimed she had an affair with Trump before he became president. The White House denied this information. The ex-president himself denies both the connection with Daniels and any illegal actions on his part.
There is nothing criminal in the very fact of paying for silence, if there was one. But since the payment was allegedly made a month before the presidential election, Trump's critics argue that the transfer of money may be a violation of campaign rules.
The charges against Trump are expected to involve falsification of documents, as the money paid to the actress was then described by the Trump Organization as «legal expenses», according to media reports. Meanwhile, under New York law, falsifying documents can be a criminal offense. In the worst case, Trump could face up to 4 years in prison. Nevertheless, a number of experts consider it unlikely that the ex-president will be sentenced to term. Most likely, in their opinion, he will face a fine.
Procedure Contrary to tradition, Trump will most likely not be handcuffed. So, at least, said Takopin. The ex-president is expected to be photographed and fingerprinted. Some lawyers believe that there will be no need to be photographed, «since everyone already knows Trump.» He will be charged. Although before that, some experts predicted that Trump would allegedly want to put on a show from the procedure, and almost walk in front of journalists in handcuffs.
On Monday, the editorial offices of CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal sent a letter to Judge Juan Manuel Marchan, who is considering the Trump case, requesting that a formal indictment be made public. According to CNN, the media also asked the judge to allow photographers, cameramen and radio journalists to attend the arraignment in order to «ensure that the public can watch this … historic process.»
Electoral Perspectives The indictment should not stop Trump from running for president, as the media noted, as the constitution does not bar people from «becoming president if they are indicted.»
Meanwhile, American entrepreneur Elon Musk said that the detention of Trump will ensure his re-election in the 2024 presidential election.
A relative majority of Americans believe that the allegations against Trump are «politically motivated» in a poll by ABC and Ipsos. Opinion about the political background of the case is shared by 47% of respondents, including 79% of Republicans and 48% of independent voters. The opposite point of view is shared by 32% of respondents, including 64% of Democrats.
Meanwhile, USA Today, citing the organizers of the Trump presidential campaign, reported earlier that the ex-president raised more than four million dollars in 24 hours after it became known about the charges against him. His presidential campaign organizers have sent out emails to supporters asking for donations to stop what Trump himself calls a «witch hunt.»
Security measures NYPD prepared for Trump's arrival. Employees have been transferred to an enhanced mode of service and are in constant readiness.
The police said that there are no threats to the residents of the city at the moment.
The correspondent did not see any massive presence of Trump supporters in the city amid his calls for protests. Small groups of a few people gather daily outside the courthouse. On Monday, there was also a small group of his supporters outside the Trump Tower skyscraper where Trump was staying. The police in several cordons fenced the skyscraper with iron fences. The fence was also put up outside the courthouse, where Trump will arrive on Tuesday.
Earlier, a grand jury in New York voted to indict Trump. According to CNN sources, the Manhattan prosecutor's office accuses the former US president of more than 30 counts of business fraud. Officially, the charges will be announced only when Trump appears in court, but it is assumed that we are talking about the case of porn actress Stormy Daniels.
The ex-president has previously stated that the persecution is purely political and linked to his intention to run for the presidency in 2024. Commenting on the allegations against him by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, Trump said he could not count on a fair trial in New York.