45th President Donald Trump has officially been indicted by the grand jury summoned by the Manhattan District Attorney to examine claims the former president improperly handled money used to pay an adult film actress who he claims extorted him during the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign.
Today the New York Times reported that the Manhattan grand jury “voted to indict” Trump in a move the outlet notes “will shake up the 2024 presidential race and forever mark him as the first former president to face criminal charges.”
The liberal New York newspaper wrote:
The felony indictment, filed under seal by the Manhattan district attorney’s office, will likely be announced in the coming days. By then, prosecutors working for the district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, will have asked Mr. Trump to surrender and to face arraignment on charges that remain unknown for now.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against Trump hinges on a campaign finance law that would prohibit the candidate from paying adult film actress Stormy Daniels using campaign funds. Trump and his team, meanwhile, say the candidate was victim to an extortion plot and that disgraced lawyer Michael Cohen paid the bill.
JUST IN (#TrumpIndictment) via @nytimes's Ben Protess, @Jonesieman, @WRashbaum:
"A Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Donald J. #Trump on Thursday for his role in paying hush money to a porn star,"https://t.co/IRNUIUE2S3
— Devon Heinen (@DevonHeinen) March 30, 2023
Trump issued a statement after the news broke, calling the indictment “Political Persecution and Election INterference at the highest level in history.”
Bragg, Trump wrote, “who was hand-picked and funded by George Soros, is a disgrace. Rather than stopping the unprecedented crime wave taking over New York City, he’s doing Joe Biden’s dirty work.”
“I believe this Witch-Hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden,” added Trump.
JUST IN – Trump statement: "This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history." pic.twitter.com/LQo2yYiemA
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) March 30, 2023
The grand jury was reportedly rocked earlier this month after learning it only received a small subsection of documents, despite Bragg being given more than 300 by a witness who suggested the prosecutor is attempting to offer a one-sided narrative to the jurors.
Reports from earlier today suggested the grand jury would be taking a month long break beginning today, suggesting that any action against Trump would be delayed until April.
Legal scholars have raised questions about the viability of the case, noting that the legal gymnastics required to extend the alleged crime’s statute of limitations, and raising the charge from misdemeanor to a felony despite doing the opposite for most crimes, make Bragg especially vulnerable.
House Republicans, meanwhile, have already begun the fight to expose what they claim is a partisan witch hunt against the former president.
Despite Bragg ignoring their demands in two letter, high ranking House Republicans gave Bragg until this Friday to provide critical details about his case against Trump.
This is a breaking story and may be updated with additional information as it becomes available.
