NEW YORK – Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 New York state felony offenses related to what prosecutors say were hush money payments to an adult film star.
In a brief but historic appearance in a Manhattan trial court, Trump, the first former president to face criminal prosecution, learned he was charged with falsifying business records 34 times in 2017.
Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, paid Stormy Daniels, a porn actor who said she had a sexual relationship with Trump, $130,000 in exchange for her silence about the supposed relationship during the 2016 presidential race, according to a 16-page indictment and attached statement of facts that were unsealed Tuesday.
Trump then repaid Cohen in 34 payments over the course of 2017, but described them in Trump Organization records as payments for legal services, meant to cover up the payment to Daniels, prosecutors said.
Trump, a Republican candidate for president in 2024, denies having an affair with Daniels.
“These are crimes in New York no matter who you are,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said following the arraignment. “Everyone stands equal before the law,” he added. “No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring American principle.”
Responding to a question asking why Bragg brought charges after his predecessor and federal prosecutors declined to do so, Bragg said his office had new evidence that wasn’t available to the prior district attorney and that New York state, as the “business capital of the world,” had a particular interest in prosecuting business fraud cases.
Trump has accused Bragg of being motivated by politics.
Just before arriving at the arraignment, Trump posted to his social media site, Truth Social. He wrote, “Seems so SURREAL, Wow, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America.”