Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has accused Donald Trump of orchestrating a scheme with others to suppress negative information and influence the 2016 presidential election.
On Tuesday, the former pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records at Manhattan Criminal Court and ’caused others to make false statements’ to hide hush money paid during his 2016 presidential campaign.
The case involves a hush money payment paid to two women that allegedly had affairs with Donald Trump. One of those women is Stephanie Clifford, better known by her stage name, Stormy Daniels.
The former adult film star was paid $130,000 to keep quiet about the romantic relationship she had with Trump after they met in 2006.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen’s testified in front of the grand jury that voted to indict the former president that he made the payments to cover up an affair his boss had with Daniels.
‘Under New York state law, it is a felony to falsify business records with intent to defraud or intent to conceal another crime,’ Bragg said.
‘Thirty-four false statements made to cover up other crimes. These are felony crimes in New York state, no matter who you are.
’The charges against Trump relate to hush money payments the former president allegedly made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
He reportedly paid the actress for her silence through his attorney, Michael Cohen, and reimbursed him for ‘legal services.’
‘The defendant repeatedly made false statements on New York business records. He also caused others to make false statements,’ Bragg said.
‘The defendant claimed he was paying Michael Cohen for legal services in 2017. This simply was not true.’
Bragg said the payments also violated New York and federal election laws, and accused the former president of running ‘a scheme to buy and suppress negative information to help Mr Trump’s chances in the election.
’Bragg said Trump and Cohen did this by running a ‘catch and kill’ scheme, in which various shell companies bought and suppressed negative stories about Trump before they were widely reported.
‘New York state election law makes it a crime to conspire or promote a candidacy by unlawful means,’ Bragg said.
‘True and accurate business records are important everywhere, to be sure. But they are all the more important in Manhattan – the financial center of the world.’
Bragg also said his office was very familiar with prosecuting charges of falsifying business records, calling it the ‘bread and butter of our white collar work.’
According to Bragg, the charge has been used to prosecute cases where defendants violated bank secrecy laws, covered up sex crimes, and committed tax fraud.
‘Fraud presents itself in all different forms in Manhattan,’ Bragg said.
‘At its core, this case today is one with allegations like so many of our white collar cases. Allegations that someone lied again and again to protect their interests and evade the laws to which we are all held accountable.’
