On Thursday the grand jury weighing in on the probe regarding Donald Trump’s role in the hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign, decided that the former president needed to be indicted on criminal charges.
This is the first time that a former U.S. president has faced criminal charges. In the past couple of years, Trump has had to face a number of legal probes, however, this is the first time that charges were filed against him. The charges in the indictment are not yet clear.
It is expected that Trump will be arraigned on Tuesday, according to one source close to the matter. Once the former president has been brought into court the charges against him will be read aloud. So far, the indictment remains under seal, and it is the result of a years-long investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) on Trump’s role in the $130,000 hush money payment his former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
Trump’s company had reimbursed Cohen for the payment, and had labeled the service as a “legal expense” without disclosing the payment in a “campaign expense report.”
In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty, was fined, and served time in prison for his role in the campaign finance violations surrounding this case, and for tax fraud. He has repeatedly claimed that he made the payment at the direction of Trump, who then reimbursed him through monthly payments which included a bonus.
