A New York grand jury voted on Thursday to indict Donald Trump on unspecified criminal charges in a case that marks the first time a former president has been charged criminally, according to people familiar with the matter.
Although the charges were not made public, the grand jury had been investigating hush money payments to two women who claimed to have had sex with him. The outline of those payments became public only after he was elected in 2016 and more details were revealed in sworn testimony as Trump served in the White House.
Trump called the charges "political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history."
Trump has threatened that there would be "potential death & destruction" if charges were filed against him in the case. He has said also that he wouldn’t quit the 2024 presidential race if indicted.
Donald Trump's biggest campaign foe?:A string of investigations
Michael Cohen: 'No one is above the law' – including a former president
Michael Cohen, Trump's lawyer and a key witness in the grand jury investigation, says Trump's indictment is only the beginning of a new chapter in the former president's legal saga.
"Now that the charges have been filed, it is better for the case to let the indictment speak for itself," Cohen said in a written statement. "The two things I wish to say at this time is that accountability matters and I stand by my testimony and the evidence I have provided."
Cohen began by noting that Trump is the first president in history to be indicted. "I take no pride in issuing this statement," he said, "and wish to also remind everyone of the presumption of innocence; as provided by the due process clause."
Cohen added that "I do take solace in validating the adage that no one is above the law; not even a former President. Today’s indictment is not the end of this chapter; but rather, just the beginning."
– David Jackson
Other legal jeopardy for Trump
The New York criminal case is the first to charge him criminally, but he faces legal jeopardy in several jurisdictions.
Two of his companies, Trump Corp. and the Trump Payroll Corp., were convicted in December of criminal tax fraud. The companies were fined a combined $1.6 million.
In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is considering a range of potential charges, including election fraud, false statements and racketeering.
A federal special counsel, Jack Smith, is investigating Trump’s role in interfering with the peaceful transfer of power to President Joe Biden and the unauthorized retention of classified documents at his Florida estate.
Presidential historian on the significance of Trump indictment
Matt Dallek, a presidential historian, said the indictment marks an inflection point in American democracy, and will test the system of equal justice under the law as perhaps no other case in recent history.
“The indictment is good news for democracy, but it also reflects the turmoil and the challenges that Trump has posed to our system of governance, so it cuts both ways,” Dallek said. “It's significant because he is the first president or former President to be indicted. But it also raises the fundamental question of can he get a fair trial? And can the trial proceed without significant outbreaks of violence? And that's going to be a test for the rule of law in America and the stability of the two-party political system.”
– Josh Meyer
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