$130,000 Paid to Silence Sexual Scandal
4-Year Prison Sentence Expected...Probation Possible
No Issues for Presidential Election Candidacy
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been indicted for the first time among current and former U.S. presidents on charges related to a 'sexual misconduct' hush money case. If found guilty, it is expected that he could receive a suspended sentence. However, it is anticipated that this will not affect his presidential campaign.
On the 30th (local time), according to The New York Times (NYT), a grand jury in Manhattan, New York, decided to indict former President Donald Trump on allegations that he paid an adult film actress to suppress claims of sexual misconduct. Since the Manhattan grand jury consists of 23 members, it appears that at least 12 voted in favor of the indictment.
Former President Trump is accused of paying $130,000 to former porn actress Stormy Daniels to silence her before the 2016 presidential election, as she was about to reveal claims of having had sexual relations with him. According to the NYT, Trump reportedly learned rumors that Stormy Daniels was contacting the media to disclose the story and, through his then-personal lawyer Michael Cohen, paid $130,000 on the condition of her silence.
During the payment process, Trump allegedly reimbursed Cohen $130,000 through his family business, the Trump Organization, and is also accused of falsifying corporate documents by recording the payment as legal consulting fees. Cohen testified before Congress in 2019 that he was aware that the false entries could lead to legal issues later.
Trump's camp claims that this investigation is a political persecution aimed at preventing his presidential run. After learning of the indictment, he stated in a press release, "The Manhattan grand jury vote represents the highest level of political persecution and election interference in history," adding, "The Democrats have lied and deceived with an obsession to catch Trump, but now they have done the unimaginable by indicting completely innocent people."
If convicted, former President Trump could face a four-year prison sentence. However, it is expected that a suspended sentence rather than imprisonment will be handed down. Even if he is ultimately found guilty, it is unlikely to restrict his ability to run for president. Derek Muller, a professor at Iowa Law School, told The Wall Street Journal, "The U.S. Constitution does not require presidential candidates to have a clean record," and "States are prohibited from imposing their own restrictions on presidential candidates."
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) forecasted, "Numerous polls already show Trump losing support, and this case may increase the likelihood that undecided voters and some voters will support other candidates." On the other hand, Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey and a close ally of Trump, said, "The expectation that this indictment will produce a better, stronger candidate is absurd."
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