Former US president Donald Trump is facing elevated charges, according to prosecution, due to allegedly falsifying business records in New York.
By law, it is a misdemeanour normally punishable by no more than one year in prison but is elevated to a felony punishable by up to four years when done to advance or conceal another crime, such as election law violations.
Donald Trump was charged on Tuesday, 4th of April with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, during what appears to be a historic case for the United States since he is, now, the first sitting or former US president to face criminal charges, of trying to conceal a violation of election laws during his successful 2016 campaign.
The allegations against Trump involve orchestrating hush-money payments to two women before the 2016 US election to supress publication of their alleged sexual encounters with him.
The two women in the case are identified as adult film actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges, and flew home to Florida following the court proceedings, where he addressed his family, friends and supporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach – during a gathering which looked more like an election campaign rather than an address.
“They are looking at me through the espionage act!”
Trump went up on stage and lashed out at judge and political rivals during this gathering.
“Apparently they are not looking at me through the view of a non-criminal presidential records act,” he said.
“They came up with a new one, this is a new one: and they are looking at me through the espionage act! How does that sound? Of 1917, where the penalty is death,” he added.
Some other comments involved arguments such as that Trump was only criminally charged because he was planning to challenge Joe Biden in the presidential election.
“The United States can’t use “democracy” any more”
Commenting on the case on Twitter, Nayip Bukele, the President of El Salvador, said: “Think what you want about former President Trump and the reasons he’s being indicted.
“But just imagine if this happened in any other country, where a government arrested the main opposition candidate.
“The United States ability to use “democracy” as foreign policy is gone,” he added.
“Everyone stands equal before the law”
Attorney general Alvin Bragg defended the charges in a press conference after the arraignment.
“We today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law. No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring American principle,” Bragg said.
Justice Juan Merchan, the judge assigned to Trump’s case, did not impose a gag order but warned Trump to avoid making comments that were inflammatory or could cause civil unrest.
Trump camp created their own mugshot for fundraising
Prosecutors said Trump made a series of social media posts, including one threatening “death and destruction” if he was charged.
The judge set the next hearing for 4 December. Legal experts said a trial may not even get under way for a year. An indictment or conviction will not legally prevent Trump from running for president.
Another side note was that Trump’s mugshot was not taken, according to two law enforcement officials, though the Trump camp did create their own to put on a T-shirt as part of a fundraising effort.
While Trump was being arraigned, a fundraiser email was sent out to his supporters promoting a T-shirt emblazoned with a fake mugshot.
The T-shirts went on sale in his online store for $47 (£37.86) each.
The email that his campaign team sent out, the contents of which quickly circulated on social media, prompted supporters to “stand with President Trump”.
(Source: The Guardian)
