Trump indictment: Former US President Donald Trump made his first public remarks following his arraignment in the 2016 hush money criminal case. Addressing his supporters in Florida after the court's judgement, the 76-year-old Republican leader, the first former US president to face a criminal charge, said that he never thought anything like this could happen in America.
"Our country is going to hell. We have to save our country. The only crime I have committed to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. It's an insult to our country," Trump expressed incredulity over his indictment, as per The Associated Press (AP).
'There was nothing done illegally': Trump
Speaking further about the matter, the former President claimed that every legal person has said that there is no case and that he has done nothing "illegally". "The hearing was shocking to many in that they had no 'surprises,' and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally!" Trump stated on 'Truth Social'.
Referring among other things, Trump was defiant to his two impeachment trials during his presidency and an ongoing probe into alleged attempts to interfere in that state’s 2020 presidential election. He called the New York indictment the latest in an “onslaught of fraudulent investigations.” “This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately,” Trump remarked.
Trump sneers at prosecutor and the judge
He also lashed out at the prosecutor and the judge presiding over the New York case — despite being warned hours earlier by the judge to refrain from rhetoric that could cause civil unrest.
Defiant Trump also pleaded "not guilty" in the Manhattan court to 34 felony charges his for his alleged role in hush money payments to two women towards the end of his 2016 presidential campaign. “The defendant, Donald J. Trump, falsified New York business records in order to conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election and other violations of election laws,” said Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy.
In the New York case, each count of falsifying business records, a felony, is punishable by up to four years in prison — though it’s not clear if a judge would impose any prison time to the former President. According to media reports, a US judge said Trump's trial could start in January 2024.
What is the case?
The case is related to six-figure payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both have claimed that they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he got into politics. However, Trump has often denied all wrongdoings in connection with the payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Last week, Trump had exuded confidence that he would "win this battle" as well as the 2024 presidential elections. It should be mentioned here that Trump also is being investigated for allegedly attempting to change the 2020 vote results in Georgia, a state he narrowly lost to Democrat Joe Biden, and for his role in the riot at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
(With inputs from agencies)
