Manhattan, N.Y. – Former president Donald Trump is the first president in United States history to be indicted.
Trump was in court Tuesday for an arraignment, where he was met with thirty-four felony charges of falsifying business records in the first degree.
Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The Accusations
These charges stem back to the 2016 election, where Trump is accused of arranging payments to silence claims that could be harmful to his campaign. The 34 counts directly correspond to checks Trump paid to his personal lawyer.
“It’s not just about one payment. It is 34 false statements and business records that were concealing criminal conduct,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told reporters following the arraignment.
In New York, any charge of falsifying business documents is a felony.
According to the prosecution, Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid off porn star Stormy Daniels. Daniels alleged she and the former president had an extramarital affair years earlier. The accusations then state Trump reimbursed Cohen for the payoff.
The checks were recorded over a twelve-month period and were made out to be legal retainers, which prosecutors say did not exist.
Trump’s Response
Trump denies the two alleged sexual encounters and any wrongdoing concerning payments. He returned to Florida immediately following the arraignment, where he addressed the nation.
Trump maintained his innocence stating, “the only crime I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it.”
He mentioned the civil suit currently going through the court system. This one was filed by New York Attorney General, Letitia James. Trump said of that case, “She put our family through hell. It cost hundreds of millions to defend. But our heads are held high.”
Just before the end of his speech, Trump remarked “The criminal is the DA because he illegally leaked massive amounts of grand jury information. For which he should be charged, or at least resign.”
Former President Trump is due back in court on December 4.