Top Line
Former President Donald Trump denied having an affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels and attacked her appearance in a lengthy statement released through his campaign, hours after reports surfaced she was secretly paying him Criminal charges are likely to be filed in connection with the payment. His 2016 presidential campaign.
Former President Donald Trump thumped his fist as he left after speaking at the Conservative , [+]
important facts
Trump said he did “absolutely nothing wrong” and denied having an affair with Daniels, calling the Manhattan District Attorney’s investigation into a $130,000 payment made in exchange for silence about their alleged affair a “political conspiracy”. -Hunt said.
The investigation is an attempt by Democrats to “take down the leading candidate, by far, in the Republican Party,” Trump said, calling it “a weapon of our judicial system.”
Trump also reiterated his previous claim that the statute of limitations has expired in this case – most New York felonies must be tried within five years, however. experts say is the legal principle that allows some cases to proceed beyond the time limit.
The former president also attacked Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg as a “radical left-wing prosecutor who has allowed violent crime in New York to soar to new heights without retribution” (Bragg predicted the height of a pandemic-induced crime wave in 2021 The election was won on heels) during the pandemic hit many major cities across America).
Referring to Daniels’ use of the “horseface” slur, Trump said he had “won hundreds of dollars in lawsuits” against Daniels, an apparent reference to his failed defamation suit against her over a tweet in which she lied When he said that he had to face intimidation. remain silent about her alleged affair with Trump in 2006, a year after he married former First Lady Melania Trump.
The statement did not address reports that he had been called to testify before a Manhattan grand jury that is weighing charges against him and did not indicate whether he would.
main background
reports It emerged Thursday that Trump has been asked to appear before a Manhattan grand jury considering charging him for his role in the payments made to Daniels — a strong indicator that prosecutors are close to an indictment. . Prosecutors are likely to argue that the Trump Organization effectively made an illegal donation to his campaign while reimbursing Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen for the payments. Cohen pleaded guilty to eight felony counts in August 2018 for his role in the Daniels deal, which included a nondisclosure agreement. She went public with the affair in 2018, arguing that Trump never signed the NDA.
what to watch
Trump could also face possible charges in an ongoing investigation by the Justice Department, the New York attorney general and the Fulton County, Georgia district attorney that could jeopardize his third campaign for the presidency. The DOJ is investigating his handling of classified documents after he left office, as well as his false claims of election fraud inciting the January 6 Capitol riots, while the Fulton County, Georgia district attorney's office is probing his role. Is. Losses in the state during the 2020 presidential election. New York Attorney General Letitia James' office has also filed a civil suit against Trump and his children, alleging he inflated the value of their assets to secure the loan.
tangent line
Meanwhile, Trump has ramped up his presidential campaign over the past month as new candidates have joined the race and other heavyweights have ramped up their political activity. He will travel to Iowa on Monday, three days after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (right), considered his top competitor for the 2024 GOP nomination, will tour the state on Friday. Trump made an appeal to farmers in Iowa early Friday in a post on Truth Social, attacking DeSantis, using his favorite nickname for his former mentor: “No other president was as pro farmer as me. Tell Ron De Sanctimonius when he turns up at your door hat in hand. Tell him to go home!
Trump expected to face criminal charges in New York, report says (Forbes)
Trump could face charges over Stormy Daniels payoff as Manhattan DA reportedly summons grand jury (Forbes)
Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen acquit Hatchet, discuss alleged Trump affair (Forbes)
Credit: www.forbes.com /