Donald Trump Arrested, Pleads Not Guilty to 34 Felony Counts
Donald Trump surrendered himself to the Manhattan DA’s office for arraignment on Tuesday, where he was charged with 34 felony counts stemming from hush money payments made to women with whom he allegedly had sexual encounters.
Trump pleaded not guilty.
Trump’s arrest — which happened around 1:14 pm Eastern time, and involved no mugshot nor handcuffs — came five days after a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict the former U.S. president.
Under the New York State penal code, conviction for the Class E felony of falsifying business records — which is suspected to be among the charges Trump faces — can result in a prison term of up to four years, though that is unlikely for a first-time offender, per Yahoo News. (Such a charge can be elevated from a misdemeanor to a felony when the falsification of the business record was done to conceal another crime.)
Trump’s indictment and arrest are both historic, as no other U.S. president, sitting or former, has ever been charged with a crime. Trump, who served as the country’s 45th President from 2017-2021, has been pursuing a second White House bid since November.
As part of a years-long probe by the Manhattan DA, a grand jury heard from witnesses including former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who testified that in 2016 he had facilitated payments to two women, to silence them about sexual encounters they claimed to have had with a married Trump a decade earlier.
Cohen testified that, as directed by Trump, he arranged payments — totaling $280,000, and classified internally as “legal expenses” — to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal, to buy their silence while Trump made what would be his first successful White House run. Cohen says he was reimbursed for Daniels’ “hush money” via personal checks from Trump.
As for McDougal, The National Enquirer, acting in cooperation with Cohen and other members of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, had bought the rights to her story for $150,000, as a means to keep it from ever seeing the light of day.
Trump all along has denied that the sexual encounters occurred. He has contended that the investigation is a “witch hunt” led by Manhattan DA Alvin L. Bragg, a Democrat who is now the first prosecutor to indict a former U.S. president.
Besides the hush money inquiry, Trump faces criminal investigations in both Atlanta and Washington over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Additionally, special counsel for the Justice Department has been presenting evidence before a grand jury regarding Trump’s possession of hundreds of classified documents at his Florida estate, which were seized in August 2022; it is not clear if that investigation will result in criminal charges.
Lock him up.
Yep.
Hyped for him to end up in jail
I hope this opens the door for the more serious charges of mounting an insurrection and attempting to steal an election.
The legal process is slow. These have been in the works for a while. They won’t be the last.
It is time to pay for the lies, misdirections, and downright sins against the American People.
No handcuffs or mugshot? Boo! Lock him up!
NY has a mugshot ban as of 2020. Law enforcement does not have to release them unless they have sufficient reason to do so. But according to his lawyer: Trump is one of the most famous guys, with the most recognizable faces in the world–so it’s not necessary.
{Insert eye roll}
In all fairness, we only want the mug shot because it would be super funny, and we could flood the internet with 1000s of memes. There is no real justification for one under New York law. So let’s take the high road here guys.
More t-shirt sales…
I would have preferred Trump to have fought the indictment and stayed in Florida as long as possible.
To volunteeringly go to NYC when summoned, appear before the judge, fingerprinted and DNA sampled while claiming innocence without putting up even the hint of a fight is admitting defeat.
He has gotten away with being a criminal his whole life and never being held accountable for anything. Karma is catching up with him and now his two choices are:
1- banking on an acquittal of all charges, thus exonerating him, OR
2- thinking of his re-election chances if he refuses to show up for felony charges and confirming he is a criminal.
I suspect this will go nowhere just like his two impeachments.
A jury of 12 is quite different than 50 GOP senators who are scared “sh*t” of him. And a NY jury of everyday people indicted him. That says a lot especially since none of those spineless senators will be on any jury!
HIS TIME HAS COME! He still has the NYS DA, DC insurrection, Georgia election tampering, DOJ documents, and his rape case….for now!
A jury of 12 is quite different than 50 GOP senators who are truly scared of him. And a NY jury of everyday people indicted him. That says a lot especially since none of those spineless senators will be on any jury!
HIS TIME HAS COME! He still has the NYS DA, DC insurrection, Georgia election tampering, DOJ documents, and his rape case….for now!
I hope you’re right but I don’t have much faith in justice when it comes to the rich & powerful. We’ll see what happens.
Have to agree, unfortunately.
After seeing what the indictments are, the case is weak. Predictions abound that this will be dismissed and yet again this dude will get away with a crime. Here is to hoping the other cases in the works have stronger legs to stand on.
I’m not holding my breath that these charges stick to the teflon Don. Don’t want to get my hopes up.
There are far more serious crimes than this one that he’s being investigated for, that I am waiting on, but for today, there is nothing more than a private citizen has been indicted. Albeit, a private citizen who used to be a president.
Albeit, a private citizen with his own secret service detail. In the unlikely but definitely possible event he goes to prison for this and/or other charges, it will be interesting to see how the prison system will accomodate his legally mandated secret service guards.
It’s definitely a first for our country. I could also hazard a guess to say the man will never see time spent in a jail. I would be fine with a disqualification from public office under the 14th Amendment.
I’ve read that if convicted, he loses secret service protection.
No handcuffs or mugshot? Thats a shame..
Tonight he’ll be raving about the ratings he is getting on national TV.
Sorry I don’t think anything will happen. In fact it’s gonna increase his chances of winning the next election. After all, it is 2023. If it was 1980s it was 1970 it would be a different story
The only people celebrating this are people who never were going to vote for him anyway. This doesn’t hurt his chances and yes I agree it helps his chances.
All experts agree that it will help his chances of winning the Republican primary because it will energize his base, but it will not help his chances in a general election because he is too controversial and divisive to attract the independent/moderate voting base he would need to win. It’s practically a given that he will be the Republican nominee, but far less certain he has any path to the presidency again.
Yep. And let’s never forget that he wasn’t elected in 2016–he lost the popular vote by three million–but appointed by the outdated, racist Electoral College, which should have been abolished after the Civil War.
Exactly! He never won the popular vote. It’s too bad that elections aren’t run as they are in Australia. They have the right model,
I don’t really give a rats ass either way, ALL politicians are scum but it’s another waste of taxpayers money, and a complete waste of time.
He will not serve a second in prison but then again it is NY where corruption is the rule of law.
The rule of law still means something, otherwise you would have anarchy.
Felonies! Not misdemeanors, felonies! It has been a long time coming.
“First time offender” ??? It seems he is a 34 time offender with that many charges!
Finally the Roosters come home to rest. Goodbye Donald.
Sorry to ruin your day but he is a free man still. An indictment isn’t the same thing as a conviction.
He should receive 34 life sentences. Each additional life sentence for any and all other crimes.
Wow I would not want you on a jury. He supposedly did 34 crime punishable by up to a year each. If they find hin guilty on every change he fac at max 34 years. And you saying 34 life sentence. Wow if someone’s dose a crime and you get called to jury. Day one of trail posacutor “mr. Bob faces 2-4 years in jail”. You: Bob could get 4 years in jail. 400 years!! I damand it”. “He stole a coat. He can never see day again” . Dailey conner take your meds and calm down.
Education is your friend, Rick. Books are to be read not banned.
The idea is life without any chance of parole and or pardon.
The above, is just sarcasm.
@Rick – I don’t know where you got your numbers from but each crime is punishable by up to 4 yrs each not just one yr, which gives him max 136 yrs in jail if he’s found guilty on ALL counts in the indictment. (Read DEADLINE article).
And DANIEL isn’t the one who needs to calm down and take meds.
at his age anything more than a couple of years is probably going to be a life sentence.
First thing first sorry Daniel Conner. He could face an life sentence. It just not likely. Each is punishable byv4 years a count. He could face 136 yeast max. And I all first middle ground so I wouldn’t be mad if he gets 68 years. But realistic that not possible. Realistic bace on pass CEO facing 110 years and getting 7 and 1/2 years. I would put it more likely 4 and a half years. But even the people chasing he should be in jail say the case is weak. So I say there an 53% he get 4.5 years, and 47% the case get drop. I give him slack because you have to keep in mind he did used to be persistent and in the USA. That carrys some weight.
Huh? Have you ever read your comments dude. Spell check is a good thing. I kind of get the gist of what you are saying, but your comments give me a headache just trying to figure out what you are saying
Why do I feel like he’ll get away with this just like everything else?
The justice system isn’t prepared to deal with cult leaders and or their followers. 🤔
WTH does this have to do with TV??? You guys aren’t CNN.
Well it was on TV, so there’s that.
Thank you Stacy! This is TV Line. We don’t come here for politics.
And he is a former major network TV star. So there’s that also…
Were you complaining when they posted about trump being elected? Hmmm why do I think not Ben? I’ve seen TVline cover many national news events.
If he gets charged with trying to overturn a rigged election, then they probably should make room for some 75 million other people, because he was right about the elections being rigged, they never counted my vote , and hush money bleach bit/35 thousand deleted e-mails humm, purgery vs extra circular activities, see ya later Hillary.
Prove he was right about the election. Please go on national TV and present actual proof… not just opinion based “proof” I am willing to listen with an absolute open mind if you have proof.
Lol what makes you think your vote wasn’t counted?
@ED G: BWAHAHAHAHA!!!! What world do you live in??? Proven time and again trump’s BiG LIE is just that. The courts threw out his 60 cases, senators were too scared to disagree with him, Giuliani and even the Pillow Guy had NO proof whatsoever to present to the courts, and even Fox News admitted they knew trump was lying but broadcast it anyway so as not to lose viewership! Grow Up man!!!
“no other U.S. president, sitting or former, has ever been charged with a crime”
That’s because no other U.S. President was a life-long criminal and a Russian agent.
Why was he so beloved by Hollywood before running for president if he was a life long criminal?
What Hollywood was that? Hollywood, Florida? Because nobody in show biz loves him except a few wackos like James Woods and Kevin Sorbo. Stop making stuff up.
I agree with this is a witch 🧹 hunt
At least he always has an intelligent answer to all the important questions, 🤥🤥🤥🗑️
He did nothing. The democrats don’t want him elected again. It’s a witch hunt.
This is a lifelong, career criminal who is an absolute national disgrace. I now have my eyes (and hopes) pinned on Atlanta and also Special Counsel Jack Smith. Please – lock Donny up and throw away the key!
So what about all the other politicians & business people who have broken laws who are democrats?? Are we ever going to go after them? Probably not which is extremely frustrating!!!
I guess you forgot about Anthony Weiner, who actually went to prison for texting a few dick pics. Or Karen Peterson for wire fraud. Or Ozzie Myers for election fraud. Or Thomas Porteus for bribery. Or Chaka Fattah for racketeering. Or Corinne Brown for tax fraud. Or Jesse Jackson Jr. for for mail fraud. Or Laura Richardson for jury tampering. And those are just in the last 15 years.
But please, do continue to fill these pages with your intellectual observations.
i would love to see a comparison (in real numbers) of republican vs democrat politicians that went to jail during that same 15 yr timeframe so people like Julia and other trump believers can see who the REAL culprits are, always have been, and always will be, political republican grifters just like trump. Because if you compare just WH administrations, the repubs always outnumber the dems in criminal activity!!!
Oh, you’re 100% right. I was just responding specifically to the idiotic statement that woman pulled out of her keister.
Everything is a, “witch hunt hunt,” until you find something new to chant.🤔