Manhattan grand jury charges Donald Trump with hush money payments to porn stars during 2016 presidential campaign
UPDATE – Mon 03 Apr 23 12:17am
Manhattan grand jury charges Donald Trump with hush money payments to porn stars during 2016 presidential campaign
Hyderabad: Donald Trump is the first U.S. president, current or former, to face criminal charges, and his indictment is a historic development that reflects the rule of law and the law in a country more polarized than ever. Triumph of democracy. A Manhattan grand jury accused the maverick Republican leader of making hush money payments to porn stars during the 2016 presidential campaign. He faces more than 30 fraud charges, including falsifying payment records relating to an October 2016 payment of $130,000 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about her alleged sexual relationship with him in 2006. The deal, which came weeks before the presidential election, allegedly violated polling finance rules because it was incorrectly recorded under the heading, “For Legal Services.” The extraordinary development, though long anticipated, is set to shake up the 2024 presidential election, with Trump emerging as the front-runner for the Republican nomination. Given his tendency to behave erratically, there are fears that street violence will erupt in the country. The indictment could be just the first in a series of indictments targeting tax fraud and other charges. Trump’s early announcement of his candidacy for the presidency was clearly deliberate and well-timed to politicize an indictment he knew was coming. With the support of die-hard loyalists and the ultra-right-wing media outlets, he has vigorously impugned the legitimacy of a duly elected district attorney and a grand jury.
Four years of Donald Trump’s presidency have been marked by lies, racist slurs, obscene attacks on political opponents and anti-science policies that have marred the political climate. His crushing defeat in the 2020 presidential election even incited mob violence, leading his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 in an unprecedented invasion attempt to conquer democracy. He already faces multiple investigations into allegations he tried to reverse his 2020 Georgia election loss; played an abettor role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol; and retained classified documents even after leaving office. The 2020 election results have shown that Trump is a man who can’t afford to lose, who doesn’t hesitate to spread conspiracy theories and openly call on his supporters to indulge in seditious activities. A month earlier, he called for nationwide protests in anticipation of an unfavorable Manhattan grand jury decision. With Trump prepared to play the victim card, it will be a challenge for US authorities to ensure that the legal process proceeds peacefully. He must face justice, despite concerns about what that might mean on the streets, at the ballot box and beyond. To let him escape would be to abandon the law. Over the next few months, the strength of American democracy will be tested like never before.
