An indictment of Trump, who is seeking the White House again in 2024, is an unprecedented moment in American history, the first criminal case against a former US president.
The decision to indict former President Donald Trump over hush-money payments made on his behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign lay in the hands of a Manhattan grand jury that has been hearing evidence in secret for weeks.
Trump denies any wrongdoing and has slammed the Manhattan district attorney’s office probe as politically motivated. Cohen pleaded guilty to violating federal campaign finance law in connection with the payments. Federal prosecutors say the payments amounted to illegal, unreported assistance to Trump’s campaign. But they declined to file charges against Trump himself.
Prosecutors call and question witnesses, and grand jurors can also ask questions. In New York, the person who could be indicted may ask for a certain witness, though it’s up to grand jurors.New York grand juries have 23 people. At least 16 must be present to hear evidence or deliberate. Twelve have to agree there is enough evidence in order to issue an indictment. The grand jury may also find insufficient evidence of a crime or direct the prosecutor to file lesser charges.
The men have since had a falling out, and Costello has indicated that he has information he believes would undercut the credibility of Cohen and contradict his current incriminating statements about Trump. Trump was also invited to testify, but his lawyer has said the former president had no plans to participate.Trump says charges would actually help him in the 2024 presidential contest. Longtime ally Lindsey Graham, senator from South Carolina, said Saturday that District Attorney Bragg “has done more to help Donald Trump get elected.”
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