Trump pleads not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records – reportsDonald Trump has officially entered a plea of not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree in connection a hush-money scheme during the 2016 election, according to multiple reports.
The former president may speak to reporters after leaving the courtroom, and the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, plans to soon hold a press conference. Stay tuned.
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New York law classifies falsifying business records in the first degree as a class E felony, which is the lowest level of felony charges in the state.
Now that Trump has been arraigned, the indictment approved by a New York grand jury last week can be publicly unsealed, offering more details on the exact charges the former president is facing. Stay tuned.
As we await more details on the 34 counts that Donald Trump is reportedly facing, Joe Biden is meeting with his Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Reporters tried to ask Biden for his thoughts on Trump’s arraignment, but the president once again declined to comment on his predecessor’s legal challenges, per CBS News.
When asked by reporters if he thinks AI is dangerous, @POTUS said “It remains to be seen.”
When I asked if the Trump indictment is politically divisive, Biden smiled and laughed.
He did not answer questions about @WSJ reporter #EvanGershkovich.
— Ed O’Keefe (@edokeefe) April 4, 2023 Trump pleads not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records – reportsDonald Trump has officially entered a plea of not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree in connection a hush-money scheme during the 2016 election, according to multiple reports.
The former president may speak to reporters after leaving the courtroom, and the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, plans to soon hold a press conference. Stay tuned.
Some of the first photographs of Donald Trump sitting in the Manhattan courtroom are now being released. The former president is seen sitting at the defense table with his legal team.
Former President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court. Photograph: Seth Wenig/APThe judge presiding over the case, New York supreme court Justice Juan Merchan, issued a ruling late last night that only a handful of still photographers would be allowed to take pictures inside the room. No electronic devices are allowed.
Trump in courtroom to be arraignedDonald Trump was seen entering the courtroom where he will now be arraigned for charges linked to a hush-money scheme during the 2016 election.
The former president offered no comment to reporters as he entered the courtroom. He is expected to plead not guilty to all charges.
Donald Trump makes his way into the courtroom. Photograph: Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images’Donald Trump will have a fair trial,’ Schumer saysMoments before Donald Trump’s arraignment is expected to begin, the Democratic Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, expressed confidence that the former president will receive a fair trial.
“I believe that Donald Trump will have a fair trial that follows the facts and the law,” Schumer said.
I believe that Donald Trump will have a fair trial that follows the facts and the law. There’s no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process. As the trial proceeds, protest is an American right, but all protests must be peaceful.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 4, 2023He added: “There’s no place in our justice system for any outside influence or intimidation in the legal process. As the trial proceeds, protest is an American right, but all protests must be peaceful.”
Trump is currently under arrest at the Manhattan criminal court, where he is expected to soon plead not guilty to all the charges he faces. Schumer is one of two Democratic senators who represent the state of New York.
One of Donald Trump’s former White House aides also described the experience of watching him surrender to New York authorities as “surreal”.
Alyssa Farah Griffin, Trump’s former White House director of strategic communications who has severely criticized the former president over his role in the deadly January 6 insurrection, said Trump is now “the most alone [he] has been in a long time”.
“He’s not flanked by aides, lawyers, body men & so on,” Griffin said on Twitter. “He’s face to face with the American legal system that has caught up with him.”
Surreal to watch. This is the most alone Trump has been in a long time. He’s not flanked by aides, lawyers, body men & so on. He’s face to face with the American legal system that has caught up with him.
— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) April 4, 2023Moments before starting his trip to the Manhattan criminal court, Donald Trump shared a rather obvious message with his followers on the social media platform Truth Social.
“Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL – WOW, they are going to ARREST ME,” Trump said. “Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”
Trump has already used his Truth Social account to repeatedly attack Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office oversaw the hush-money investigation.
The former president will likely double down on those attacks tonight, when he delivers remarks at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida at 8.15pm ET.
Donald Trump waved to the assembled crowd as he arrived at the Manhattan courthouse where he has been arrested and will soon be arraigned.
Hundreds of journalists, security personnel and protesters have gathered outside the Manhattan criminal court to witness the unprecedented spectacle of a former US president surrendering himself to authorities.
Trump under arrest in New York – what we know so farDonald Trump is now under arrest at the Manhattan courthouse where he will soon be arraigned for charges linked to a hush-money scheme during the 2016 election.
Here’s what we know so far:
Trump’s arraignment is scheduled for 2.15pm ET at the Manhattan criminal court. At the arraignment, Trump is expected to plead not guilty to all charges linked to hush-money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with the former president. After the arraignment, Trump will likely be allowed to return home to Florida.
New York authorities will process Trump’s arrest, and they are expected to fingerprint the former president. But it remains unclear whether Trump’s mug shot will be taken, and it appears he will not be put in handcuffs.
Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks at his Mar-a-Lago resort at 8.15pm ET. The former president has already aggressively dismissed any suggestion of wrongdoing on his part, and he will likely only intensify his attacks on prosecutors after being arraigned.
No electronic devices will be allowed in the courtroom. The judge overseeing the case, New York supreme court Justice Juan Merchan, issued a ruling late last night that only a handful of still photographers would be allowed to take pictures inside the room.
Reporters lined up outside the courthouse overnight in the hopes of getting a seat in the arraignment room. Several dozen reporters are expected to be allowed inside the room to witness the unprecedented event of a former US president formally responding to criminal charges.
A trial may still be months away. Once Trump enters his initial plea, Merchan will likely set a schedule for pre-trial hearings, but it may take several months for the actual trial to begin.
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Trump arrives at Manhattan courthouse for arraignmentDonald Trump has arrived at the Manhattan courthouse where he will soon be arraigned on charges linked to a hush-money scheme during the 2016 election.
Before the arraignment begins at 2.15pm ET, Trump will be formally arrested and processed by New York authorities. He is expected to be fingerprinted, but it is unclear whether he will have his mug shot taken.
At the arraignment, Trump is expected to plead not guilty to all charges, and the judge presiding over the case, New York supreme court Justice Juan Merchan, will then likely allow the former president to return home to Florida.
The blog will have more details coming up, so stay tuned.