Republicans rally behind Trump after criminal indictment
Senior Republican politicians and other supporters of Donald Trump have rallied behind the former US president after he was indicted by a Manhattan court in New York City.
According to Press TV, Trump loyalists erupted in outrage after Trump's Indictment on Thursday, describing the judge's probe into numerous fraud charges, and in particular, a hush-money case, as politically motivated.
His supporters gathered outside his Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago property in Florida to show their support for the former president after his indictment. Those at the rally included Jill Cohen, a Florida resident and author, Miami resident Maurice Symonette, and a woman who identified herself as "Maga Mary".
The indictment has been filed under seal and will be announced in the coming days. The charges are not publicly known at this time. However, Trump is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.
The move to indict Trump is of historic significance as no former president has ever been indicted on criminal charges.
The Manhattan grand jury indicted Trump on more than 30 criminal charges related to business fraud, according to Trump's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, as well as other sources familiar with the matter.
One of the cases, in particular, is related to the cover-up of a hush money payment to adult movies actress Stormy Daniels back in 2016.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has been investigating the former president for his alleged role in the hush money payment.
According to Daniels, she and Trump had inappropriate affair and he paid her $130,000 through his former lawyer before the 2016 US presidential election in exchange for her silence about the affair.
Paying money to people for confidentiality is not illegal in the US. However, Trump's payment was made a month before the presidential election, and his opponents argue that the money was paid out of election donations which amounts to a campaign violation.
The former president of the United States has denied both the affair and any violations of campaign laws. However, he also acknowledged paying the $130,000 hush money to his former lawyer.
Following the news of the indictment, Trump released a statement claiming it was “Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history.”
ME
