Former US President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in Waco, Texas, US, on Saturday, March 25, 2023. A defiant Trump railed against the investigations he faces and predicted hed prevail during a rally in Waco that may be the former presidents last public appearance before he faces potential criminal charges. Photographer: Sergio Flores/Bloomberg via Getty Images
After being officially indicted by a grand jury, former president Donald Trump has responded to charges he was allegedly involved in a hush-money scheme during his 2016 presidential campaign after being hit with a 34-count indictment in the Stormy Daniels case.
Trump called the indictment political persecution and accused Democrats of being crooked.”
“The Democrats have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession with trying to Get Trump, but now theyve done the unthinkable indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference, CNN reports.
According to his attorney, the 76-year-old was reportedly “shocked” by the 34-count indictment, making him the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges.
Trump will be arraigned in Manhattan at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday for an array of business fraud charges related to 2016 hush money payments to the former porn star.
He has maintained his innocence of any wrongdoing and claims he is the victim of a politically-motivated witch hunt led by Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and current President Joe Biden.
I believe this Witch-Hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden, the former president said. The American people realize exactly what the Radical Left Democrats are doing here. Everyone can see it. So our Movement, and our Party united and strong will first defeat Alvin Bragg, and then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we are going to throw every last one of these Crooked Democrats out of office so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Trump was spotted last nightat Mar-a-Lago with his wife Melania, 52, by his side.
On Friday morning, attorney Joe Tacopina said that Trump will not be put in handcuffs when he arrives in New York, and added that the Secret Service will not allow the arraignment to become a “circus.”
Tacopina told Fox News host Sean Hannity that he talked to Trump after the indictment was issued, and went on to claim they both learned about it through the media and not from Braggs office.
Hes ready to fight. You know, hes the toughest guy I know. He was shocked, you know, because we really werent I was shocked, Tacopina said of Trumps reaction to the indictment.
He continued: Ive never been more angry about a charge because today, the rule of law in the United States of America died. Its dead. Its dead.”
As for the 34-count indictment, Tacopina said that the court likely came up with that number based on the number of checks that were paid to Daniels by way of Cohen, a former lawyer who served as an attorney for Trump from 2006 to 2018, according to the outlet.
Theyll take each check and make that a count, perhaps, and thats how theyll do it because the checks are paid to Cohen, he explained.
Tacopina added that Trump’s arraignment scheduled for Tuesday is “not finalized” either,
We are discussing with them, you know, obviously, theres a group called the Secret Service thats involved now. I mean, this is going to be something weve never seen the likes of, Tacopina said.
He went on to say that “we’re gonna win this case… and humiliate them.”
This will backfire. Because were gonna win this case. We will humiliate them, and they will pay the price, Tacopina added.
This is a developing story. Be sure to check back in with The Shade Room for more updates as they come.
