UPDATE
4:20 PM PT — A spokesperson for the Manhattan D.A.’s Office said they are working with Donald Trump‘s attorney to coordinate his surrender.
UPDATE
3:27 PM PT — Donald Trump’s attorneys, Susan Necheles and Joe Tacopina, tell TMZ … “President Trump has been indicted. He did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in Court.”
UPDATE
3:23 PM PT — Eric Trump addressed the charges, saying “this is third world prosecutorial misconduct. It is the opportunistic targeting of a political opponent in a campaign year.”
Donald Trump has been indicted in NYC over his alleged involvement in the Stormy Daniels hush money case — TMZ has confirmed.
The former President was indicted Thursday by a Manhattan grand jury. He will turn himself in, although we do not know the timetable.
The grand jury heard testimony from a slew of witnesses since January … witnesses that included Trump’s former attorney/fixer, Michael Cohen, who served prison time in connection with the Stormy Daniels case. Trump did not appear before the grand jury.
The precise charges have not been announced by Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg, but are expected within the next few days.
Trump is currently in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump will presumably fly to New York City to turn himself in. He has called for protests and the City is on high alert. He has even said there would be “death and destruction” if he were indicted.
It’s quite a moment … Trump is the first U.S. president or former president to be slapped with criminal charges.
Trump allegedly brokered a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election, when she was trying to go public about an affair she claims she had with him in 2006. Michael Cohen has said he was at the center of the deal and actually cut the check to Stormy … he says he was later reimbursed by the Trump org.
45, of course, has denied all of it … calling both Stormy and Michael liars. He has acknowledged relying on his counsel to resolve an alleged extortion effort, but he’s insisted he did nothing wrong or illegal. And, he’s already announced he’s running for president next year, so it could throw the race for the Republican nomination into chaos.
This isn’t the only criminal investigation he’s dealing with. There’s one underway in Georgia surrounding the 2020 election and Trump’s efforts to overturn the results. And, the feds are looking into Trump’s former handling of classified documents … and based on developments this week, it looks like the special prosecutor has an eye toward filing charges.
Originally Published — 2:43 PM PT