Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg justified the prosecution of Donald Trump by pointing out that it is part of his “solemn responsibility” to defend the Republican’s accountability after leading the historic prosecution.
“We regularly file cases involving false business statements,” Bragg said in statements to the press after the former president was indicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to money payments during the 2016 presidential campaign.
“The cornerstone of the foundation for business integrity and a well-functioning business marketplace is the maintenance of true and accurate records,” Bragg said.
The accusation presented by Bragg, which has historical connotations as it is the first time it has been brought against a president or former president, is based on an alleged “catch and kill” scheme that Trump would have orchestrated with “shady” payments and false commercial entries. Presented by the Trump Organization.
“In essence, this case today, along with allegations like many of our white collar cases, are allegations that someone lied over and over again to protect their interests and evade laws to which we are all responsible,” Bragg added. “As this office has done time and time again, today we stand up for our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone is equal before the law.”
Likewise, the district attorney reminded that no amount of money or power can change the American principle that before the law everyone is equal.
Trump is accused of disguising payments to his personal lawyer Michael Cohen as “legal services” in 2017, when in fact he was sending money to porn actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal in order to silence them, allegedly going to leak that information to the National Enquirer.
“[Trump] I couldn’t say that [los pagos] they were simply a refund for Mr. Cohen’s payments to Stormy Daniels; that would have been admitting a crime,” Bragg said. “So instead, Mr. Trump said that he was paying Mr. Cohen for fictitious legal services…to cover up actual crimes committed the previous year.”
The prosecutor cited a “thorough and rigorous investigation” to assert that both Trump and Cohen conspired to “mischaracterize the payments to Mr. Cohen as revenue to the New York State tax authorities.”
“True and accurate business records are important … even more important in Manhattan, the financial center of the world,” said Bragg, who said these facts amount to criminal conduct in the state of New York.
Bragg’s press conference came as former President Trump was heading to his Mar-a-Lago mansion, where he is expected to deliver remarks at 8 p.m.
With information from the New York Post