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Donald Trump charges: 2016 polls, social media posts, false business records
Donald Trump: Donald Trump is the first sitting or former US president to face criminal charges.
As former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records after an investigation into hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels, the indictment included charges related to the 2016 Presidential election. The prosecutor called alleged Donald Trump hush money payments to Stormy Daniels as part of 'conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election.'
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement, "Manhattan is home to the country’s most significant business market. We cannot allow New York businesses to manipulate their records to cover up criminal conduct. As the Statement of Facts describes, the trail of money and lies exposes a pattern that, the People allege, violates one of New York’s basic and fundamental business laws."
Read more: Joe Biden paying ‘little attention’ to Donald Trump's arraignment: White House
Donald Trump also falsified business records stemming from three pre-election hush-money cases, prosecutors said.
"Donald J. Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said.
Donald Trump is the first sitting or former US president to face criminal charges. Donald Trump sat with his hands folded as he entered his plea along with his lawyers, news agency Reuters reported. "Not guilty," the former US President said when asked how he pleaded.
