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| Analysis: What the 34 felony charges against Donald Trump reveal | Analysis: What the 34 felony charges against Donald Trump reveal |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| We knew Donald Trump had been charged with a crime - now we know the former US president actually faces 34 counts of falsifying business records. | We knew Donald Trump had been charged with a crime - now we know the former US president actually faces 34 counts of falsifying business records. |
| These are felony charges, which denote serious crimes - ones that could include prison time if a maximum sentence was given. | These are felony charges, which denote serious crimes - ones that could include prison time if a maximum sentence was given. |
| Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty to all counts on the indictment. | Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty to all counts on the indictment. |
| The charges all arise from Mr Trump's alleged reimbursement of "Lawyer A" for a $130,000 payment to "Woman 2", who was shopping a story about an alleged affair she had with Mr Trump in the days before the 2016 presidential election. | The charges all arise from Mr Trump's alleged reimbursement of "Lawyer A" for a $130,000 payment to "Woman 2", who was shopping a story about an alleged affair she had with Mr Trump in the days before the 2016 presidential election. |
| Follow live - latest reaction and analysis | Follow live - latest reaction and analysis |
| Although not identified, the facts would indicate that Lawyer A is former president's lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, while Woman 2 is adult film star Stormy Daniels. | |
| The indictment alleges that Mr Trump falsified cheque records and ledger entries over the course of 11 months in 2017 to make it appear that those payments were for "legal fees" and not reimbursements. | The indictment alleges that Mr Trump falsified cheque records and ledger entries over the course of 11 months in 2017 to make it appear that those payments were for "legal fees" and not reimbursements. |
| It also alleges that the total amount provided to Cohen (Lawyer A) was in excess of the amount he paid Stormy Daniels (Woman 2) in order to compensate for income-tax payments. | It also alleges that the total amount provided to Cohen (Lawyer A) was in excess of the amount he paid Stormy Daniels (Woman 2) in order to compensate for income-tax payments. |
| The charge of business record falsification is typically a lesser crime - a misdemeanour - but in this case the district attorney's office elevated the charges to a more serious felony level because, it said, Mr Trump intended to cover up the felony federal campaign finance crime to which Cohen pleaded guilty in August 2018. | The charge of business record falsification is typically a lesser crime - a misdemeanour - but in this case the district attorney's office elevated the charges to a more serious felony level because, it said, Mr Trump intended to cover up the felony federal campaign finance crime to which Cohen pleaded guilty in August 2018. |
| 'An unlawful scheme' | 'An unlawful scheme' |
| The indictment's Statement of Facts provides further background information about what it called Mr Trump's "unlawful scheme" to prevent damaging information from being revealed about him in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. | The indictment's Statement of Facts provides further background information about what it called Mr Trump's "unlawful scheme" to prevent damaging information from being revealed about him in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. |
| It provided two other instances of payments made on Mr Trump's behalf by the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper. The first was to a doorman who alleged he knew of an illegitimate child Mr Trump fathered, the second to Woman A, who evidence suggests is Playboy model Karen McDougal. | It provided two other instances of payments made on Mr Trump's behalf by the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper. The first was to a doorman who alleged he knew of an illegitimate child Mr Trump fathered, the second to Woman A, who evidence suggests is Playboy model Karen McDougal. |
| "Ultimately," the statement reads, "other participants in the scheme admitted that the payoffs were unlawful." | "Ultimately," the statement reads, "other participants in the scheme admitted that the payoffs were unlawful." |
| Neither of these instances led to criminal charges against Mr Trump, however. The indictment is solely targeted toward the hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels. | Neither of these instances led to criminal charges against Mr Trump, however. The indictment is solely targeted toward the hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels. |
| This story will be updated. | This story will be updated. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Florida | Florida |
| New York City | New York City |
| Indictment of Donald Trump | Indictment of Donald Trump |
| New York | New York |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| US politics | US politics |
| United States | United States |