April 05, 2023 at 20:20 PM
Former U.S. President Trump appeared in court in New York on the 4th in the “hush money” case.
[China News Agency]Former US President Trump appeared in court in New York on the 4th in the “hush money” case. Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, New York prosecutors said after arraignment.
In the afternoon, Trump set off from Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, and arrived at the Manhattan Criminal Court under the escort of a convoy and tight security. After getting off the car, he waved to the assembled media and people, and then walked into the court building. After registering the information according to the procedure, he was taken to court.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a news conference after Trump’s court appearance that Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records because a grand jury found 34 documents against Trump in 2016. False statements were made on business records to conceal negative information and illegal activities from voters before and after the US presidential election in 2009. This involved paying $130,000 in “hush money” to “porn star” Daniels and falsifying business records.
Photos in the courtroom showed Trump sitting expressionless at the defense table with his hands in his lap and his lawyer sitting beside him. According to the Associated Press, Judge Juan Merchant warned Trump in court not to make inflammatory remarks. Trump made only a brief speech in court, saying he was “not guilty.”
Outside the Manhattan Criminal Court, a reporter from China News Agency noticed that more metal fences were set up around the building than in previous days, many nearby roads were blocked, and a large number of police officers were on guard at the scene. In the park opposite the courthouse and on both sides of the road around the courthouse, hundreds of Trump supporters and opponents kept gathering. Some Trump supporters from Florida were choked, which once sparked a conflict, but the conflict was stopped under the mediation of the police.
Dion Sini, a Trump supporter waving a flag, told reporters that Trump was unfairly prosecuted in New York, where the Democratic majority is fraught with political bias. Jennifer Fisher, a Trump opponent holding a placard, told reporters that if Trump is guilty, he should be held accountable, otherwise it will bring danger to democracy.
After the court appearance, Trump left the courthouse and returned to Florida by private jet. Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida that night, Trump said the felony charges against him were false, politically motivated and “an insult to the country.” He believes that the purpose of filing this “false case” lawsuit against him is to disrupt the 2024 US presidential election. He also accused Biden of bringing the United States to the brink of nuclear war.
According to US media, although polls show that most Americans support the lawsuit against Trump, the data show that Trump’s popularity has risen due to the turmoil, and donations from supporters to his campaign team have recently increased significantly. As of now, the details of the “hush money” case have not been made public. The next trial in this case that must be attended by Trump is scheduled for December this year.
Trump, 76, announced in November that he is running for president again. In addition to the “hush money” case, he also faces multiple criminal investigations for the Mar-a-Lago document case and the riots on Capitol Hill.
