Q&A on Grand Jury Investigation of Trump in New York
A grand jury in New York voted to indict former President Donald Trump, although the indictment remains under seal for now, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced on March 30.
“This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal,” the statement said. “Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected.”
While the specific charges for now are unknown, people familiar with the investigation have told various news outlets that the investigation is related to allegations that Trump used corporate funds during the 2016 presidential campaign to pay porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged sexual encounter and failed to report the payment as a campaign donation.
Here we answer some questions about the events leading up to the criminal indictment – the first ever filed against a U.S. president.
Who made the payment to Daniels?
In August 2018, Trump’s then personal attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to two campaign finance law violations and admitted in open court that he paid $130,000 to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, to silence her during the 2016 presidential election “at the direction of” Trump. Cohen said he incorporated Essential Consultants LLC in Delaware to make the payment.
When was the payment made?
On CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Michael Avenatti, then Daniels’ attorney, held up a receipt from a bank in San Francisco showing that on Oct. 27, 2016, Essential Consultants made a $130,000 payment to Daniels’ attorney at the time. The presidential election was less than two weeks later on Nov. 8.
Why was the payment made?
According to who prosecuted Cohen, the $130,000 paid to Daniels was one of two payments totaling $280,000 Cohen “made to silence two women who otherwise planned to
