Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg justified his unprecedented prosecution of Donald Trump Tuesday as part of his “solemn responsibility” to uphold accountability in the “business capital of the world.”
“We regularly do cases involving false business statements,” Bragg told reporters shortly after the former president, 76, was arraigned on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made ahead of the 2016 election.
“The bedrock of the basis for business integrity and a well-functioning business marketplace is accurate record-keeping.”
Bragg was flanked by a sign that said the Manhattan DA’s Office has filed 168 counts of felony falsified business records between 2019-2021 — and that since he took over as the borough’s top prosecutor in early 2021, he’s filed 117 of the felony counts.
The indictment brought by Bragg — the first ever against a president or former president — is built on an alleged “catch and kill” scheme Trump is accused of orchestrating through shady payments and bogus business entries filed by the Trump Organization.
“This case is about … 34 false statements made to cover up other crimes,” Bragg said.
“[Trump] repeatedly made false statements on New York State business records. He also caused others to make false statements.”
He added, “We today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law … No amount of money, and no amount of power can change that enduring American principle.”
Trump, the then-presidential candidate, disguised payments to his personal attorney Michael Cohen as “legal services” — when Cohen was really sending hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal to kill unfavorable stories they were about to leak to the National Enquirer, according to the newly unsealed indictment.
Daniels and McDougal have each claimed they had sex with Trump, allegations he has vehemently denied.
Cohen and Trump made the payments by setting up “shell companies,” Bragg said, and continued to make false statements.
“[Trump] could not say [the payments] were simply reimbursement for Mr. Cohen’s payments to Stormy Daniels – that would have been to admit a crime,” Bragg outlined.
“So instead, Mr. Trump said he was paying Mr. Cohen for fictitious legal services … to cover up actual crime committed the prior year.”
Citing a “thorough and rigorous investigation,” Bragg also said that Trump and Cohen conspired to “mischaracterize the payments to Mr. Cohen as income to the New York State tax authorities.”
“[That is] felony criminal conduct in New York State,” he stated.
“True and accurate business records are important … all the more important in Manhattan, the financial center of the world.”
When pressed by reporters, Bragg elaborated that the charges were based on “34 false statements and business records that were concealing criminal conduct” and violations of New York State law that “makes it a crime to promote a [political] candidacy through unlawful means.”
“Those unlawful means include … additional false statements [including] planned false statements to taxing authorities,” Bragg concluded.
Bragg’s press conference took place while Trump, 76, was already en route to Mar-A-Lago.. He is expected to address his supporters from the West Palm Beach manse at 8 p.m.
The typically bombastic former commander in chief was noticeably stone-faced in court on Tuesday and did not make any public statements before or after the hour-long arraignment.
Speaking outside the Manhattan Supreme Court building afterward, Trump’s legal team blasted the indictment as “disappointing.”
“The indictment itself is boilerplate. It’s really disappointing. It’s sad and we’ll fight it,” Todd Blanche insisted.
“[The indictment] has no facts in it,” Joe Tacopina seconded.
The ex-prez is set to return to court on Dec. 4.