WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsification of business records, according to news reports Tuesday, charges stemming from the alleged cover-up of a hush money payment made in the days before the 2016 election.
Trump, who was arraigned Tuesday afternoon, became the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges when he was indicted last week by the Manhattan grand jury following an investigation into a $130,000 payment made by his former attorney Michael D. Cohen to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. The money was allegedly paid to prevent Daniels from publicly saying she had an affair with Trump during his campaign for president.
Falsification of business records is normally a misdemeanor under New York law, but the prosecutor elevated it to a felony on the grounds that the conduct was intended to conceal another underlying crime.
