A grand jury in Manhattan has voted to indict former President Donald Trump over hush money payments he made during his 2016 presidential campaign to two women who were threatening to go public about his encounters with them. The indictment has not officially been made public yet, but its full details will likely be announced by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg in the coming days. Preparations will also be made for Trump to surrender himself to authorities in New York for arraignment, during which he will be photographed and fingerprinted like a common criminal. Trump’s indictment is historic as it makes him the first former president to ever face criminal charges, and also sets up a fascinating scenario in which prosecutors must now coordinate with the Secret Service to have a supremely important person under their protection give himself up. Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has attacked the investigation, is expected to surrender to authorities next week. It will also be interesting to see how Trump’s prosecution will affect his popularity among Republicans as he campaigns to become president again in 2024. Michael Cohen, a former attorney for Donald Trump, released a statement after a grand jury voted to indict Trump Thursday: “For the first time in our Country’s history, a President (current or former) of the United States has been indicted. I take no pride in issuing this statement and wish to also remind everyone of the presumption of innocence; as provided by the due process clause. However, I do take solace in validating the adage that no one is above the law; not even a former President. Today’s indictment is not the end of this chapter; but rather, just the beginning. Now that the charges have been filed, it is better for the case to let the indictment speak for itself. The two things I wish to say at this time is that accountability matters and I stand by my testimony and the evidence I have provided to DANY (District Attorney of New York).” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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