(MENAFN) Former US President Donald Trump has claimed that he will be arrested on Tuesday on charges stemming from an investigation into a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. If he is indeed arrested, he would become the first former president to face criminal charges. The charges against Trump relate to his alleged attempt to cover up his affair with Daniels by reimbursing his lawyer Michael Cohen for the payment he made to her. Prosecutors claim that Trump falsified business records by describing the payment to Cohen as legal fees and that this is a misdemeanour - a criminal offence - under New York law.
There is also a possibility that Trump could be charged with breaking election law because his attempt to hide his payments to Daniels was motivated by his desire to keep voters from knowing about his affair with her. Covering up a crime by falsifying records would be a felony, which is a more serious charge. However, experts note that this is not a clear-cut case, and there is little precedent for such a prosecution. Past attempts to charge politicians with crossing the line between campaign finance and personal spending have ended in failure.
According to Catherine Christian, a former financial prosecutor for the New York City district attorney, prosecuting Trump would be a tough task. Even advocates for prosecution acknowledge that the case is not straightforward. Nevertheless, the fact that a former president could face criminal charges is a significant development, and it highlights the importance of campaign finance laws and the need to hold politicians accountable for their actions. The case also raises questions about the extent of presidential immunity and the role of the legal system in ensuring that no one is above the law. As the case unfolds, it will be closely watched by legal experts and the public alike.
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