NEW YORK (PIX11) — Former President Donald Trump is speaking out after he was arrested and charged in connection to hush-money payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records during his historic arraignment at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse Tuesday. Trump, who is the first former president to face criminal charges, pleaded not guilty.
Trump is accused of orchestrating a “catch and kill” scheme to identify and suppress damaging information about himself before and after the 2016 presidential election.
Trump allegedly conducted the scheme from August 2015 to December 2017 through a series of payments that he then concealed through false business entries, according to court documents and court statements.
“The People of the State of New York allege that Donald J. Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
Trump criticized the indictment after the arraignment, saying prosecutors don’t have a case against him.
“The hearing was shocking to many in that they had no ‘surprises,’ and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Trump departed New York City immediately after his arraignment. He flew back to Palm Beach, Florida, where he is scheduled to deliver remarks at his Mar-a-Lago resort at 8:15 p.m.
PIX11 News will live stream Trump’s remarks on PIX11.com.
