(Thursday, March 30, 2023) – Former President Donald Trump was indicted today by a Manhattan grand jury, becoming the first ex-president to face a criminal charge.  The indictment centers around alleged hush money payments made during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter.

The former president has vigorously denied any wrongdoing and has called the investigation a witch-hunt.  A spokesperson for the Manhattan district attorney’s office confirmed the indictment and said prosecutors had reached out to Trump’s defense team to arrange a surrender.

In a statement Thursday confirming the charges, Trump’s defense lawyers Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina said Trump “did not commit any crime.  We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.”