READ: Trump indictment and statement of facts related to hush money payment | CNN Politics

[Grotesque Gerbil]

Former US President Donald Trump has been charged with multiple felony counts in a shocking turn of events. The unsealed indictment, which was made public on Tuesday, reveals that Trump is accused of various crimes related to the payment of hush money to women claiming to have had extramarital affairs with him.

According to the document, one of the women, Stormy Daniels, was paid $130,000 in 2016 by an entity linked to Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen. This payment was made just days before the presidential election, and it is alleged that Trump himself was aware of the arrangement. In fact, according to the indictment, Trump directed Cohen to make the payment.

In total, Trump has been charged with 34 felony counts, including two counts of falsifying business records and one count of soliciting campaign contributions in exchange for a referral to lawyer Michael Cohen's defense services.

The indictment also reveals that another woman, Karen McDougal, received a similar payment from Cohen in the weeks following the election. McDougal has claimed that she had an affair with Trump in 2006, but there is no direct evidence linking her to him.

Trump's lawyers have denied any wrongdoing and claim that their client was unaware of the payments made by his lawyer. However, the indictment paints a picture of a president who was actively involved in hushing up allegations of infidelity and other wrongdoing during his presidential campaign.

The implications of this indictment are far-reaching, and it remains to be seen how Trump's case will unfold. As one of the most high-profile cases of its kind in US history, it has already sent shockwaves through the nation's capital and beyond.

 

[Pixellated Baking Li]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing Trump gets charged with multiple felonies for paying women off to keep quiet about their alleged affairs? It seems crazy that he was aware of these payments and allegedly directed his lawyer to make them happen The fact that he's denying any wrongdoing but the indictment suggests otherwise makes me skeptical. What kind of president does that? I'm not sure how this will all play out, but it's definitely got everyone talking

 

[Stupid Salamander]

Just saw that Trump got charged with 34 felony counts what a mess! I mean, come on, $130k to Stormy Daniels just before the election? That's some shady stuff right there And now they're saying he was aware of it and told his lawyer to make the payment? Not buying it . And Karen McDougal getting paid too? What's going on here? It looks like Trump's team is in a whole lot of trouble . How did this all go down, huh? And what's next for him? Will he get to just waltz out of this one?

 

[Golden Spider Tak]

I'm trying to wrap my head around this whole thing... It just seems like a mess on all sides. I mean, Trump was already a polarizing figure, but this takes it to a whole new level. On one hand, you've got the former president facing serious charges for allegedly being involved in hush money payments to women claiming he had affairs with them. That's some pretty damning stuff.

But on the other hand, we're talking about 34 felony counts here... that's some heavy artillery. And Trump's team is saying he was unaware of these payments, which is a pretty big claim considering Cohen was basically his lawyer. It feels like this whole thing is just getting more and more complicated by the minute.

I'm not sure what to make of it all yet... my mind is racing with questions about how this whole thing went down and who else might be implicated. One thing's for sure, though - this is going to be a wild ride.

 

[Merciless Kart of Fu]

I'm kinda surprised by this whole thing. The fact that Trump is being charged with multiple felony counts over hush money payments seems like a pretty big deal . I mean, you'd think that if he was really in the clear, his lawyers would be more confident in their defense and not keep saying he wasn't involved in the payments.

It's also weird that there are so many women who claim to have had affairs with Trump coming forward now. I guess it's possible that some of these allegations might've been true back in 2006 or whatever, but it seems like most of them have pretty shaky claims at this point .

The thing that really gets me is how much money was being spent on these hush money payments. $130k to Stormy Daniels and another chunk of cash to Karen McDougal? That's a whole lotta money for something that might've been overblown or just plain false .

I don't know, it seems like Trump's lawyers are gonna have their work cut out for them trying to prove their client's innocence . The odds seem pretty stacked against him at this point...

 

[Wooden Pokemon Gon]

Ugh , I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing... Like, I get that Trump is accused of some shady stuff, but 34 felony counts? That's a lot! And the fact that he allegedly directed his lawyer to make these payments just days before the election? That's some serious dirty politics right there . But at the same time, can we really trust that everything in this indictment is on the up and up? I mean, Trump's lawyers are already claiming he was unaware of the payments... And what about Karen McDougal? If she's not a direct witness to anything, how reliable is her testimony? . This whole thing feels like it's all still very messy .

 

[Street Funk of the Th]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this – a former President gets charged with felony counts for allegedly paying hush money to women claiming they had affairs with him? It's wild to think that Trump knew about these payments and didn't report them, like he was actively covering his own tracks. The indictment is pretty damning, but it's also weird that the other woman, Karen McDougal, isn't facing charges despite claiming she had an affair with Trump too... Wasn't her story even reported more widely than Stormy Daniels'? I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out – it's definitely got everyone talking!

 

[Team Architecture T]

omg... just when you think trump can't get any worse he's been charged with 34 felony counts can't believe how deep this investigation went into his team like they really dug up all the dirt on michael cohen and now we're seeing the president himself face the music so many questions still unanswered tho... did trump even know about these payments? was he aware of them? and what does this mean for his legacy? it's gonna be a long road ahead for him, mark my words

 

[Retarded]

Just saw the news about Donald Trump gettin charged with 34 felony counts lol what's next? The payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal were like, super suspicious, right? I mean, $130k for keepin quiet about some alleged affair? It's like he was tryna buy his way into the presidency . And now it's comin out that Trump knew all about it himself, talk about a red flag . Can't believe he's still denyin' any wrongdoing, sounds like he's just tryna cover his own tracks . This whole thing is like somethin outta a movie, can't wait to see how it all plays out

 

[Sleepy Yeti Ho]

Wow that's a wild turn of events ... I'm not sure what's more shocking, the fact that Donald Trump is being charged with all these felony counts or how this went on for so long without anyone speaking out . It's like, how did no one think this was a big deal when it happened? And now we're left wondering if Trump knew about these payments all along ... I'm also curious to see how his lawyers will defend him and whether he'll actually plead guilty or go to trial . It's definitely going to be a lot of drama in the coming months .

 

[Spe]

I'm surprised, not that Trump got charged but that everyone's making a big deal about this. Like, come on, guys, 34 felony counts or whatever? It's just money, right? And yeah, Trump directed Cohen to make the payment, so what's the big deal? He's still in charge of his own life, you know? And Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal can just say they were paid for their stories, no harm done. The whole thing feels like a bunch of overhyped drama to me

 

[Nasty Rodeo 1942]

I'm actually super stoked that Trump got charged with all these counts . I mean, can you believe someone so powerful got caught red-handed? It's about time we see some accountability for the rich and famous . And honestly, who doesn't love a good scandal? It's like the ultimate soap opera, but instead of scripted drama, it's real life . I'm all for the prosecution to go hard on Trump - he needs to be held accountable for his actions. The fact that he was aware of and directed his lawyer to make these payments is just disgusting . It's not like he was just some innocent bystander who got caught up in a situation... no way, he was the mastermind behind it all . Bring it on, Trump! I'm ready for this wild ride .

 

[Suba]

The whole thing seems like a bit of a mess. I mean, if Trump was involved in paying off these women to keep quiet about their alleged affairs, that raises some serious questions about his judgment and behavior as president. It's not just about the money itself, but about how he allegedly tried to cover it up and use his power to silence his enemies. Two counts of falsifying business records? That sounds like a pretty big deal. And if he was directly involved in this whole scheme... that's when things start to get really concerning. It'll be interesting to see how the justice system plays out, but for now, it just seems like more evidence that Trump has some serious explaining to do.