CLEVELAND — Legal analysis: In a Manhattan court today, former President Donald Trump has been arraigned on and pleaded not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges of falsifying business records tied to hush money payments, one of which was made to former adult film star Stormy Daniels.
In a special edition of Legally Speaking, legal analyst Stephanie Haney talks with 3 former federal prosecutors about this case, and the 3 other criminal investigations the former president currently faces.
Stephanie is joined by former US Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David DeVillers, US Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Subodh Chandra and US Attorney for the Northern District of California Kevin McMunigal to dissect each case, the possible charges the former president faces, and what we can anticipate as they cases move forward.
Watch the Legally Speaking special on the 4 criminal investigations into former President Donald Trump here:
When it comes to the case in New York, Trump's lawyers have vowed to “vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.” Defense attorney Joe Tacopina has described Trump as a victim of extortion who had to pay the money because the allegations were going to be embarrassing to him. But he says it had nothing to do with the campaign.
Trump will no doubt try to fight the case on multiple fronts. He may try to have the case moved out of Manhattan or New York City entirely — arguing he can't get a fair trial there — though it's rare for judges to agree to do that.
Trump may also argue that the statute of limitations has passed. Trump has complained that the statute of limitations “long ago expired” because the hush money payments and Cohen’s reimbursements happened more than six years ago.
New York’s statute of limitations for most felonies is five years. For misdemeanors, it’s just two years. But in New York, the clock can stop on the statute of limitations when a potential defendant is continuously outside the state. Trump visited New York rarely over the four years of his presidency and now lives mostly in Florida and New Jersey.
Watch Stephanie's analysis of the indictment announcement today here:
Catch the highlights from each day’s most-read stories on wkyc.com, Monday through Friday, on 3News Daily with Stephanie Haney.
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Stephanie Haney is licensed to practice law in both Ohio and California.
The information in this article and video is provided for general informational purposes only. None of the information in this article and video is offered, nor should it be construed, as legal advice on any matter.
