Former president Donald Trump, pictured right here on the Conservative Political Action Conference in August, was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday.

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Former president Donald Trump, pictured right here on the Conservative Political Action Conference in August, was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Former president Donald Trump has been indicted by a New York grand jury for his position in overlaying hush cash paid to grownup movie actress Stormy Daniels.

District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s workplace stated it has contacted Trump’s lawyer “to coordinate his surrender” for arraignment.

The grand jury’s indictment — and Trump’s expenses — stay beneath seal, and NPR hasn’t been in a position to affirm different media reviews that the DA could arraign Trump on Tuesday.

Here are 5 issues to know in regards to the newest information.

1. The grand jury has been investigating Trump for months

Trump is more likely to be charged with a violation of New York penal code 175.10, falsifying business records within the first diploma, says Kim Wehle, a former U.S. lawyer and now a legislation professor on the University of Baltimore.

“It’s quite serious, even if the charge itself doesn’t reach the heights that some people would expect from a former president,” Wehle instructed NPR’s Adrian Florido on All Things Considered.

Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen negotiated a cope with porn star Stormy Daniels, paying her $130,000 in alternate for holding quiet about an alleged affair with Trump.

Cohen transferred that cash to Daniels lower than two weeks earlier than the election. And then after Trump received, Trump reimbursed Cohen, together with along with his personal private checks. Trump has denied having had an affair with Daniels, though he has admitted reimbursing Cohen for cash paid to her.

The Trump Organization stated that these reimbursement funds had been for authorized charges, which isn’t true. In New York, that is a felony if it was completed to cowl up one other crime — on this case, in all probability the violation of marketing campaign finance legal guidelines, Wehle says.

As a Class E felony, a conviction on falsifying enterprise data may include a jail sentence of as much as 4 years, Wehle stated.

2. Trump was requested to give up — it is unclear if he’ll

Former President Donald Trump’s non-public airplane, often called Trump Force One, seen parked on the tarmac on the Palm Beach International Airport on Tuesday in Florida.

Giorgio Viera/AFP by way of Getty Images

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Giorgio Viera/AFP by way of Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump’s non-public airplane, often called Trump Force One, seen parked on the tarmac on the Palm Beach International Airport on Tuesday in Florida.

Giorgio Viera/AFP by way of Getty Images

A spokesperson for Bragg issued a press release Thursday night saying the workplace had contacted Trump’s lawyer to “coordinate his surrender.”

“Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected,” the spokesperson added.

NPR hasn’t been in a position to independently affirm whether or not Trump continues to be in Florida. Two dependable flight trackers haven’t registered motion on his non-public aircraft for the reason that 757 flew to West Palm Beach 5 days in the past.

But Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, took to Twitter after the information of the DA’s request for Trump to give up to say that his state wouldn’t assist arrest and extradite the previous president, ought to it come to that.

Though DeSantis has but to announce his candidacy, he is extensively thought-about to be a high 2024 Republican presidential contender — and a menace to Trump’s bid for reelection.

Earlier this month, DeSantis told reporters he would not become involved within the spectacle “in any way.”

“I have no interest in getting involved in some type of manufactured circus by some Soros DA,” he stated, in line with an account from POLITICO, making a reference to billionaire donor George Soros’ marketing campaign donations. “He’s trying to do a political spectacle … I’ve got real issues I’ve got to deal with here in the state of Florida.”

3. Trump and the GOP say the indictment is political persecution

The former president dismissed the Manhattan grand jury’s vote to indict him as “political persecution” and “election interference,” in a press release on Thursday.

“The Democrats have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession with trying to ‘Get Trump,’ but now they’ve done the unthinkable — indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference,” the statement from his website reads.

Across the board, Republicans echoed this sentiment, including gas to Trump’s marketing campaign narrative of political martyrdom.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted that Bragg has “irreparably damaged our country in an attempt to interfere in our Presidential election.” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel known as the probe a “blatant abuse of power from a DA focused on political vengeance.”

House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, issued a one-word assertion: “Outrageous.”

Earlier this month, Jordan, together with House Oversight Committee Chair Jim Comer, R-Ky., and House Administration Committee Chair Bryan Steil, R-Wis., despatched Bragg a letter demanding paperwork, communications and testimony associated to his investigation of the previous president.

Bragg’s workplace responded by calling Republican requests for its paperwork and testimony “an unprecedented inquiry into a pending local prosecution.”

4. Democrats and people tied to the probe say it is about accountability

Democrats additionally rallied round a celebration message, however theirs was one of many want for blind justice, greatest summed up by the phrase “no one is above the law.”

“No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence,” stated former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

“A nation of laws must hold the rich and powerful accountable, even when they hold high office. Especially when they do,” stated Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a former impeachment supervisor.

Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and a key witness within the case, additionally stated the indictment reveals that “no one is above the law,” however took the second to name for opinion on the matter to be determined in courtroom.

“Now that the charges have been filed, it is better for the case to let the indictment speak for itself,” Cohen stated. “The two things I wish to say at this time is that accountability matters and I stand by my testimony and the evidence I have provided to [the New York district attorney].”

Clark Brewster, the lawyer for the grownup movie star whose story began all of it, remarked on the indictment on Twitter, saying it “is no cause for joy.”

“The hard work and conscientiousness of the grand jurors must be respected,” he tweeted. “Now let truth and justice prevail.”

Daniels herself responded with two phrases: “Thank you.”

5. This could possibly be only the start of Trump’s authorized woes

In gentle of the velocity and significance of this information cycle, it is price remembering that Trump additionally faces scrutiny in different investigations that would result in expenses of their very own.

A case in Fulton County, Ga., facilities on the stress marketing campaign employed by Trump and his allies within the weeks following the 2020 presidential election.

The Justice Department has interviewed quite a few Trump allies and aides for an investigation into Trump’s position in igniting the Jan. 6 assault.

And a trove of categorized paperwork has sparked the Justice Department to open a second investigation into Trump.

Not a lot is understood about when expenses, if any, would come from these probes.

NPR’s Jonathan Franklin, Becky Sullivan and Dana Farrington contributed reporting.

This story was taken from our live blog. Revisit how the news unfolded.