Donald Trump, the former president and frontrunner for the Republican presidential candidature in 2024, arrived in New York City on Monday for a historic court appearance to face charges resulting from an investigation into hush money payed to a porn star.
With New York tightening security and the mayor warning potential 'rabble-rousers' to be quiet, Trump was scheduled to surrender at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office on Tuesday and will most likely be fingerprinted before appearing before a judge for the commencement of his trial in which he will plead not guilty.
Trump, 76, is the first past or current president of the United States of america to face criminal charges.
Late Monday, Yahoo News reported that Trump would be charged 34 felony counts for falsifying business documents. Yahoo said no charges against Trump were misdemeanours, citing a solitary source briefed on Tuesday's arraignment procedures.
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Trump bolstered his legal team by hiring Todd Blanche, a prominent criminal defence lawyer and former federal prosecutor, according to two sources familiar with the issue.
The Manhattan grand jury that indicted Trump got evidence regarding a $130,000 payment to adult porn star Stormy Daniels in the last days of the presidential campaign for months this year.
Daniels claims she was paid to remain quiet about a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 at a Lake Tahoe hotel. Trump disputes ever having a relationship with her.
Blanche previously represented Trump's 2016 campaign manager, Paul Manafort, when Manafort was charged with New York state fraud after being imprisoned for federal crimes.
The state allegations were ultimately dropped, and Trump granted Manafort a pardon before leaving office. Blanche previously defended Igor Fruman, a friend of former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
