Trump charged with at least one felony in Stormy Daniels case

Former President Donald Trump is facing at least one felony charge of falsifying business records in the indictment handed down by a Manhattan grand jury over an alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, sources told The Post on Friday. 

The charge of falsifying business records in the first degree is a class E felony, the lowest level felony, and it is the top charge in the indictment secured by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office.

If convicted on the felony count, Trump, 76, faces up to four years in jail. He could also receive probation and no jail time. 

The indictment against the former president remains under seal, but reports suggest that Trump will be charged with over 30 counts at his arraignment, which is expected to take place on Tuesday afternoon.

“We now heard 34 counts, and I guarantee you it’s going to be 34 counts when we find out next week,” Trump’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, told Fox News host Sean Hannity during an interview on Thursday.

“They’ll take each check and make that a count, perhaps, and that’s how they’ll do it because the checks are paid to [Michael] Cohen,” he explained. 

The charges against Trump stem from an alleged “hush money” payment made by former Trump fixer Michael Cohen to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. 

Cohen claims the $130,000 payment to Daniels was made to keep her silent in the run-up to the 2016 election about an alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump. 

Trump has vehemently denied having an affair with Daniels or committing a crime. 

On Friday, he accused Bragg of “INDICTING A TOTALLY INNOCENT MAN IN AN ACT OF OBSTRUCTION AND BLATANT ELECTION INTERFERENCE.” 

Judge Juan Merchan, who is expected to preside over Trump’s arraignment, issued an order Friday allowing the Manhattan DA’s office to disclose the existence of the indictment.

The Manhattan courtroom where Trump will be arraigned will be open to the public and there will be an overflow room at the courthouse with closed circuit television airing the proceedings.

There will be no streaming or outside viewing of the arraignment.

Trump is the first former president in US history to be indicted. 

The ex commander-in-chief, who is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has indicated that he will continue his campaign for the White House despite the criminal charges.