New York prosecutors have offered former US President Donald Trump to testify before a grand jury as part of an investigation into alleged bribes paid to a pornographic actress, a procedure that could lead to a indictment of the former head of state, American media reported Thursday, March 9.
The
New York Times
and the
Washington Post
claim that Donald Trump was asked to testify next week about a $130,000 sum paid just before the 2016 presidential election to the porn actress known as Stormy Daniels , who claims to have had an affair with the former president.
“Political witch hunt”
Both newspapers cite people with knowledge of the proceedings led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat who took office in January.
According to The
New York Times
, a proposal such as this "
almost always means an indictment is near
."
The New York prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to a request from AFP.
If an indictment is filed, Donald Trump could be the first former US president ever charged.
Donald Trump denounced Thursday evening on his Truth Social network a "
political witch hunt aimed at bringing down the candidate in the lead, (and this) by far, of the Republican Party
".
“
I never had an affair with Stormy Daniels, and would never have wanted to have an affair with
” her, he defended himself, without confirming that he had been offered to testify.
The Republican, who has already declared himself a candidate for a new race for the White House, is the subject of several investigations, at the federal and state levels, into several potential wrongdoings that occurred before, during and after his warrant, but for which he has not been charged.
Silence bought
An impeachment could affect his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election. Two weeks before the November 2016 election, Donald Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, paid $130,000 to Stormy Daniels, from his real name Stephanie Clifford, so it is suspected that she does not go public with an intimate relationship she allegedly had with the real estate mogul a few years earlier.
Michael Cohen said he was later reimbursed.
If not properly accounted for, Michael Cohen's reimbursement could result in Donald Trump being indicted for a New York misdemeanor, or even a felony if it was to cover up a second misdemeanor, according to The New York
Times
.
