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Trump's criminal indictment: Views on a historic legal reckoning

Former President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in New York. Trump is set to appear in a New York City courtroom on charges related to falsifying business records in a hush money investigation, the first president ever to be charged with a crime. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Seth Wenig/AP
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AP
Former President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his legal team in a Manhattan, NY courtroom on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. Trump was ordered to appear to face charges related to his alleged falsification of business records in a hush-money scheme ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump is the first US president ever to be charged with a crime. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Donald Trump has broken yet another norm, becoming the first US president in American history to be indicted on criminal charges.

He surrendered to authorities yesterday afternoon in lower Manhattan, and when he appeared before Judge Juan Manuel Marchan, he pleaded “not guilty” to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, in connection with a hush-money scheme ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Mr. Trump returned to his Florida home at Mar-a-Lago later on Tuesday. He gave a defiant speech, riddled with false claims, last night.

Politically, Trump’s indictment has been a boon for him. His poll numbers have spiked, and he says he has raised more than $7 million dollars since news of his indictment broke last month.

Today, two perspectives on these unprecedented legal and political developments.

We begin with Luke Broadwater, a congressional correspondent with the New York Times Washington Bureau.

Luke Broadwater joins us on Zoom…

Then, Tom's guest is the highly respected legal scholar and great friend of our show, Kim Wehle. She’s on the faculty of the University of Baltimore School of Law. She’s teaching this year at the American University Washington College of Law. She’s a former Assistant US Attorney, and the host of the YouTube show, Simple Politics with Kim Wehle. And she's the author of three books, the latest of which isHow to Think Like a Lawyer--And Why: A Common-Sense Guide to Everyday Dilemmas.

Kim Wehle join us on Zoom.

Luke Broadwater (left) is a congressional correspondent in the NYTimes Washington Bureau; Kim Wehle (right) is a professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law and host of the Youtube podcast, "Simple Politics with Kim Wehle." (courtesy photos)
Luke Broadwater (left) is a congressional correspondent in the NYTimes Washington Bureau; Kim Wehle (right) is a professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law and host of the Youtube podcast, "Simple Politics with Kim Wehle." (courtesy photos)

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