The District Attorney’s office in Manhattan announced that a grand jury would proceed with a criminal indictment against former President Donald Trump. Mr. Trump becomes the first current or former president to face indictment and is expected to surrender in New York on Tuesday. The indictment will be unsealed at Trump’s arraignment where he is expected to be charged on more than 30 counts related to alleged payments made to adult film actress star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. This case has polarized Trump supporters and critics with some questioning the gravity of the charges.

Why did prosecutors wait so long to indict?

Instructors: click the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt and a debate question as well as other assessment questions.

Download: CQP_Lecture_Spark_PPT_Trump Faces Indictment in New York

Videos

News Articles

Trump indictment ends decades of perceived invincibility

Associated Press

4/1/23

https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-invincibility-8db57e5eca9b13534dbe9474e634f8a4

Donald Trump has been indicted following an investigation into a hush money payment scheme. Here’s what we know

CNN

4/1/23

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/31/politics/trump-indictment-what-to-know/index.html

GOP fury grows over Trump indictment

The Hill

4/1/23

https://thehill.com/homenews/3928564-republicans-amp-up-trump-defense-after-indictment/

Trump indictment: A simple guide to what it means

BBC

3/31/23

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65136636

Trump indictment ends decades of perceived invincibility

Associated Press

4/1/23

https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-invincibility-8db57e5eca9b13534dbe9474e634f8a4

Donald Trump has been indicted following an investigation into a hush money payment scheme. Here’s what we know

CNN

4/1/23

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/31/politics/trump-indictment-what-to-know/index.html

GOP fury grows over Trump indictment

The Hill

4/1/23

https://thehill.com/homenews/3928564-republicans-amp-up-trump-defense-after-indictment/

Trump indictment: A simple guide to what it means

BBC

3/31/23

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65136636

Assessment

Writing: Explain the difficulty that D.A. Alvin Bragg will have in prosecuting former President Donald Trump. Why do some Trump critics lament that this case is going first?

Debate: Should D.A. Bragg have considered whether charging former President Trump with a crime will bolster his presidential campaign?

Poll: Should presidents be barred from running for reelection if they are under criminal indictment?

Short Answer: What do legal experts predict will be the official charge brought by the New York D.A. against former President Trump?

News Quiz

True/False

Former President Trump would be ineligible to serve as commander in chief if convicted of a crime. (T/F)

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he would refuse to extradite former President Trump if asked. (T/F)

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called Trump’s looming indictment an “unprecedented abuse of power.”(T/F)

Multiple Choice

How much money did adult film actress receive to stay quiet about an affair with former President Trump?

1. $10,000
2. $50,000
3. $130,000
4. $1,300,000

How long do experts believe it will be before former President Trump goes on trial?

1. 6 months
2. one year
3. two years
4. four years

What could former President Trump’s legal team request to ensure a fair trial in heavily Democratic Manhattan?

1. a jury trial
2. a bench trial
3. a mistrial
4. a change of venue to Florida