MINNEAPOLIS — Former President Donald Trump is now the first current or former president ever charged with a crime.
It was revealed Tuesday that he's being charged with a 34-count felony indictment, accusing him of a scheme to bury allegations of extramarital affairs during his first White House campaign.
Trump personally pleaded not guilty to the charges as he vows to continue his bid for the White House next year. Some experts say that Tuesday's historic action will only help him.
Trump is the Republican frontrunner heading into the 2024 presidential election, and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis associate professor of political science Aaron Dusso says the charges could mobilize support — but only for so long.
"In a lot of ways, this helps Donald Trump," said Dusso. "In a primary context, I’m not sure it’ll help him in a general election."
Next year's primaries and caucuses begin in February, but Trump's lawyers could drag out the proceedings and push out a trial well into campaign season.
"That's a huge difference when it comes to the political calendar," said Dusso. "He doesn't really need to win new people, he just needs to corral people who have supported him in the past. He’s going to remain the center of the universe for the next year."
In New York court, falsifying business records may be a misdemeanor, but the district attorney says prosecutors have evidence that Trump did it intentionally to commit another crime. That bumps the charges to a felony, which, in this case, the district attorney says is violating campaign finance laws.
"Of the legal kind of tornado that has surrounded him since he left office, these are probably some of the weaker aspects of it," said Dusso. "If I was a betting man, I would bet that this would not result with him in jail."
Trump has denied all wrongdoing and his lawyers say they'll fight to get the charges dropped.
His next court appearance is Dec. 4 and the judge says Trump will likely have to be there in person.
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