Donald Trump

Former President Donald Trump was charged by a New York grand jury with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an indictment unsealed Tuesday.

Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges at a hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court, becoming the first former president to face criminal prosecution. He has denied all wrongdoing and said District Attorney Alvin Bragg is motivated by politics in bringing the case.

The indictment centers on allegations that Trump falsified internal business records at his private company while trying to cover up an effort to illegally influence the 2016 election by arranging payments that silenced claims potentially harmful to his candidacy. It includes 34 counts of fudging records related to checks Trump sent to his personal lawyer Michael Cohen to reimburse him for his role in paying off a porn actor who said she had an extramarital sexual encounter with Trump years earlier.

In the New York case, each count of falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years in prison — though it’s not clear if a judge would impose any prison time if Trump is convicted. The next court date is December 4 and Trump will again be expected to appear.

A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.