It's good to "see" you Stucki; I've genuinely been concerned about your general welfare.

I don't see why he's making such a big deal out of this episode.

He who? Trump?

Nobody goes to jail for paying for sex,

Jeffrey Epstein (associate of Trump)

nor for paying for silence,

Michael Cohen (associate of Trump)

nor for cheating on income tax.

Paul Manafort (associate of Trump)

He ain't got a ghost of a chance of being declared 'not guilty', so why not just pay the fine and be thru with it??

Probably because he lives in Florida and wants to vote in November. Heh. Actually, it's because he is a textbook narcissist who believes he can always "beat the system," no matter how many times he loses in a court of law and despite all evidence to the contrary. :)

If "business fraud" (tax evasion) and "hiding damaging info" are against the law, why isn't nearly every gawdam politician in the country in jail??

And if the record of you whole phuquing life is one giant "blotch", what would one more 'blotch-let' count for??

He ain't got a ghost of a chance of being declared 'not guilty', so why not just pay the fine and be thru with it??

https://newrepublic.com/article/180726/trump-election-interference-prosecution-doj-bill-barr

Hosanna! Hosanna oh Queen of Snark!

And I, too, enjoy your research.

The remainder: Thank you for doing that research. Very cool.

Falsifying business records in the second degree

A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the second degree when, with intent to defraud, he:

1. Makes or causes a false entry in the business records of an enterprise; or

2. Alters, erases, obliterates, deletes, removes or destroys a true entry in the business records of an enterprise; or

3. Omits to make a true entry in the business records of an enterprise in violation of a duty to do so which he knows to be imposed upon him by law or by the nature of his position; or

4. Prevents the making of a true entry or causes the omission thereof in the business records of an enterprise. Falsifying business records in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.

New York Penal Law Section 175.05
_______________

Falsifying business records in the first degree

A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree when he commits the crime of falsifying business records in the second degree, and when his intent to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof. Falsifying business records in the first degree is a class E felony.

New York Penal Law Section 175.10

*or*

Federal Election Campaign Act 52 USC Section 30101 et seq.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/52/30101

(a) As used in this article, "tax fraud act" means willfully engaging in an act or acts or willfully causing another to engage in an act or acts pursuant to which a person:

...

(3) knowingly supplies or submits materially false or fraudulent information in connection with any return, audit, investigation, or proceeding or fails to supply information within the time required by or under the provisions of this chapter or any regulation promulgated under this chapter;

New York Tax Law Section 1801(a)(3)
_______________

Criminal tax fraud in the fifth degree

A person commits criminal tax fraud in the fifth degree when he or she commits a tax fraud act. Criminal tax fraud in the fifth degree is a class A misdemeanor.

New York Tax Law Section 1802

continued...

17-152. Conspiracy to promote or prevent election. Any two or more persons who conspire to promote or prevent the election of any person to a public office by unlawful means and which conspiracy is acted upon by one or more of the parties thereto, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

New York Election Law, Section 17-152

continued...

Depends. I think the odds are absolute zero he'll be able to control himself so it would behoove his attorneys to ensure he's wearing his diaper.