Donald Trump claims statute of limitations has passed in Stormy Daniels case

Donald Trump said early Monday morning that the statute of limitations has already passed for charges he is expecting in the Stormy Daniels case, as his ally prepared to appear before the grand jury.

The former president wrote on Truth Social: ‘They are MANY years beyond the Statute of Limitations which, in this instance, is TWO YEARS. More importantly, THERE WAS NO CRIME!!!’

He posted as lawyer Robert Costello was set to testify to the Manhattan grand jury investigating the hush money payments made to the porn star, which Trump says he will be arrested for on Tuesday.

Costello, a Trump ally, could make the President’s case that he should not be charged and attack the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen.

It could be one of the final testimonies members of the panel hear before a decision on whether Trump is charged will be announced. 

Donald Trump said early Monday morning that the statute of limitations has already passed for charges he is expecting in the Stormy Daniels case, as his ally prepared to appear before the grand jury

The former president wrote on Truth Social: ‘They are MANY years beyond the Statute of Limitations which, in this instance, is TWO YEARS. More importantly, THERE WAS NO CRIME!!!’

The two-year statute of limitations Trump is referring to is for bookkeeping fraud in relation to the Trump Organization reimbursing Cohen for paying Daniels $130,000.

The hush payment, just before the 2016 election, was over the adult film actress’ claim that she had an affair with Trump.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is investigating claims Trump and his business hid the real purpose of the payments, and instead falsely filed them as a legal retainer. 

Trump said on Saturday that he is expecting to be arrested on those charges, which carries a four-year prison sentence, on Tuesday. 

Bookkeeping fraud, only a misdemeanor in New York, has a two-year statute of limitations as a misdemeanor, but five years as a felony.

Under New York law, that can be extended if the defendant spends long periods outside the jurisdiction.

Trump lived at the White House until January 2021 and spends most of the year in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago club.

The New York Times also reported that the statute of limitations was extended by a year during the COVID pandemic.

Manhattan prosecutors could also be considering another charge that Trump violated state election laws with the payments.

The suggestion would be that Trump paid off Daniels to keep quiet about the alleged affair to benefit his election campaign. 

Costello was asked to appear by the Manhattan district attorney’s office after he said he had information raising questions about the credibility of Cohen.

He briefly acted as a legal adviser to Cohen after the FBI raided Cohen’s home and apartment in 2018. 

At the time, Cohen was being investigated for both tax evasion and for payments he helped orchestrate in 2016 to buy the silence of two women who claimed to have had sexual encounters with Trump 

He posted as lawyer Robert Costello was set to testify to the Manhattan grand jury investigating the hush money payments made to the porn star, which Trump says he will be arrested for on Tuesday

Costello (left) was asked to appear by the Manhattan district attorney’s office after he said he had information raising questions about the credibility of Cohen. He is pictured with members of Steve Bannon’s legal team after the former Trump aide was indicted for contempt of Congress