Philadelphians on both sides react to Trump pleading not guilty
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Former President Donald Trump indictment has been unsealed, and he denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in New York City.
Trump faced a judge in a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday afternoon. In an unsealed 16-page indictment, he's charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
"We today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. "No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring American principle."
Philadelphia police tell CBS News Philadelphia they have been monitoring this situation closely and say there are no indications of any protests in Philly.
But many people from both sides are reacting to Trump pleading not guilty Tuesday.
Trump walked into the courthouse as the first former president in U.S. history to be charged with a crime. The historic arraignment set off a strong reaction from voters in the Delaware Valley.
"He has gotten away with way too much for way too long and I think this sets a precedent that he will not get away with this," Jennifer Baskerville said.
"Our nation is going downhill it really is," Nelson Serrano said. "Especially when it comes to the rule of law."
Court records state "The defendant Donald J. Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election."
The investigation related to payments made to three people, including adult film star Stormy Daniels.
The Manhattan DA says Trump, along with others, agreed to a lengthy scheme to buy and suppress negative information.
"Today's unsealing of this indictment shows that the rule of law died in this county," Defense attorney Joe Tacopina said.
"It has been a witch hunt for him the last few years of his presidency and it kind of appears that the only hope of him not running is to get arrested so he doesn't have a shot at running again," Sidney Kazazi said.
CBS News Philadelphia reached out to the Republican party in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey but haven't heard back.
But on their Twitter page, the New Jersey GOP released a statement going after Manhattan's DA saying:
"In a lot of ways, I think his base sees this as an attack on them and here's the hated establishment trying to bring him down, and by extension, trying to bring them down," Brian Rosenwald said.
Rosenwald is a historian and political scientist at the University of Pennsylvania.
He believes the 34 charges against Trump will fire up his base and could actually help him clinch the nomination in his re-election bid. But the repercussions depend on the facts of the case.
"I don't think it helps him in a general election, but in the primary, I think it's a huge boost to him," Rosenwald said.
"This decision to prosecute after this case has been turned down by previous local and federal prosecutors does raise for Trump's supporters the question of this being a political prosecution," Political scientist John Kincaid said.
When questioned why now, the Manhattan DA says there was no political motive behind the timing of the indictment and he has more evidence this time around.
"Having conducted a rigorous investigation the case was ready to be brought and it was brought," Bragg said.
"In the meantime, there will be motions filed and Trump's defense team will try to convince the judge to throw out charges," Kincaid said.
Trump's campaign has raised some $8 million since he was indicted.
Trump was not required to take a mug shot after he surrendered and was arrested. After the arraignment, he took his private jet back to Florida.
