Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg stepped in front of the microphone following former President Donald Trump’s arraignment hearing, saying his office’s historic case seeks to “ensure that everyone stands equal before the law.”

Bragg said that more evidence has come forward since he became the borough’s district attorney, prompting the charges against the former president.

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records. Bragg says that these charges are felonies that are meant to conceal other crimes.  

Bragg stated in his news conference that New York state election law makes it a crime to falsify business records to help a candidate by unlawful means. Federal election law, which contains contribution limits, points out that the high-wire $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels violated the federal limit.  

“At its core, this case is one with allegations like so many of our white-collar cases. Allegations that someone lied again and again to protect their interests,” said Bragg. “We uphold our responsibility that everyone is equal before the law. No amount of money or power is above that.” 

Bragg says that this was what he calls a “catch and kill” scheme, and that records were concealed withholding what he refers to as criminal info on Trump both before and after the 2016 election. 

Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing in the ongoing case.