Bragg defends years-long effort to move Trump case forward, says process was 'thorough and rigorous'

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg following former Donald Trump's arraignment Tuesday repeatedly defended the years-long effort to indict the former president in the Stormy Daniels hush-money case, dismissing questions about it being politically motivate and calling his investigative process "thorough and rigorous."

"We've conducted a thorough and rigorous investigation," Bragg said during a post-arraignment press conference. "I've been doing this for 24 years and I'm no stranger to rigorous complex investigations. ... The case was ready to be brought."

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and conspiracy – related to his role in hush money payments to two women. He was indicted the week before by the Manhattan grand jury. 

Bragg also argued that if Trump was guilty of the 34 counts, it violated New York state election law. 

"New York State election law makes it a crime to conspire to promote a candidacy by unlawful means," he said.

When asked again why he felt that now was the proper time to bring this case forward, Bragg replied: "As I said earlier, I've been doing this for 24 years. I don't bring cases prior to a thorough, rigorous investigation. Now having done so, the case has been brought."