Allen Weisselberg perjury deal could be “big nail in the Trump civil fraud coffin,” says Andrew Weissmann.

Allen Weisselberg perjury deal could be “big nail in the Trump civil fraud coffin,” says Andrew Weissmann

Allen Weisselberg, the former longtime chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, is negotiating a deal with Manhattan prosecutors to plead guilty to perjury, according to The New York Times.

The deal would require Weisselberg to admit that he lied while testifying at Trump’s recent civil fraud trial and in an earlier interview with the New York attorney general’s office, sources told the outlet.

The reported deal comes after a long pressure campaign by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose team sought Weisselberg’s cooperation in several investigations into Trump’s business and alleged election crimes. Trump is scheduled for trial in Manhattan in March in the 2016 hush-money case.

…

“Why has Judge Engoron not issued his decision on the Trump civil fraud? One reason could well be the news that the Trump chief financial officer may be pleading to lying to Judge Engoron in a way to help Trump,” tweeted former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann. “And the Judge is waiting for that to support his decision against DJT. This [would] be another big nail in the Trump civil fraud coffin.”

  • Telorand@reddthat.com
    9·
    10 months ago

    Not only that, but he can’t use money from his political campaign for his legal battles. I think the latest figure from the court monitor put him at having $400mil on hand (with no Trump Org business transactions in 14 months), so with all the potential fines coming, plus anyone he owes money to, he’s very likely insolvent and will have to sell off assets in a hurry or file for bankruptcy.

    …or chance it and dip into his political funds, which surely are not being watched by multiple watchdog groups. /s

    • TimLovesTech (AuDHD)(he/him)@badatbeing.socialEnglish
      9·
      10 months ago

      Yeah, he already got caught paying Stormy and the secret baby momma out of campaign funds pre-2016. And he doesn’t have any of his “people” for that kind of thing anymore because they have all gotten in legal trouble as well. But I also have to imagine after George Santos nobody would be jumping to put a bullseye on their back doing the same thing.

      • grabyourmotherskeys@lemmy.world
        8·
        10 months ago

        “I’m going to get elected and pardon both of us if we’re caught” goes a long way with an idiot that graduated at the bottom of their class at law school and otherwise has no real future that comports with their ego.

      • Telorand@reddthat.com
        2·
        10 months ago

        Oh, definitely. But since he’s already being strung over a barrel for fraud and has a business monitor, I’m sure that gives even him at least the tiniest pause.

    • GBU_28@lemm.eeEnglish
      4·
      10 months ago

      Ups the ante on winning. If he wins, he’ll be untouchable as enough of Congress still remembers the flavor of his balls, and will therefore not impeach him.

    • pelespirit
      1·
      10 months ago

      CAN LEADERSHIP PACS BE USED TO PAY LEGAL FEES?

      The answer is tricky, according to legal experts. Generally, politicians cannot spend campaign money on legal expenses unless they are tied to a campaign, but many of the investigations involving Trump relate to his conduct as president and as a political candidate.

      However, leadership PACs such as Save America also are not allowed to directly support their own candidate’s campaign. Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School and an expert on campaign finance issues who has supported Democratic candidates, said that because Trump is fighting criminal charges during a presidential campaign, it is possible that covering legal fees could be considered a benefit to his campaign.

      https://www.reuters.com/world/us/can-trump-use-political-donations-pay-legal-defense-2023-08-01/

      • Telorand@reddthat.com
        2·
        10 months ago

        Yeah, but he would have to have a defense prepared for why using his existing PACs is legal.

        And even if it was (and I doubt it), paying off $500mil+ likely goes beyond the scope of such an allowance. NAL, but the ones I listen to think it’s not likely to succeed as a strategy.

        • pelespirit
          2·
          10 months ago

          I don’t know why he keeps getting away with everything, it’s kind of nuts that our system is broken by him.