AP publishes. The Crabgrass headline is a quote of two item paragraphs quoted sequentially. An October trial? That might mean starting right before election day. Or not being resolved, however ultimately resolved, when people vote.
From the item:
In a statement, the company accused prosecutors of trying to pressure Weisselberg to cast aspersions on Trump, and of stretching to make a criminal case out of familiar executive perks such as a company car.
The company, which was not involved in Weisselberg’s guilty plea Thursday, said it has done nothing wrong, won’t plead guilty and looks forward “to having our day in court.”
Weisselberg, seen as one of Trump’s most loyal business associates, is the only person to face criminal charges so far in the Manhattan district attorney’s long-running investigation of the company. Weisselberg started working for the Trump Organization in 1973, when it was run by Trump’s father, Fred. Following his July 2021 arrest, the company changed his title from CFO to senior adviser. The CFO position remains vacant.
Weisselberg agreed to plead guilty days after a court hearing where Merchan denied his request to dismiss the charges. The judge rejected the defense’s argument that the district attorney’s office was punishing Weisselberg because he wouldn’t offer information that would damage Trump.
The district attorney has also been investigating whether Trump or his company lied to banks or the government about the value of its properties to obtain loans or reduce tax bills.
Then-District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., who started the investigation, directed his deputies last year to present evidence to a grand jury and seek an indictment of Trump, according to former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, who previously led the probe. But after Vance left office in January, his successor, Bragg, allowed the grand jury to disband without charges. Both prosecutors are Democrats. Bragg has said the investigation is continuing.
Prosecutors alleged that the company gave untaxed fringe benefits to senior executives, including Weisselberg, for 15 years. Weisselberg alone was accused of defrauding the federal government, state and city out of more than $900,000 in unpaid taxes and undeserved tax refunds.
Trump, a Republican, has decried the New York investigations as a “political witch hunt” and has said his company’s actions were standard practice in the real estate business and in no way a crime.
Last week, Trump sat for a deposition in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ parallel civil investigation into allegations that Trump’s company misled lenders and tax authorities about asset values. Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination more than 400 times.
James, whose probe uncovered the evidence that led to Weisselberg’s charges, said in a statement: “Let this guilty plea send a loud and clear message: we will crack down on anyone who steals from the public for personal gain because no one is above the law.”
"Above the law" is a loaded term. A jurisdiction can pass so many laws that everyone is guilty of, or liable for, something. The proper saying, "Everybody is subject to the reach of the law." Some speak or write of "the long arm of the law."
Song lines as links:
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal - - -
And perks like a company car? 15 counts. $900,000 taxes owed. Over 15 yrs of filings. The Defense characterization and the numbers are out of sync. Trust the numbers? Trust Trump? Or the sons?
Company actions were standard practice in the real estate industry? It will be interesting to see a battle of the expert witnesses over that contention, should this go to trial.
Trump not [yet] charged? Wait for October? Any guesses?