Floodgates open as Trump's longtime CFO flips too
Trump’s personal lawyer, a longtime associate at the National Enquirer, and now the chief financial officer at the Trump Organization have all testified before federal prosecutors.
Trump’s longtime chief financial officer (CFO), Allen Weisselberg, was granted immunity to testify before the grand jury and provide information about the scheme between Michael Cohen and Trump to buy the silence of Trump’s mistresses right before the 2016 election.
Weisselberg joins a growing list of Trump confidants to talk to federal prosecutors about federal crimes possibly involving Trump.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Weisselberg arranged for the Trump Organization to reimburse Cohen for the $130,000 payment he made to Stormy Daniels right before the 2016 election to keep her quiet about her affair with Trump.
Weisselberg has worked for the Trump Organization for decades in his capacity as both executive vice president and CFO, according to the Journal.
In a plea deal earlier this week, Cohen, Trump’s longtime personal lawyer, testified under oath that Trump directed him to make these payments in order to influence the 2016 election. Cohen admitted to this crime and several others in the plea deal that implicated Trump in criminal activity.
According to the Journal, it is unclear if Weisselberg was aware that the payments to Cohen were made as reimbursements for Cohen paying off Daniels, but reports that those close to him say he was not aware.
This news comes only one day after it was revealed that David Pecker, the CEO of American Media, the company that publishes the National Enquirer, was also granted immunity to speak to investigators about Trump’s payoffs scheme.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Pecker told investigators about Trump’s “knowledge of the deals” to silence Playboy model Karen McDougal and Daniels, both of whom claim to have had affairs with Trump.
Trump complained to “Fox & Friends” earlier this week about the legality of people cooperating with prosecutors.
“It almost ought to be outlawed,” Trump lamented to Fox host Ainsley Earhardt. “It’s not fair.”
He added that he has “seen it many times.”
“I’ve had many friends involved in this stuff. It’s called flipping, and it almost ought to be illegal.”
Trump said the crimes in which Cohen implicated Trump are “tiny” and “considered not a big deal, frankly.”
At the time, there were only reports of Cohen flipping on him. In the short timespan since that interview aired, the media reported of at least two more close confidants spilling what they know to prosecutors.
It appears that the floodgates are opening, and Trump could be in deep, deep water.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
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