This is just a rumor, but Neal Katyal stated on MSNBC that he has heard Allen Weisselberg is changing lawyers. If true, this may be a significant development on the Trump indictment watch. In fact, Katyal stated that it appears Weisselberg fired his Trump lawyers.
Now, you may be wondering, “What a minute! Trump is paying for Weisselberg’s lawyer?” And this is not getting much play in the media, but the answer is “Yes!”
While Mr Trump sounded off on social media, pinning the fraud scheme on Weisselberg, he continued to offer him his support in arguably more meaningful ways. Jurors heard how the Trump Organization was still paying Weisselberg his same salary under the title senior adviser, covering his legal fees, and recently celebrated his birthday in the office.
"In a normal organisation, a corrupt CFO would be terminated and thrown out the door," says Professor Maurice Schweitzer from the Wharton School of Business. "And you would want to separate and preserve the integrity of the institution. In this case, it's the exact opposite."
Emphasis is mine.
Trump is still paying Weisselberg a salary AND for his lawyer. And I wish that the media would focus on that because it explains why Weisselberg did not flip on Trump, even though Trump blamed him for the fraud at the Trump Organization. Who knows what other money Trump promised to provide Weisselberg for doing 5 months at Ryker’s?
So IF — and I emphasize IF — Weisselberg is firing his Trump supplied lawyer, something has definitely changed. There was talk that Bragg’s office was going to threaten Weisselberg with more charges and jail time. The original charges against Weisselberg were going to be as high as 15 years if convicted, but Weisselberg pled guilty for only 5 months. Maybe Bragg has more crimes to charge Weisselberg with?
Allen Weisselberg, the longtime Trump Organization chief financial officer who is currently serving a five-month prison sentence on tax fraud charges, could end up facing new criminal charges from Manhattan prosecutors who have renewed efforts to examine whether former president Donald Trump should face an indictment of his own…
According to the New York Times, Weisselberg could find himself in legal jeopardy once more at the hands of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has revived a long-moribund investigation into payments Mr Trump’s eponymous company financed to adult film star Stormy Daniels…
Citing “people with knowledge of the matter,” the Times reported that Mr Bragg’s team is “using the prospect of additional charge” to “exert leverage” over the disgraced Trump Organization executive.
The charges being contemplated by the prosecutors include insurance fraud, which if successful would subject Weisselberg to a far longer prison sentence than the five months he agreed to as part of his plea agreement.
And I tried to see if anyone else had a report on this rumor, but so far, nada.