WSJ Drops Trump Financial Chief Immunity Bombshell In Mueller’s Cohen Case

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Despite Donald Trump’s complaints during an interview with Fox News that aired Thursday morning regarding his belief that flipping in exchange for shorter prison sentences “should almost be illegal,” it seems his former attorney and “fixer” Michael Cohen is not the only one willing to turn on Trump.

Now that the Trump Organization is also under investigation for their reimbursement of Cohen’s hush money to Trump’s former mistresses, which were issued at the direction of Trump himself, the organization’s financial chief, Allen Weisselberg, is now also willing to work with prosecutors in the Mueller investigation against his former boss.

The Wall Street Journal reports that:

‘Allen Weisselberg, President Trump’s longtime financial gatekeeper, was granted immunity by federal prosecutors for providing information about Michael Cohen in the criminal investigation into hush-money payments for two women during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to people familiar with the matter.’

Being granted immunity by prosecutors means several things: the person being granted immunity can give evidence or testimony in an investigation while avoiding culpability for his or her own possibly criminal actions, and a judge has determined that the person has enough proof of wrongdoing provided by the person granted immunity to be a credible witness in the investigation or court trial of the person they’re willing to testify against.

‘The decision by prosecutors in the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office to grant immunity to Mr. Weisselberg escalates the pressure on Mr. Trump, whom Mr. Weisselberg has served for decades as executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Trump Organization. After Mr. Trump was elected, he handed control of his financial assets and business interests to his two adult sons and Mr. Weisselberg.’

The Trump Organization became a part of the investigation after Cohen provided evidence that they reimbursed him for the illegal payments using scam invoices. So far, this is the second Trump ally to be granted immunity in the investigation.

‘Federal prosecutors also granted immunity to another longtime Trump ally: David Pecker, the chief executive of the company that publishes the National Enquirer, which in August 2016 purchased the rights to a former Playboy Playmate’s story of an affair with Mr. Trump. In exchange for immunity, Mr. Pecker met with prosecutors and shared details about payments Mr. Cohen arranged, including Mr. Trump’s knowledge of the deals, according to people familiar with the matter.’

Weisselberg was also mentioned in the audio tape of Trump directing the payments to his former mistresses.

Cohen: ‘I spoke to Allen about it, when it comes time for the financing…’

Trump: ‘Listen. What financing?’

Cohen: ‘Well, when it comes time for payments.’

Trump: ‘Just pay them in cash.’

Although Trump has begun once again denying that he knew anything about those payments until much later, after the presidential election, it is just more gaslighting. The audio recording already released to the public proves that he absolutely did know.

Featured image via Flickr by Gage Skidmore under a Creative Commons license