after a contentious day in court, putting the case involving former President Donald Trump’s real estate empire on track for deliberations next week.
The defense rested after calling just two witnesses: Bender, whom company lawyers sought to discredit and treat as a hostile witness, and a paralegal who appeared briefly to verify tax information referenced in a 2013 email that Weisselberg sent to Bender. Allen Weisselberg testified against the Trump Organization earlier in the trial in exchange for a five-month jail sentence.Merchan declined to rule on a defense motion to dismiss the charges and, given that he plans to proceed to closing arguments, it doesn’t appear he’s inclined to do so.
Necheles sought permission to confront Bender with records showing he spent more time working on tax returns for the Trump Corporation, the company’s main subsidiary, than he led on. But Necheles stopped short of saying she wanted to attack his credibility in front of the jurors. Weisselberg has pleaded guilty to taking $1.7 million in off-the-books compensation, and he testified against the Trump Organization earlier in the trial in exchange for a promised five-month jail sentence. He testified that, without Trump or the Trump family knowing, but said the company benefited because it didn’t have to pay him as much in salary.
The Trump Organization is blameless. Their CEO admitted on the stand that he alone knew he was committing fraud and the incredibly expensive tax firm hired by Trump Org to make sure their books were legal, never spotted the CEO’s scam.
wE gOt HiM tHiS tiMe!
Witch hunt
His lawyers must've graduated from Trump University.
Another show trial?