Former Trump Org. Exec Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion, but It’s Not the Win The Donald’s Enemies Think It Is – Opinion

Bonchie, my colleague predicted that Allen Weisselberg, Trump Organization executive would plead guilty to his New York tax-evasion case. He did so on Thursday. He was sentenced to five months imprisonment at Rikers Island, and fined and penalized with nearly $2 million.

The big news in this case, according to many, is the fact that Weisselberg has agreed to give evidence against Trump Organization during a fall trial. He is still free to be released from bail, however, until the testimony has been completed. Never Trumpers are licking their lips—but this is not the clear victory they’d hoped for because Weisselberg Refused to signTo cooperate with a larger investigation into Trump. I’ll be back shortly with more information. Trump is not the defendant in this case. The following are the Associated Press:

In exchange for the plea deal, Weisselberg must testify as a prosecution witness in connection to related charges when Trump Organization is brought up on October. Weisselberg is charged with helping other executives to avoid paying income taxes and failing to accurately report all compensation to the government. Trump isn’t charged. [Emphasis mine.]

Meaning that even if prosecutors prevail in the fall, The Donald himself won’t be shipped off to Rikers.

Weisselberg admitted that $1.7 in untaxed additionals was kept from the books and pleaded guilty. The perks included school tuition for his grandchildren, a rent-free Manhattan apartment and lease payments for his luxury car. Liberals celebrate:

It’s not too late. Weisselberg is willing to testify against Organization. However, he will not be cooperating with any broader probe against Trump. Source: The New York Times

The plea deal does not require Mr. Weisselberg to cooperate with the district attorney’s broader criminal investigation of Mr. Trump, and his admissions This will not involve the former President. Trump’s willingness to take jail time over turning against him reveals the depth of his loyalty and service to his family for almost a century. This helped put an end to larger efforts to indict Trump. [Emphasis mine.]

Those hoping for another “the walls are closing in” moment may be surprised when the Donald escapes once again. Prosecutors may have a win here, but it’s certainly not all they hoped for as they subjected Weisselberg to intense pressure to try to get him to “flip” on Trump and basically spill every secret he knows. It’s not going to happen. Weisselberg’s lawyer Nicholas A. Gravante Jr. issued a statement Thursday:

He made one of the hardest decisions in his entire life. Today, he entered a plea to guilty to end the case. Instead of risking 15 years imprisonment, he agreed to serve 100 day. It is great to see him go.

Although they didn’t achieve their goal to get Weisselberg to turn, the prosecutors tried to portray it as a win. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, who is usually soft on crime, issued his own statement, saying that the plea  “directly implicates the Trump Organization in a wide range of criminal activity” and that “we look forward to proving our case in court against the Trump Organization.”

Prosecutors and the Justice Department have been going after Trump with everything they’ve got for years now, and they’ve got yet another victim. The victim is a retired 75-year-old executive who has not been named Donald Trump. Congratulations.

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