Trump Organization lawyers meet with NY prosecutors as Trump defends company's 'standard practice'


Trump Organization lawyers met with New York prosecutors on Monday, laying out their arguments for why the company should not face criminal charges over its financial dealings, three people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.
The Post reported on Sunday that prosecutors gave the Trump Organization's legal team until Monday to deliver their arguments. This is a common practice in financial investigations, with the defense able to bring forward new evidence.
After launching an investigation more than two years ago, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. convened a grand jury earlier this year to consider indictments against the Trump Organization. As of Monday night, no charges have been announced. Former President Donald Trump released a statement in response to the investigation, accusing prosecutors of being "in search of a crime." Without elaborating, he also said they are focusing on "things that are standard practice throughout the U.S. business community, and in no way a crime."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump attorney Ron Fischetti told The Associated Press and Politico on Monday that he believes charges will be filed in connection with whether Trump Organization executives paid proper taxes on benefits Trump gave them, like free apartments and leased cars. During a brief interview, Fischetti told the Post he was not at the Monday meeting with prosecutors.
People familiar with the New York investigation said prosecutors have been looking into whether Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg paid taxes on the benefits he received from Trump, and they wanted him to cooperate with a broader probe into the Trump Organization's financial practices. In his Monday statement, Trump said prosecutors "will do anything to frighten people into making up the stories or lies that they want, but have been totally unable to get."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Switzerland could experience unique economic problems from Trump's tariffs
In the Spotlight The current US tariff rate on Switzerland is among the highest in the world
-
US to take 15% cut of AI chip sales to China
Speed Read Nvidia and AMD will pay the Trump administration 15% of their revenue from selling artificial intelligence chips to China
-
Jaguar's Adrian Mardell steps down: a Maga mauling
Speed Read Jaguar Land Rover had come under fire for 'woke' advertising campaign
-
NFL gets ESPN stake in deal with Disney
Speed Read The deal gives the NFL a 10% stake in Disney's ESPN sports empire and gives ESPN ownership of NFL Network
-
Is Trump's tariffs plan working?
Today's Big Question Trump has touted 'victories', but inflation is the 'elephant in the room'
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B deal
Speed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance
-
Tesla reports plummeting profits
Speed Read The company may soon face more problems with the expiration of federal electric vehicle tax credits