Trump Organization lawyers meet with NY prosecutors as Trump defends company's 'standard practice'
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
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."
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.
-
Political cartoons for February 7Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include an earthquake warning, Washington Post Mortem, and more
-
5 cinematic cartoons about Bezos betting big on 'Melania'Cartoons Artists take on a girlboss, a fetching newspaper, and more
-
The fall of the generals: China’s military purgeIn the Spotlight Xi Jinping’s extraordinary removal of senior general proves that no-one is safe from anti-corruption drive that has investigated millions
-
TikTok: New owners, same risksFeature What are Larry Ellison’s plans for TikTok US?
-
Trump wants a weaker dollar, but economists aren’t so sureTalking Points A weaker dollar can make imports more expensive but also boost gold
-
Leadership: A conspicuous silence from CEOsFeature CEOs were more vocal during Trump’s first term
-
The end for central bank independence?The Explainer Trump’s war on the US Federal Reserve comes at a moment of global weakening in central bank authority
-
Can Trump make single-family homes affordable by banning big investors?Talking Points Wall Street takes the blame
-
TikTok secures deal to remain in USSpeed Read ByteDance will form a US version of the popular video-sharing platform
-
Unemployment rate ticks up amid fall job lossesSpeed Read Data released by the Commerce Department indicates ‘one of the weakest American labor markets in years’
-
Phish food for thought: Ben & Jerry’s political turmoilIn the Spotlight War of words over brand activism threatens to ‘overshadow’ the big ice cream deal
