DONALD Trump's company could face charges after the former president's lawyers met with New York prosecutors.
Trump Organization lawyer Ron Fischetti told The Associated Press the meeting came as a grand jury nears a vote on an indictment this week following a more than two-year investigation into Trump’s business affairs.
He said prosecutors have told him Trump himself will not be charged at this time — “at least not with what’s coming down this week” — but added the investigation is continuing.
Later, Trump blasted New York City and State prosecutors as: Radical Left New York City and State Prosecutors, who have let murderers, rapists, drug dealers, and all other forms of crime skyrocket to record levels."
Fischetti claims that members of Vance's team said he was weighing charges against the Trump Organization and various employees regarding alleged failures to pay taxes on corporate benefits and other perks.
The perks included cars and apartments and only involve a small number of executives, Politico reported.
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- Julia Fields
SHAKESPEARIAN CHARGES
However, according to the Washington Post, his team has informed Trump's advisers that they will proceed with charges unless persuaded otherwise today.
“It’s like the Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing,” Fischetti told Politico. “This is so small that I can’t believe I’m going to have to try a case like this.”
- Julia Fields
FIRST INDICTMENT COULD COME THIS WEEK
The first indictment could come in as soon as later this week, officials say.
“They just said, ‘When this indictment comes down, he won’t be charged. Our investigation is ongoing,’” he told Politico.
- Julia Fields
HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS NOT MENTIONED IN MEETING
When pressed as to whether allegations made by Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen and ex-porn star Stormy Daniels regarding supposed "hush money" payments were mentioned in the meeting, Fischetti said "no."
"Nothing. Not a word on that," he continued.
- Julia Fields
'THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE'
Fischetti claims that members of Vance's team said he was weighing charges against the Trump Organization and various employees regarding alleged failures to pay taxes on corporate benefits and other perks.
The perks included cars and apartments and only involve a small number of executives, Politico reported.
“We asked, ‘Is there anything else?’” Fischetti told the outlet. "They said, 'No.'"
Fischetti said it was "crazy" that "that's all they had."
- Julia Fields
COMPANY, BUT NOT TRUMP, COULD BE CHARGED
Lawyers have said that the grand jury brought together by Vance is nearing a vote on the number of indictments to issue.
Fischetti said Trump won't be indicted – "at least not with what’s coming down this week." He added the company itself could be charged.
- Julia Fields
'GREATEST WITCH HUNT OF ALL TIME'
"After hundreds of subpoenas, over 3 million pages of documents, 4 years of searching, dozens and dozens of interviews, and millions of dollars of taxpayer funds wasted, they continue to be ‘in search of a crime’ and will do anything to frighten people into making up the stories or lies that they want, but have been totally unable to get," Trump wrote in a lengthy sentence.
"It is a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt of all time."
- Julia Fields
FUTURE CHARGES ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION
Trump Organization lawyer Ron Fischetti said the president for now won't be getting charged – but added that doesn't mean future charges are out of the question.
"I can’t say he’s out of the woods yet completely," Fischetti said.
- Julia Fields
TRUMP 'WILL NOT BE CHARGED'
Former President Donald Trump blasted New York City and State prosecutors after Trump was told by his lawyer he would not be charged in the prosecutors' two-year-old investigation into his assets.
"Radical Left New York City and State Prosecutors, who have let murderers, rapists, drug dealers, and all other forms of crime skyrocket to record levels," Trump wrote.
And "who have just announced that they will be releasing hundreds of people involved in violent crime back onto the streets without retribution of any kind, are rude, nasty, and totally biased in the way they are treating lawyers, representatives, and some of the wonderful long-term employees and people within the Trump Organization," he continued.
- Julia Fields
TRUMP MADE A BET ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS' BORDER VISIT
In an interview with The Rubin Report, Trump said he made a bet that Harris would go to the border after he announced his trip.
"As soon as I announced I'm going to the border, I actually made a minor bet.
"I said watch what happens she's going to announce it right after I announced, as you know she announced that she's going down."
In a final dig, he insinuated that the vice president "would've never gone to the border" if he wasn't visiting next week.
- Julia Fields
TRUMP SLAMS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION FOR BORDER SITUATION
Trump also took the opportunity to blast Biden's administration and its response to the border situation.
"The Biden Administration inherited from me the strongest, safest, and most secure border in US history and in mere weeks they turned it into the single worst border crisis in US history.
"It's an unmitigated disaster zone," he continued.
The former president said that the US went from having "border security that was the envy of the world" to a "lawless border" that is pitied around the world.
He went on to slam Biden and Kamala Harris for not visiting the Southern border or the "ICE heroes risking their lives to defend our Nation at a time when the White House is doing everything it can to make their jobs totally impossible."
- Julia Fields
DA'S PROBE BEGAN AFTER HUSH MONEY PAID TO TWO WOMEN
Weisselberg has not been accused or charged with any crime and Trump has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
The DA's probe began after Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen paid hush money to silence two women, including porn star Stormy Daniels, before the 2016 election about alleged sexual encounters with Trump.
Cohen started working for the Trump Organization in 2006, and in 2018 he was sentenced to three years for his involvement in assisting tax evasion and campaign finance fraud. He was released last April.
- Julia Fields
TRUMP CALLS INVESTIGATION A 'WITCH HUNT'
Trump has already called Vance's investigation a politically motivated "witch hunt."
His niece Mary Trump said earlier this month that her famous uncle "would fully expect" his five kids "to take a hit for him" but "would never do anything to protect them if it were at his expense".
- Julia Fields
DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S TARGET
The district attorney appears to be targeting Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization.
This includes his personal finances and benefits given to his son Barry who long worked for the organization, according to the New York Times.
It was reported in The Wall Street Journal that the Manhattan District Attorney's office had filed a subpoena against Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School over $500,000 in fees for Weisselberg's grandchildren.
It's claimed the payments were made between 2012 and 2019 and checks were signed either by Weisselberg or Trump.
- Julia Fields
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE INVESTIGATION?
Vance's investigation concerns a variety of matters, such as alleged hush-money payments paid to women on Trump’s behalf, property valuations and employee compensation.
The investigation also includes scrutiny of Trump’s relationship with his lenders, a land donation he made to qualify for an income tax deduction, and tax write-offs his company claimed on millions of dollars in consulting fees it paid.
- Julia Fields
LONG RUNNING INVESTIGATION
The charges stem from a long-running investigation into Trump's business dealings. No charges have been filed so far.
Prosecutors have been scrutinizing Trump’s tax records, subpoenaing documents and interviewing Trump insiders and company executives.
Law enforcement officials familiar with the matter say the investigation has reached a critical point with a grand jury selected to weigh evidence.
- Julia Fields
TRUMP ORGANIZATION LAWYER SPEAKS OUT
Trump Organization lawyer Ron Fischetti told NBC: "It looks like they are going to come down with charges against the company and that is completely outrageous."
Fischetti said he met virtually with prosecutors for around nine minutes on Thursday to discuss the case.
He added: "In my more than 50 years of practice, never before have I seen a district attorney’s office target a company over employee compensation or fringe benefits. It’s ridiculous and outrageous.
"The corporate office will plead not guilty and we will make an immediate motion to dismiss the case against the corporation."
- Julia Fields
TRUMP COULD BE CHARGED FOR PERKS PAID TO EXECUTIVES
Donald Trump's company could face criminal charges as soon as next week over benefits paid to executives – a move slammed as "outrageous" by the organization's lawyer.
The former president's business is under scrutiny for perks it gave top staff, such as use of apartments, cars and school tuition.
- Julia Fields
WHEN IS TRUMP GOING TO THE BORDER?
On June 15, Donny announced that he accepted an invitation to visit the nation's "decimated" southern border at the end of the month.
"I have accepted the invitation of Texas Governor Greg Abbott to join him on an official visit to our Nation's decimated Southern Border on Wednesday, June 30, 2021," the statement said.
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