Allen Weisselberg, Longtime Trump Organization CFO, Is Granted Immunity in Cohen Probe

Rebecca Ballhaus and Nicole Hong, reporting for The Wall Street Journal:

Allen Weisselberg, President Trump’s longtime financial gatekeeper, was granted immunity by federal prosecutors for providing information about Michael Cohen in the criminal investigation into hush-money payments for two women during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to people familiar with the matter.

Mr. Weisselberg, who is chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, was called to testify before a federal grand jury in the investigation earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal previously reported, citing people familiar with the investigation. He then spoke to investigators, though it isn’t clear whether he appeared before the grand jury.

The decision by prosecutors in the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office to grant immunity to Mr. Weisselberg escalates the pressure on Mr. Trump, whom Mr. Weisselberg has served for decades as executive vice president as well as CFO for the Trump Organization. After Mr. Trump was elected, he handed control of his financial assets and business interests to his two adult sons and Mr. Weisselberg.

Mr. Weisselberg didn’t respond to a request for comment. A lawyer for Mr. Trump, who on Thursday said so-called flipping “almost ought to be illegal,” declined to comment.

The only reason prosecutors typically grant immunity is if someone is able to testify about crimes committed by someone higher up the ladder. And there’s only one person higher up the ladder from Weisselberg. But I’m sure Trump and his family have nothing to worry about, because surely there is nothing illegal in the Trump Organization’s books.

See also: TPM’s backgrounder on Weisselberg and his decades-long role at the center of its finances.

★ Friday, 24 August 2018