Amidst the anticipation of a verdict that could have significant consequences for the corporation, New York officials are urging the judge to consider the insignificance and predictability of a potential perjury charge, in order to keep the trial moving forward without delay.
The lawyer representing the New York Attorney General’s Office argued against any delay in the verdict, downplaying the significance of potential false testimony by Allen Weisselberg, former CFO and co-defendant of Donald Trump.
“It is not surprising that a person with a history of lacking credibility and falsifying business documents, who has also been to prison, may have committed perjury in this proceeding or the preceding investigation,” stated Kevin Wallace, a senior enforcement counsel for the AG’s office.
“If the allegations are proven to be true, it is imperative that the individual responsible faces the appropriate consequences for their actions,” Wallace expressed regarding Weisselberg. “However, it should not hinder the process of reaching a final decision and judgment,” he added.
State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron has been diligently reviewing the evidence and arguments presented in the fraud trial for almost a month, in order to reach a verdict.
The Attorney General’s office has made allegations against Trump, claiming that he fraudulently exaggerated his net worth by up to $3.6 billion per year in financial statements. These statements were supposedly used to obtain favorable interest rates on bank loans.
Weisselberg Faces Consequences; Plea Deal Talks Amidst Civil Fraud Trial
He is confronted with a range of potential civil consequences, including substantial cash penalties, the prohibition from conducting business in New York, and the potential forced sale of his properties both within and outside the state.
However, just as Engoron is finalizing his verdict, an unexpected complication has emerged. Recent news, initially disclosed by the New York Times, reveals that Weisselberg is currently in talks with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office regarding a potential plea deal for a perjury charge.
During Weisselberg’s testimony at the Manhattan civil fraud trial, he referred to the tripling of Trump’s penthouse square footage as a minor mistake that he had minimal involvement in.
Engoron was not entertained. In an email to the parties made public Tuesday, the judge requested the parties to confirm the accuracy of the Times report.
The trial record makes it abundantly clear that Weisselberg’s credibility was severely lacking, especially when it came to denying any involvement in the triplex valuation, as stated by the AG lawyer.
The Trump defense team submitted their response to the Weisselberg perjury matter right before the judge’s 5 p.m. Wednesday deadline.
According to defense lawyer Alina Habba, who represents Weisselberg, there has been no communication between her and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
In an unusual instance of consensus, Habba, similar to the lawyer representing the AG, expressed the view that the judge should base their verdict solely on the trial record and disregard any unverified rumors regarding perjury pleas.