Politics & Finances

Petition For Trump Criminal Tax Trial to Be Delayed Is Denied

Petition For Trump Criminal Tax Trial to Be Delayed Is Denied

A recent petition for the criminal tax trial against the Trump Organization has been denied on the heels of former Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg turning state's witness against his ex-employer.

Reuters reported on the ongoing situation, sharing details about yesterday's ruling in New York City, noting that the judge believes that the company might be attempting to "stall" the criminal proceedings that are set to begin in October:

At a pre-trial hearing in a New York state court in Manhattan, Justice Juan Merchan warned against delaying tactics, even as a Trump Organization lawyer said the decision by longtime chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg to plead guilty changed how the defense will present its case.

Merchan specifically stated, "One of the accusations is the defense is trying to stall. It's starting to feel that way a little bit. ... I am repeating. We are not delaying this trial. It's starting Oct. 24th and we're going forward."

Trump Organization attorney Susan Necheles weighed in, saying that Weisselberg believes he is being "targeted" due to his association with divisive former President Donald Trump and accepted a plea deal as a result.

The 75-year-old finance officer's sentence includes time in the infamous Riker's Island complex. 

Per Reuters, Necheles explained that Weisselberg told prosecutors that only he and Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney, who has been granted immunity in the case, knew about the tax fraud.

"He has no knowledge of former President Trump knowing anything about it or any of the other Trumps," Necheles reiterated.

The former POTUS is, however, facing his own legal woes. 

Recently, the Department of Justice released a 36-page report relating to the now-infamous August 8 FBI raid at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. In the document, the DoJ confirms that Trump "likely obstructed" a government investigation with intent.

Following the release of the report, Trump retained former Florida solicitor Chris Kise, who has close ties to both Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and Senator Rick Scott (R).

Previously, the Washington Post reported that the FBI executed its search warrant after "federal authorities grew increasingly concerned that Trump or his lawyers and aides had not, in fact, returned all the documents and other material that were government property, according to people familiar with the discussions."

Trump -- a divisive figure even before the now-infamous January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol -- has unsurprisingly weighed in, indicating that he hopes the Bureau didn't "plant evidence" during their search.

The former host of The Apprentice is also facing additional legal problems, as he has officially appealed a recent ruling that he must hand over his personal tax records to the IRS. 

Earlier this month, the Washington DC Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the United States House of Representatives can obtain Trump's tax records from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Trump did have one recent win when a Florida judge granted a motion to bar

prosecutors from using "key pieces of evidence" seized from Mar-a-Lago.

What do you think about Judge Mechan keeping the Trump Organization tax trial start date?

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Rebekah Barton

Rebekah Barton

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