It’s being reported now that the Manhattan DA will not be charging Trump with any criminal charges when their indictments come down against the Trump Organization:
BREAKING: Trump's lawyer states Manhattan DA will not charge Trump Organization pic.twitter.com/GQDn7YS6E1
— Newsmax (@newsmax) June 28, 2021
Here’s more…
POLITICO – Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance has indicated he does not currently plan to charge the Trump Organization with crimes related to allegations of “hush money” payments and real estate value manipulations, according to a personal lawyer for Donald Trump.
Ronald Fischetti, a New York attorney who represents the former president, said on Monday that in a meeting last week, he asked Vance’s team for details on charges they were considering.
According to Fischetti, members of Vance’s team said they were considering bringing charges against the Trump Organization and its individual employees related to alleged failures to pay taxes on corporate benefits and perks. It has been widely reported that those perks included cars and apartments and appear to only involve a small number of executives.
“We asked, ‘Is there anything else?’” Fischetti told POLITICO. “They said, ‘No.’”
“It’s crazy that that’s all they had,” he added.
When asked if the meeting touched on allegations made by Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen and by adult film star and director Stormy Daniels, Fischetti replied, “Nothing. Not a word on that.”
Fischetti also said that Vance’s team told him they will not bring charges against Trump himself when the first indictment comes down.
“They just said, ‘When this indictment comes down, he won’t be charged. Our investigation is ongoing,’” he said.
A spokesperson for Vance’s office declined to comment.
Vance’s team has told lawyers for Trump that they will proceed with charges unless persuaded otherwise today, according to The Washington Post. Fischetti told POLITICO he expects charges to come this week or next.
“It’s like the Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing,” Fischetti added. “This is so small that I can’t believe I’m going to have to try a case like this.”
Vance has spent years investigating the Trump Organization. His team went to the Supreme Court to get authorization to seize Trump’s personal tax returns — meaning his investigators know more than just about anyone about the former president’s finances. The Washington Post reported last month that Vance’s office convened a grand jury to decide whether or not to bring charges against the Trump Organization or Trump himself.
This is a little confusing, but it looks like the DA is planning to bring indictments against the Trump Organization related to corporate benefits and perks. But they won’t be bringing any charges related to “hush money” payments and real estate value manipulations.
Further, they aren’t planning on bringing any criminal charges against Trump himself when the first indictment comes down, and this is even after they’ve been combing through his tax records, as the article notes.
As one person on Twitter put it…
BREAKING: Manhattan DA will not criminally charge Donald Trump.
Democrats on Twitter for months: "He is going to prison." "He is going to be in cuffs."
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
We told you.
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) June 28, 2021
It doesn’t sound like this is an end all be all statement that they will never bring charges against Trump. As he said, their investigation is still ongoing. But when they bring their first indictments this week or next, Trump wont’ be part of it.