Here's why Allen Weisselberg, who allegedly witnessed Trump and Cohen plan $420,000 payment, didn't testify at hush money trial
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: As the hush money trial of former President Donald Trump approaches its end, a notable absence from the witness stand is Allen Weisselberg, the long-serving Chief Financial Officer of the Trump Organization.
Weisselberg's absence has been a point of contention and speculation as the trial moves toward closing arguments, expected as early as Tuesday, May 28.
Weisselberg, 76, is currently serving a five-month sentence at Rikers Island in New York after pleading guilty to perjury in a separate civil case. His involvement in the hush money payments is alleged but remains unconfirmed due to his lack of testimony.
Prosecutors assert that Weisselberg was present when Trump orchestrated a $420,000 payout to his former fixer, Michael Cohen. However, Weisselberg's recent perjury conviction is cited as the primary reason he was not called to testify in this trial.
Weisselberg's absence and perjury conviction cast doubts on trial dynamics
Both the prosecution and defense chose not to summon Weisselberg, a decision that has drawn significant attention. His perjury conviction, stemming from lies about Trump's Manhattan penthouse's size in financial statements, raised doubts about his credibility.
Consequently, the prosecution insisted that the jury might not believe Weisselberg, even if he testified truthfully.
During the trial, Judge Juan Merchan inquired if either side had attempted to get Weisselberg to testify. Both parties confirmed they had not.
Trump’s lawyer Emil Bove emphasized, "The reason Mr Weisselberg is not a witness to either side is because the district attorney's office initiated a perjury prosecution in the lead-up to this case."
Although he was not present, Weisselberg's name came up often during testimony. Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney, mentioned that Weisselberg played a role in the decision to pay Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about her allegations of an affair with Trump.
"He stated to me that he had spoken to some friends, some individuals, very smart people and that it´s $130,000. You´re like a billionaire. Just pay it. There is no reason to keep this thing out there. So do it," Cohen recounted. "And he expressed to me: Just do it. Go meet up with Allen Weisselberg and figure this whole thing out," he added.
Jeffrey McConney, the Trump Organization's former controller, testified about collaborating with Weisselberg to arrange payments to Cohen, including the reimbursement for the $130,000 payment to Daniels.
However, McConney could not confirm Weisselberg's presence during the initial agreement.
Deborah Tarasoff, the Trump Organization's accounts payable supervisor, detailed the process of issuing payments to Cohen, highlighting checks signed by Trump at the White House.
Under cross-examination, she admitted that the authorization to issue these checks came from Weisselberg and McConney, not Trump himself.
On Memorial Day, Trump took to Truth Social to criticize Judge Merchan for not allowing certain witnesses to testify, including Mark Pomerantz, a former senior prosecutor who described Trump's business practices as deceptive.
Trump questioned, "Could somebody please ask Judge Merchan, whatever happened to MARK POMERANTZ, the man Alvin Bragg was furious at for the things he did on this contrived and unconstitutional case, and why wasn’t he allowed to testify?"
Trump also mentioned being under a gag order and accused the Biden administration of election interference. "And then, of course, there’s the BIGGEST EVENT OF THEM ALL, but I’m not allowed to talk about it because I’m under an illegal and unconstitutional GAG ORDER. This is the Biden White House at work. ELECTION INTERFERENCE!" he wrote.
Trial outcome and implications for Trump's future
As the trial concludes after nearly six weeks, the prosecution must persuade a 12-person New York jury that Trump conspired to influence the 2016 election by paying Daniels $130,000 to maintain silence about their alleged affair.
The team led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg must convince the jury with evidence and testimonies that Trump falsified business records, resulting in 34 felony counts.
Trump's defense team is anticipated to argue that hush money payments are not illegal and that Trump's intention was to prevent family embarrassment rather than influence the election.
They are likely to challenge Cohen's credibility, depicting him as an unreliable witness driven by a personal vendetta against Trump.
The jury's decision could lead to one of three outcomes: acquittal, conviction, or a mistrial due to a hung jury. If convicted, Trump is anticipated to appeal, a process that might extend beyond the 2024 election.
The defense aims to persuade just one juror to question the prosecution's case, possibly resulting in a mistrial.
The trial's outcome will hold significant implications for Trump, particularly as he weighs another presidential bid. However, it's improbable that a conviction would lead to sentencing before the November election, the Daily Mail reported.
