This is delightful on just so many levels. The New York Times is reporting that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced that it believes that it has enough evidence to indict Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer, possibly as early as this summer.
That’s pretty suggestive, considering the fact that we’re 10 days from the first official day of summer. But the fact that the Manhattan DA’s office is openly speaking to the media about the possibility of indicting Trump’s money man for his own personal criminal tomfoolery tells us several things.
First of all, Weisselberg has already been in front of the Manhattan DA’s grand jury. His appearance in front of the grand jury in New York automatically gives him immunity from prosecution for anything he talks about, although not civil liability. Which means that the Manhattan DA has independent, free standing evidence outside of his testimony to the grand jury with which to charge him. A front runner is tax fraud, for his failure to properly claim several rather valuable gifts that Trump gave Weisselberg and his family, such as paying the school tuition for his Granddaughter’s exclusive private school. There is also the fact that Trump “gifted” an apartment to Weisselberg’s son and new wife when they married.
It also tells us that, even after appearing before the grand jury, Weisselberg is resisting flipping on El Pendejo Presidente. If he had, his name would be under radio silence, they’d be busy pumping him every day. As former Assistant US Attorney Glenn Kirschner put it on MSNBC today, it’s a classic gambit. Put him in front of the grand jury, and work him to flip. If he refuses, make it public that you’re ready to indict him, and tell him the deal is less sweet if he’s indicted. If he refuses, indict him and tell him if they have to actually convict him, the deal gets even cheaper. And if necessary, convict him and give him whatever deal you want, since he’ll flip on his grandmother at that point.
Actually, I have an alternate theory, one I like even better. And that theory is Trump Organization Controller Jeff McConney. McConney has been with Trump almost as long as Weisselberg, and McConney was called in front of the grand jury even before
Weisselberg was brought in. Former Trump fixer Michael Cohen explained the financial chain of command this way…
Nobody orders a box of paper clips for the office without Mr. Trump’s approval. As the Controller, McConney sees all of the debits and receipts, and actually works the books. When he’s done, he brings them in to Allen Weisselberg, and they go over them. When they’re done, Weisselberg takes them in to Trump, who either approves them, or makes whatever adjustments he wants made made, and then signs off on them.
Jeff McConney is in a unique position. Being the Controller, McConney actually worked the books, and did so on the up-and-up. Which puts him in the unique position of being able to point out to prosecutors when and where Trump and Weisselberg played kiddie games with his work.
If McConney has what the prosecutors need, and he’s singing like the fat lady, then the prosecutors literally don’t need Allen Weisselberg anymore. And what better way to get the point across to future miscreants than to be able to point to Allen Weisselberg, and say, See? This is what happens when you try to play hardball with the Manhattan DA’s office! Either way, Trump may want to start seriously considering gassing up Trump Force One for a one way trip to Bolivia, and start off shoring whatever cash he has left over. Because he’s running out of time.
Follow me on Twitter at @RealMurfster35
Before he starts gassing up Trump Force One he first needs to get the thing in working order again! Apparently, he just had it parked away and figured he could just let it sit there with no maintenance and servicing whatsoever. That’s not the way it works with such an aircraft. The engines will have to be torn down and likely either have to be rebuilt or replaced. Major bucks in that alone. Then there are all the other systems including the hydraulics that control the plane in flight. Again, just letting that plane sit for years (and your typical hanger for a plane that size isn’t temperature controlled) means all that stuff has to be given a detailed going over and will involve some significant service and repairs. If the equipment itself isn’t as expensive as engines it’s still not cheap and the service hours (and the cost of them) will freak Trump the fuck out. The avionics will also be out of date, and there are other systems (including the oxygen system!) and the various seals on the doors and all manner of stuff.
It might be worth the cost to bring that sucker up to spec again but it’s doubtful a cheapskate like Trump will want to spend what it takes. But it would be funny if he were to have it fully gassed up and hire some hack pilot to try and fly it, only to have it just sit there doing nothing on the tarmac! The bill for the wasted fuel will give Trump a stroke. I’m certain he would have to pay up front and the airport of course wouldn’t pump it back out and give him a refund – not after it had been in THOSE fuel tanks that hadn’t been properly checked out and serviced!
Was it even *in* a hangar?
I heard one of the engines was removed for repairs or servicing. Just like you said, it’s not good any airplane to just sit for an extended period of time and you are totally right that he is way too cheap to actually do the repairs/servicing.
He can have contractors do the work and simply not pay the bill before he leaves. He’s done it before. Speaking of which, how many cities are still waiting for money from the Trump campaign?
I’m pretty sure that contractors aren’t going to do jack shit without payment up front. Ok, they might front the money for the time to do estimates of how much work needs to be done and what it will cost but given how much the spotlight shone on Trump over four years and the knowledge of his long, LONG history of stiffing contractors I don’t see anyone capable of doing that kind of work doing it and sending a bill.
My guess is that restoring that plane to airworthiness would run into seven figures and if brand new engines are required well into seven figures. Any contractor working on any system on that plane would be damned foolish if they failed to ensure payment.
Maybe they can all cut a deal with the contractor that would do the avionics, so that each of them could install their own “kill switch” like is sometimes used in cars. It’s something wired into some cars that causes the vehicle to shut down via remote control. Basically, a contractor could have it wired into Trump’s plane and once the FAA had re-certified it for use if Trump hasn’t paid they can activate their kill switch on their system – and tell Trump to pay up! Now THAT would be a fun thing to see happen!
” Either way, Trump may want to start seriously considering gassing up Trump Force One for a one way trip to Bolivia, and start off shoring whatever cash he has left over. Because he’s running out of time.”
Yeah, Bolivia might not be the best choice since the US has an extradition treaty with Sucre. And Putin might not be willing to welcome him on a “permanent” basis (Putin doesn’t really have much use for operatives who fail him–probably the old KGB agent in him).
Maybe, Donnie can fly to China (hah!) and get a connecting flight to Pyongyang where he can live with his bestest bud, Kim Jong-Un. If he doesn’t think he’ll be welcome–even temporarily–in China (Beijing might still be bristling at his “China flu” crap), then he can use Russia as a stopover before heading for Pyongyang (apparently, North Korea’s Air Koryo has flights to Vladivostok, Russia so Donnie can fly to Russia, make his final report to Putin before catching a flight to Vladivostok and on to Pyongyang).
Trump isn’t worried, since he believes he’ll be reinstated as president in a couple of months and can just pardon everybody. Including himself.