Former President Trump faces flurry of criminal probes
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump faced a swift backlash Tuesday for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot after the House Jan. 6 committee voted unanimously to recommend criminal contempt of Congress charges against the former president’s top aide, Steve Bannon. Here is a look at where the investigations related to Trump stand.
NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES
New York Attorney General Letitia James has been conducting a civil investigation into Trump’s business practices. James issued subpoenas to local governments in November 2020 for records related to the Trump Organization’s financial dealings.
That probe began after Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, told Congress that Trump had inflated his assets to secure loans and understated them for tax purposes. James’ office said tax fraud is of “particular concern.”
NEW YORK DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
The Manhattan district attorney’s office has been conducting a criminal investigation into Trump’s business practices.
In February, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., to receive eight years of Trump’s tax returns and other financial records as part of its probe. The high court had ruled that Trump did not have immunity from the subpoena.
The ruling concluded a lengthy legal battle in which Trump had fought to prevent his accountants from handing over the records.
NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE
New York Attorney General Letitia James has also opened a criminal investigation into Trump’s company
James’ office said in a statement, “We have informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the company is no longer purely civil in nature.”
That was the same phrase the attorney general’s Office used about its investigation before Trump left office in January.
The attorney general’s Office said its probe is now a criminal matter under the direction of Mark F. Pomerantz, a former federal prosecutor appointed as a special assistant attorney general.
TRUMP ORGANIZATION CFO ALLEN WEISSELBERG
Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg — the company’s long-tenured finance chief — was indicted this summer along with the Trump Organization. The charges related to an alleged tax scheme.
Weisselberg and the Trump Organization pleaded not guilty to grand larceny, tax fraud, criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records. Prosecutors claim Weisselberg and the Trump Organization cheated New York state and New York City out of taxes by conspiring to pay senior executives “off the books.”
A judge took a no-nonsense stance on the matter in June, saying “the law trumped the argument” in refusing to overturn charges against Weisselberg.
THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION
The Trump Organization is also under investigation. A criminal case lodged by the Manhattan district attorney’s office is focused on whether the organization falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.
CHICAGO TAX CASE
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has been pursuing a tax case against the Trump Organization. The matter sets aside politics and focuses on uncovering any criminal activity by the Trump Organization, as Foxx tries to build a case without the influence of Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
— MAGAMARKT