Perspectives: Charges Against Trump Organization
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The Trump Organization has been charged with 15 counts of tax fraud and other crimes by New York prosecutors. The Manhattan district attorney's office unsealed an indictment Thursday that detailed charges against the organization for attempting to compensate "Trump Organization executives in a manner that was 'off the books.'" Chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg was the indictment's focus, and is accused of tax evasion on $1.76 million in income dating back to 2005. It's the first criminal case against Trump's company; the former president himself was not charged with any wrongdoing, and accused prosecutors of leading a "witch hunt."
Voices across the spectrum analyzed how the charges may impact Trump. Legal experts, regardless of potential ideological bias, have drawn different conclusions. Some say New York's continued probes could likely lead to charges against him due to his close ties with the organization; others doubt that scenario, saying the lack of charges against Trump to this point means a future charge "appears increasingly unlikely." Many right-rated voices have accused New York prosecutors of pursuing Trump for politically-motivated reasons, and have framed the charges against the Trump Organization as weak and unlikely to amount to any legitimate legal consequences for the former president.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Center
The Trump Organization Prosecution: What Is in the Charges?The case that New York prosecutors have leveled against former President Donald Trump’s business empire and the company’s finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, is a reminder that corporations not only share rights enjoyed by individuals but they can also be indicted like people too.
The 15-count indictment made public Thursday charges the company and its longtime chief financial officer with evading payroll and income taxes over a 16-year stretch by paying off-the-book benefits to Mr. Weisselberg and other executives.
It alleges that the company skimmed payroll taxes by concealing compensation—in the form of...
From the Left
Why the Law Is Strong Enough to Take On Donald TrumpA 15-count indictment for tax fraud and other charges filed in New York on Thursday against the Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, has already stimulated as much hand-wringing as satisfaction from those who have called for accountability for Donald Trump.
Some express concern that Mr. Trump himself was not charged and may never be. Others note that these are “only” state tax fraud counts against his business and an associate — rather than bold federal action against Mr. Trump himself by the Justice Department.
As former federal...
From the Right
Cy Vance’s Trump case is straight from a banana republic — punish your political enemiesDonald Trump has long claimed that investigations of him are a partisan “witch hunt.” Manhattan DA Cy Vance seems determined to make Trump’s point for him by indicting the Trump Organization along with its chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg.
The 15-count indictment throws a kitchen sink of charges, including grand larceny, conspiracy, scheme to defraud,and tax fraud. But the whole thing comes down to paying perks to Weisselberg — such as his parking garage fees, tuition for family members and reimbursement of holiday gratuities — and not reporting them as taxable income, or reporting...
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