LISTEN TO HER.
>>> THE 11th HOUR WITH BRIAN
WILLIAMS STARTS RIGHT NOW.
>> AND GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN.
DAY 162 OF THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION.
AND NBC NEWS REPORTING TONIGHT
THE MANHATTAN D.A.’S OFFICE AND
THE NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL’S
OFFICE TOGETHER HAVE OBTAINED
INDICTMENTS AGAINST THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION AND ITS LONG-TIME
CFO ALLEN WEISSELBERG.
AS EXPECTED, THE CHARGES ARE
EXPECTED TO BE TAX-RELATED AND
EXPECTED TO BE UNSEALED IN COURT
TOMORROW IN MAN HAT OPINION "THE
WASHINGTON POST" WAS THE FIRST
TO REPORT THE NEWS TONIGHT.
THE PAPER ADDS THIS --
WEISSELBERG IS EXPECTED THE
SURRENDER THURSDAY MORNING AT
THE OFFICE OF MANHATTAN D.A.
CYRUS VANCE.
HE IS EXPECTED TO BE ARRAIGNED
LATER IN THE DAY IN FRONT OF A
STATE COURT JUDGE.
THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION WILL BE
ARRAIGNED REPRESENTED BY ONE OF
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THESE
DAYS A PROFESSOR AT GEORGETOWN
LAW SCHOOL.
GOOD EVENING.
PHIL, I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH
YOU AND YOUR BEAT CURRENTLY AND
FORMER.
YOU COVERED TRUMP THROUGH ALL
MANNER OF CONTROVERSY.
TO REPEAT FOR THOSE THAT DON’T
KNOW, SOMETHING YOU KNOW WELL,
HIS COMPANY IS A SMALL FAMILY
OUTFIT, AT THE END OF THE DAY.
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT
WHAT’S COMING TOMORROW?
AND WHAT MUST THEY BE THINKING?
>> WELL, BRIAN, AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE, IT’S A GREAT DEAL OF
CONCERN WITHIN THE TRUMP ORRBIT
AND WITHIN THE TRUMP FAMILY,
ABOUT THE DOCUMENTINDICTMENTS TH
EXPECTED TOMORROW.
THIS CAN BE BRUISING FOR THE
COMPANY ITSELF.
IT CAN ALSO BE BRUISING FOR
MR. WEISSELBERG, THE FINANCIAL
OFFICER THERE.
KEEP IN MIND HOW MUCH HIS
PERSONAL FAMILY WEALTH IS TIED
UP IN THIS COMPANY.
IF THE COMPANY WERE TO BE
CHARGED, THERE COULD BE
FINANCIAL REPERCUSSIONS, IN
TERMS OF THE LOANS THAT BECOME
DUE.
WEISSELBERG COULD BEGIN
COOPERATING WITH THE
PROSECUTORS.
POTENTIALLY, THAT COULD LEAD TO
MORE TROUBLE FOR THE FORMER
PRESIDENT.
WHILE TRUMP’S ALLIES SAY THIS
WEEK THAT THEY’RE PLEASED TO SEE
THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS NOT
GOING TO BE CHARGED, AS FAR AS
WE KNOW TOMORROW, THEY KNOW THE
INVESTIGATION IS NOT OVER AND
THERE COULD BE ANOTHER CHAPTER
TO IT.
AND IT’S UP WITH OF THE REASONS
I THINK WE’VE SEEN DONALD TRUMP
REACT SO STRONGLY IN HIS PUBLIC
STATEMENTS, INCLUDING TONIGHT,
CALLING THIS A WITCH HUNT AND
THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF
INVESTIGATIONS TROOO TRY TO TAKE
HIM DOWN.
>> PAUL COUNSELOR, I HAVE ONE
MORE YOU.
THIS IS HOW "THE NEW YORK TIMES"
PUTS IT.
18 CURRENT AND FORMER ASSOCIATES
OF WEISSELBERG, AS WELL AS A
REVIEW OF LEGAL FILINGS,
FINANCIAL RECORDS AND OTHER
DOCUMENTS, PAINT A PORTRAIT OF A
MAN WHOSE UNFLINCHING DEVOTION
TO MR. TRUMP WILL BE PUT TO THE
TEST.
WEISSELBERG HAD BECOME SO WOVEN
INTO THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION,
WHEN TRUMP MOVED TO THE WHITE
HOUSE, HE ENTRUSTED WEISSELBERG,
ALONG WITH THE FORMER
PRESIDENT’S ADULT SONS, WITH
RUNNING HIS COMPANY.
TOMORROW, PAUL, STARTING WITH
THE UNSEALING OF THE
INDICTMENTS, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
>> I’LL BE LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL
CHARGES, ESPECIALLY THE MONEY
THAT’S INVOLVED AND THE STORY
THAT THE INDICTMENT TELLS ABOUT
THE EVIDENCE.
THE DEFENSE PORTRAYED THIS AS A
PETTY AND POLITICAL
INVESTIGATION, ABOUT TAXING
FRINGE BENEFITS.
THE PROSECUTORS COULD RESPOND
WITH US SEEKING INDICTMENT, THAT
DESCRIBES THE CRIME, NOT JUST AS
TAX EVASION, BUT AS THE TRUMP
ORGANIZATION AND ITS CFO
INTENTIONALLY STEALING HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM THE
GOVERNMENT.
THE PROSECUTOR’S NARRATIVE WILL
BE THAT THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION
WAS ESSENTIALLY A CRIMINAL
ENTERPRISE WITH A CONSISTENT
PATTERN OF FRAUD.
AND THE MONEY IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THAT SHOWS WHAT THE
POTENTIAL EXPOSURE IS FOR
WEISSELBERG.
IF IT’S A SMALL OR RELATIVELY
SMALL DOLLAR AMOUNT, IF WISE
WEISSELBERG IS CONVICTED, HE IS
NOT GOING TO JAIL.
IF IT’S A LOT OF MONEY, HE CAN
FACE YEARS IN PRISON.
THAT WOULD BE POWERFUL FOR HIM