Trump news – latest: Judge Bruce Reinhart tells DoJ to file redacted FBI
Bannon calls Pence a ‘disgusting coward’ for defence of FBI
A Florida judge has told the Department of Justice to file a redacted version of the FBI warrant affidavit for its search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property. Judge Bruce Reinhart says he is inclined to partially release the document as media organisations have requested. He will make a final decision next week after the redactions have been made.
The Justice Department has rebuffed demands to release the affidavit, warning that it could “chill” future efforts to secure witness cooperation, and argued that the investigation is still in its early days. Mr Trump has said he is happy for the affidavit to be released.
Meanwhile, 18 members of the Trump administration have told CNN that Mr Trump’s claim to have a declassification “standing order” is completely untrue.
In New York, longtime Trump Organization CFO and close associate of Mr Trump Allen Weisselberg has pleaded guilty to tax fraud charges under a plea deal. Mr Weisselberg will serve five months in prison and five years probation, as well as agreeing to testify against the Trump Organization in proceedings focused on the same alleged fraud scheme.
Ex-Trump aide pledged to release classified documents long before FBI’s Mar-a-Lago raid
A Trump administration aide who remained in the ex-president’s inner circle after the events of January 6 and Mr Trump’s exit from the White House days later was leading an effort to obtain documents through the National Archives months before the FBI’s raid to obtain classified materials from Mar-a-Lago.
John Bowden has the story.
Ex-Trump aide pledged to release classified documents long before Mar-a-Lago raid
Loyalist DoD aide has remained at Trump’s side since 2021
Oliver O’Connell19 August 2022 02:00
Who is Allen Weisselberg, the man who could bring down Donald Trump?
In Michael Cohen’s testimony to members of Congress in 2019, one name came up more than 20 times.
When asked by House Democrats who else would have access to business or financial records that could implicate Donald Trump in a range of investigations, from his campaign’s connections to Russia to hush money payments involving an adult film star, his former attorney listed the names of several Trump insiders – starting with Allen Weisselberg.
The man at the centre of investigations and criminal charges involving Mr Trump’s business, other than the former president whose name is emblazoned in gold on its Manhattan headquarters, is a press-averse accountant who has presided over the company’s finances for decades.
Alex Woodward profiles the man at the centre of Trumpworld news today.
Allen Weisselberg: Who is the man who could bring down Donald Trump?
Former president’s long-time financial chief pleads guilty following years-long tax probe
Oliver O’Connell19 August 2022 01:15
Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg pleads guilty
Allen Weisselberg, the longtime chief financial officer of former president Donald Trump’s eponymous real estate and hotel business, has pleaded guilty to 15 separate violations of New York tax law.
The Trumpworld…
Read More: Trump news – latest: Judge Bruce Reinhart tells DoJ to file redacted FBI