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Daniel R. Alonso extensively quoted in Law.com article, “‘Keep the politics out’: Trump org defense team prepares for Manhattan tax fraud trial”

Law.com

Daniel R. Alonso

The Law.com article, “‘Keep the politics out’: Trump org defense team prepares for Manhattan tax fraud trial,” discusses the Trump organization trial and the possible challenges of jury selection. In what is assumed to be a pivotal moment of the trial, former longtime Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg is expected to take the witness stand to testify about his role in the alleged scheme to defraud federal, state and New York City tax authorities.

Alonso, who served as chief assistant district attorney in the Manhattan DA’s office, noted that while Trump himself is not accused of any wrongdoing and is no longer leading the organization, “he will undoubtedly be on potential jurors’ minds.”

Alonso said jurors will have to weigh whether the scheme benefited only Weisselberg or both him and his employer. “There’s no question he was acting in part for his own benefit, because he got the money,” Alonso said. “But I expect the prosecution will argue that it was also a benefit to the Trump Organization, because they got to pay a trusted, loyal employee … more money, because it was subsidized by taxpayers. So, I think the prosecutors will argue that that was the benefit to the organization.”

While defense lawyers would typically try to impeach the credibility of a star witness testifying about his involvement in alleged criminal activity, Alonso said the Trump Organization team will likely want to act with caution. “At least what’s in the public record about Weisselberg’s credibility is all connected to the misdeeds by the Trump Organization and by Donald Trump himself, so my guess is the defense doesn’t want that to come out.”

Click here to read the full article.