Donald Trump

Trump Organization CFO Given Immunity in Cohen Probe: Sources

The news comes a day after a source told NBC News that National Enquirer President and Publisher David Pecker was also granted immunity in the federal investigation

The longtime financial manager of President Donald Trump's company, the Trump Organization, was granted immunity by federal prosecutors in New York during the investigation of Michael Cohen, multiple people with knowledge of the matter told NBC News.

Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg is referred to as "Executive-1" in court documents signed by Cohen, who pleaded guilty this week to eight felony charges in a Manhattan court, a person with knowledge of the matter told NBC News. Cohen admitted to sending Weisselberg an invoice for payments meant to reimburse Cohen for a payment to Stormy Daniels, who alleges she had sex with Trump.

He denies that allegation, but has admitted making hush-money payments to Daniels and model Karen McDougal ahead of the 2016 election. He insists that doing so wasn't a crime, though Cohen pleaded guilty to his part in it. 

Weisselberg has been a Trump confidant who started working for his family in the early 1970s.

Calls and emails to Trump Organization general counsel Alan Garten were not immediately answered.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report the news of Weisselberg's immunity. Weisselberg didn't respond to a request for comment from the Journal; a lawyer for Trump declined to comment to the newspaper.

The Journal was unable to determine if Weisselberg discussed Trump knowing about the payments.

On Friday, all 10 Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee cited among other things "the possibility of criminal wrongdoing by the President" in calling for a delay in confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, scheduled for Sept. 4.

However, the committee's Republican chairman, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, has already said he will not postpone the hearing. A Grassley spokesperson reiterated that stance on Friday.

“Justice Breyer’s confirmation occurred when President Clinton’s records had been subpoenaed by a grand jury," spokesperson Taylor Foy said in a statement. "Obviously, we are nowhere close to that situation today. Calls to delay the hearing are just the latest stunt from opponents who decided to vote 'no' weeks ago, frantically looking for anything that sticks."

The immunity news comes a day after a source told NBC News that National Enquirer President and Publisher David Pecker was also granted immunity by federal prosecutors in Cohen investigation.

The Associated Press also reported Thursday that the Enquirer kept a safe containing documents on hush-money payments and other damaging stories it killed as part of its cozy relationship with Trump leading up to the 2016 presidential election.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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