The Wall Street Journal — Thursday it was reported that “longtime financial gatekeeper,” of President Trump, Allen Weisselberg, has been subpoenaed.
The subpoena report follows just two days after Lanny Davis, Michael Cohen’s attorney played live on CNN, a recorded conversation between, then candidate Trump and his onetime lawyer and “fixer,” Cohen. The recording appears to reference paying $150,000 to silence Karen McDougal, the Playboy model that alleges she had a year-long affair with President Trump in 2006.
According to the Journal, Weisselberg has been subpoenaed as a witness “in the on-going” criminal investigation against Cohen.
The WSJ points out it is unclear if Weisselberg has been summoned or if he’s already testified, “the date of the subpoena couldn’t be determined.”
Weisselberg has worked for the Trump’s for decades dating back to Fred Trump. He has been described by someone close to the company as,“the most senior person in the organization that’s not a Trump.”
After the election President Trump handed control of his “financial assets and business interests,” over to Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, and Weisselberg.
Earlier this year it was revealed that President Trump repaid Cohen the $130,000 that Cohen paid to Stephanie Clifford aka former porn star Stormy Daniels in order to prevent her from speaking out about having sex with President Trump in 2006.
The hush money payment is being investigated to determine if any campaign finance laws have been broken, according to the WSJ, while Weisselberg arranged the $35,000 monthly retainer to repay Cohen, a person familiar with Weisselberg told them, “he didn’t know about the payment to Daniels.”
In the recording that was aired on Tuesday Cohen makes two references to Weisselberg while speaking to President Trump, then candidate Trump about setting up a company to use to make payouts from, the first, “And, I’ve spoken to Allen Weisselberg about how to set the whole thing up with…” the second, “Correct. So, I’m all over that. And, I spoke to Allen about it, when it comes time for the financing, which will be —”
It is not clear or known if Cohen really did speak to Weisselberg or if he was truthful with Weisselberg about the reason for his questions.
Cohen is currently under investigation for bank fraud or campaign-finance violations, among other things.
So far there has only been one audio recording played to the public, investigators are said to have and are reviewing an estimated one-hundred recordings made by Cohen.
