Here's Checking Out a Key Piece of Evidence Against Donald Trump in the NY Civil Case
As the New York civil fraud trial continues, Donald Trump's problems are becoming worse. On Tuesday, former Trump Organization controller Jeff McConney testified against the former president. The defense invited McConney, who was in charge of handling financial spreadsheets, to testify, and during cross-examination by the state attorney general's office, he linked Trump to the charges of fraud and conspiracy, the outcomes of which are still being determined in this non-jury trial. The crucial moment of evidence happened when McConney was shown a draft of Trump's 2014 net worth statement, which is known as People's Exhibit 3054. The handwritten notation from McConney that said, "DJT To Get Final Review," was included in the document. This blue-inked note turned into a strategic piece for the case when McConney attested that it was his handwriting and that he understood Trump would examine each yearly net-worth declaration until 2017.
As per Business Insider, for over a decade, Trump has repeatedly denied having any input on the preparation of these net-worth statements. Both the trial judge and New York Attorney General Letitia James have claimed that these claims were routinely overstated by billions of dollars per year. For example, it is claimed that the disputed 2014 statement included $3.5 billion worth of exaggerations. "I believe there was a step in between, that involved Donald Trump, before 2017?" Amer asked McConney, who appeared uncomfortable on the stand as he admitted that Trump indeed did the ultimate signing off of the financial spreadsheets. The Republican leader, however, denied knowing who wrote "DJT to get final review" on the 2014 draft during a pre-trial deposition.
McConney scribbled a critical warning in the 2015 draft, stating, "This computation also includes forecasted deals that have not been signed yet." McConney suggested in the note that Trump forgo listing approximately $151 million in fictitious assets on the net worth statement, claiming that these agreements "have not been signed yet." Additionally, it looks like the attorney general's office is prepared to contend that these handwritten notes demonstrate that McConney, Weisselberg, and Trump conspired to manipulate the figures every year purposefully. As per CNN, the former Trump employee broke down in tears after being interrogated on the witness stand, “I just couldn’t do it anymore,” McConney said. “I just wanted to relax and stop being accused of misrepresenting assets for the company that I loved working for.”
“I feel proud of what I did. I think everything was justified. Numbers don’t represent fully what these assets are worth,” McConney said. “I got to do a lot of things normally an accountant wouldn’t be able to do. I’m very proud of the work I did for 35 years. However, he became irate and declared, "I gave up," following several years of inquiries that claimed he had inflated asset valuations on Trump's financial records. After the trial, it may be shown that Trump's side neglected to keep and produce the papers that state subpoenas demanded, given that these incriminating, handwritten drafts were turned over to the authorities by Mazars rather than the Trump Organization.
