RIDING ON WHAT FACES THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION IN THIS CRIMINAL PROBE IN THE DAYS AHEAD. NOW, TONIGHT, THERE IS NO WAY I CAN REPORT THIS, WITHOUT MENTIONING OUR OWN REPORTING ON THIS VERY SHOW BECAUSE IT HAS BECOME PART OF THE LEGAL NEWS, ITSELF. TODAY, A WITNESS, LINKED TO TRUMPS MONEY MAN, NOW AT THE CENTER OF THIS PROBE, ALANLEN WEISSELBERG, IS SAYING THAT HE, WEISSELBERG, IS BEHIND A PUSH TO EVICT HER, THAT IS RETRIBUTION FOR HER SPEAKING OUT. THE WITNESS, YOU MAY RECOGNIZE, HIS FORMER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, WHO MADE NEWS WITH HER DETAILED COMMENTS IN AN INTERVIEW ON "THE BEAT" THIS WEEK, WHICH CAME ON THE EVE OF THE BOMBSHELL NEWS THAT THERE IS A NEW GRAND JURY, SIGNALING THE RISK OF INDICTMENTS OR JAIL TIME, IN THIS VERY CASE. SHE WENT ON TO EXPLAIN THAT, QUOTE, I SPOKE ABOUT THE TRUMP PAYROLL CORPORATION ON "THE BEAT." WEISSELBERG SAYING THAT, AFTER SHE SPOKE ABOUT THOSE ISSUES ON "THE BEAT," INCLUDING DESCRIBED POTENTIAL OR ALLEGED CRIMES, SHE WAS THREATENED WITH A SUDDEN-EVICTION NOTICE. AND REMEMBER, INVESTIGATORS HAVE SPOKEN TO MICHAEL COHEN AND HER AS THEY GATHER EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE. HERE IS SOME OF WHAT SHE TOLD ME IN THAT INTERVIEW, SHE JUST REFERENCED. >> STARTED, IMMEDIATELY, HIDING MONEY IN ESCROW. TAXES. TAX FRAUD. TAX EVASION. WHEN DONALD SAYS NUMBERS OR CERTAIN THINGS AND THEN ALAN SAYS NUMBERS OF CERTAIN THINGS, THEYRE NOT ADDING UP. CONFIDENTIALLY, HAVING THEM CUT CHECKS THAT WOULD MAKE HIM VULNERABLE TO TAX EVASION, TAX FRAUD. >> THAT IS SOME OF WHAT WEISSELBERG WAS TELLING US. NOW, SHE SAYS, THOSE ALLEGATIONS AND HER SPEAKING ABOUT WHAT SHE SAYS IS HER TRUTHFUL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITUATION, GOT THE ATTENTION OF THE MAN AT THE CENTER OF THIS PROBE. SO, HERE ARE HER NEW COMMENTS TODAY. >> ALLEN WEISSELBERG IS ON MY LEASE. YESTERDAY, I WAS SERVED AT -- AT -- TO LEAVE MY APARTMENT WITHIN THE NEXT-SEVEN DAYS. SO THATS A THREAT. ITS A THREAT. >> YOU WERE SERVED TO LEAVE YOUR APARTMENT WITHIN THE NEXT-SEVEN DAYS? >> YEP, THEY ARE KICKING ME OUT. >> HE IS TRYING TO FORCE YOU OUT OF YOUR APARTMENT? >> YES. >> WHAT WAS IT, SPECIFICALLY, DO YOU THINK, THAT YOUVE DONE OR SAID THAT HAS CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN? >> SO MONDAY NIGHT, ON ANOTHER NETWORK, I APPEARED WITH MICHAEL COHEN. I SPOKE ABOUT DETAILS ABOUT THE TRUMP PAYROLL CORP. ON THAT SHOW. AND SO, I SPOKE ABOUT HOW I KNOW HE IS HIDING MONEY IN ESCROW. AND HAVING CHECKS CUT, TAX CRIMES, THERE IS DEFINITELY TAX FRAUD. THERE IS DEFINITELY TAX EVASION. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE IS JUST A LOT OF -- FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY SEEM REALLY NERVOUS. >> THAT IS JUST WOW. I MEAN, SHES AN INSIDER. SHE SAYS THEY SEEM REALLY NERVOUS. SHE ALLEGES THIS DIRECT RETALIATION FOR WHAT SHE SAID, RIGHT ON THIS PROGRAM, THIS WEEK. THIS IS A KEY WITNESS. WE INTERVIEWED HER JOURNALISTICALLY TO LEARN WHAT SHE IS TELLING THESE PROSECUTORS. WHO ARE NOW NEWLY FORTIFIED, STRENGTHENED, LEGALLY, IF YOU WILL, BY THIS TOOL OF THE GRAND JURY. AND NOW, WE KNOW, SHES TELLING THEM THAT TRUMPS MONEY MAN DID CRIME FOR TRUMP. I CANT CONFIRM FOR YOU WHETHER THATS TRUE, YET, OR NOT. I CAN TELL YOU, THOUGH, FROM OUR REPORTING, FROM WHAT WEVE GATHERED AND WHAT SHE, NOW, IS MAKING NEWS ABOUT. WHAT SHE ALREADY TOLD US. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. THIS IS WHAT SHE IS TELLING INVESTIGATORS. IF SHE OR SOMEONE CAN BACK UP THAT ALLEGATION, THAT THEY ARE DOING CRIME OVER AT THE TRUMP ORG, WITH EVIDENCE. WELL, THIS THING IS MOVING FAST. AND I WANT TO JUST RUN BACK THE KEY PART THERE. THE KIND OF CLAIMS SHE IS MAKING. TAKE A LOOK. >> THERES DEFINITELY TAX FRAUD. THERES DEFINITELY TAX EVASION. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE IS JUST A LOT OF -- FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY SEEM REALLY NERVOUS. >> THERE IS DEFINITELY TAX FRAUD. THERES DEFINITELY TAX EVASION. THOSE ARE HER CLAIMS ROOTED IN WHAT SHES LIVED THROUGH, AND WHAT SHE KNOWS. AND ITS CERTAINLY NOT MAKING HER LIFE ANY EASIER BECAUSE SHE SAYS SHES ALREADY FACING RETALIATION FOR THE COMMENTS SHE MADE ON THE PROGRAM HERE. NOW, WE CONTACTED ALLEN WEISSELBERGS ATTORNEY ABOUT ALL THIS. WERE ALWAYS READY TO LEARN ANYTHING THEY WANT TO SAY. MR. WEISSELBERG CAN COME ON THE PROGRAM, BUT IN THIS SITUATION, HE MAY NOT. BUT PERHAPS, THE ATTORNEY WANTS TO GIVE CONTEXT OR EVEN A DENIAL OF THE ALLEGATION THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO EVICT HER, OR HAVE SOME SORT OF RETALIATION FOR HER FREE-SPEECH RIGHTS TO TALK. I CAN TELL YOU, THE WEISSELBERG ATTORNEY HAD NO COMMENT, AT THIS TIME. WHEN YOU TAKE THIS ALL TOGETHER, YOU SEE WHY WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE CASE THIS WAY. IF YOU HAPPEN TO WATCH "THE BEAT" REGULARLY, YOU WILL KNOW THAT WE WERE ON THIS, THIS WEEK, BECAUSE WE SAW SIGNS, EVIDENCE, THAT THIS WAS ESCALATING. THEN, WE REPORTED AND CONFIRMED WHAT "THE WASHINGTON POST" HAD, FIRST, REPORTED. THE GRAND JURY. WHICH CHANGES EVERYTHING. AND NOW, YOUVE SEEN, IN A MATTER OF DAYS, THE LEVEL OF RESPONSE TO THAT. I WILL SAY, THE LEVEL OF RESPONSE, ALLEGEDLY. ALTHOUGH, AGAIN, THE WIEGEISSELB SIDE NOT DENYING OR REBUTTING ANY OF WHAT HIS FORMER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AND SAYING. THAT, WHEN SHE CAME OUT, AND SAID WORDS ABOUT WHAT GOES ON AT TRUMP ORG AND WHAT HE IS DOING, SHE SAYS HE RETALIATED TO SILENCE HER. WERE JOINED RIGHT NOW BY SOMEONE WHO WORKED DIRECTLY IN THIS POWERFUL MANHATTAN D.A.S OFFICE, DANIEL ALONZO, FORMER WATERGATE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR, WHO ALSO WORKED AT SDNY AND HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH THESE KIND OF COMPLEX CASES. AND A WRITER WITH "NEW YORK TIMES" MAGAZINE. THANKS TO EACH OF YOU FOR JOINING US. I AM GOING TO START WITH YOU, NICK, BECAUSE SOME OF THIS PLAYING OUT WITH HARDBALL AND PUBLIC BACK AND FORTH IS REMINISCENT OF SOME OF THE KINDS OF HIGH-PROFILE CASES YOUVE HAD TO HANDLE. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHAT MS. WEISSELBERG SAYS IS ALLEGED RETALIATION FOR THE COMMENTS SHE, FIRST, MADE ON THIS SHOW? >> WELL, IT VERY WELL COULD BE WITNESS TAMPERING OR OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE. I MEAN, ALLEN WEISSELBERG IS THE GUARANTOR ON HER LEASE, A LEASE WHICH SHE IS BEEN EVICTED IN SEVEN DAYS WHICH IS UNHEARD OF IN NEW YORK. I DONT THINK YOU COULD ACTUALLY DO IT BECAUSE A COURT WOULDNT EVICT SOMEBODY IN SEVEN DAYS. BUT THE IDEA THAT HES TRYING TO DO THIS, AMOUNTS TO WITNESS TAMPERING. IT AMOUNTS TO OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE AND WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS WHETHER HE IS DOING IT WITH A CORRUPT INTENT. AN IMPROPER PURPOSE. MEANING, THAT HE IS DOING IT TO SILENCE HER OR TO, SOMEHOW, INFLUENCE HER TESTIMONY. AND THAT IS WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE. NOW, WE NEED MORE FACTS. WE NEED TO KNOW, EXACTLY, HOW THIS CAME FORWARD, WHAT WAS SAID? HOW DID SHE GET IT? WHAT WAS THE NOTICE THAT SHE RECEIVED? WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SENDING THAT NOTICE? THESE ARE, ALL, QUESTIONS, AS A PROSECUTOR, I WOULD BE ASKING. BUT ON THE SURFACE -- >> YEAH. NICK -- NICK, LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD. AND IM NOT TRYING TO BE OVERLY SIMPLISTIC HERE. BUT IF YOU ARE ACCUSED, IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE, OF THESE TYPE OF CRIMES. TAX EVASION AND OTHER MALFEASANCE AT THE TRUMP ORG. AND THERE IS AN OPEN-GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION. IF YOU HAVE EVIDENCE TO REBUT IT, WOULDNT THE BEST COURSE, EVEN THOUGH MANY PEOPLE WOULD TELL THE CLIENT TO STAY QUIET. WOULDNT THE BEST COURSE BE FOR THE LAWYERS TO START EXPLAINING WHY ITS NOT TRUE? I MEAN, WHY ARENT WE HEARING THAT? >> WELL, AT LEAST THE LAWYERS COULD DO IT. BUT AGAIN, I MEAN, THEY ARE SITTING BACK WAITING TO DETERMINE WHAT THEIR DEFENSE ACTUALLY IS HERE. I MEAN, THEY DONT KNOW WHAT FACTS, YET, THE GOVERNMENT HAS. THEY DONT KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE TO REBUT, REALLY. IF THEY GO OUT THERE AND TRY AND REBUT EVERY SINGLE ALLEGATION THAT COMES FORWARD, THEYRE JUST GOING TO TIE THEMSELVES IN KNOTS AND MAKE THEIR CLIENT LOOK A LOT WORSE. SO AS A GENERAL MATTER, AT LEAST IN MY PRACTICE, I NEVER MAKE STATEMENTS TO THE PRESS CONCERNING A CLIENTS MATTER OR TRY -- >> SO, YOU WOULDNT -- YOU WOULDNT READ -- AND I SAY THIS, ALSO, IN FAIRNESS -- YOU WOULDNT READ MUCH, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, INTO THE FACT THAT, ALTHOUGH WE GAVE THE WEISSELBERG SIDE AN OPPORTUNITY, THAT THEYRE NOT SAYING ANYTHING? >> NO, I WOULDNT READ MUCH INTO THAT. BUT I WOULD READ SOMETHING INTO THE FACT THAT THIS WOMAN IS SAYING THAT SHES BEING RETALIATED AGAINST. THAT SHES BEING EVICTED FROM AN APARTMENT, WHERE ALLEN WEISSELBERG IS THE GUARANTOR ON THE RENT. I MEAN, THAT JUST, ON THE SURFACE, SMACKS OF OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE AND WITNESS TAMPERING WHICH ARE, BOTH, FEDERAL CRIMES AND STATE CRIMES. WITNESS TAMPERING, IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM, CARRIES A SENTENCE OF 20 YEARS IN PRISON. I MEAN, IT IS MORE SERIOUS THAN THE TAX EVADING. THIS IS, CLEARLY, ONE OF THOSE CASES WHERE THE COVERUP COULD WIND UP BEING MUCH WORSE FOR ALLEN WEISSELBERG THAN THE ACTUAL CRIME THAT HES BEING INVESTIGATED FOR. >> SPOKEN LIKE A NIXON PROSECUTOR. LET ME PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF MICHAEL COHEN TALKING ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF COOPERATION. >> WHAT IS THE WORD OR SUBJECT THAT INVESTIGATORS ASKED MOST ABOUT? >> ALLEN WEISSELBERG. THEYRE GOING TO FLIP -- THEYRE GOING TO FLIP ON EACH OTHER LIKE ITS GOING OUT OF STYLE. >> DANIEL, YOU HAVE DONE THESE KIND OF INVESTIGATIONS OUT OF THAT VERY OFFICE. THERE IS MUCH WE DONT HEAR IN THE PUBLIC REALM. BUT THESE WITNESSES TOLD US, THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT WERE BEING ASKED ABOUT. WEISSELBERG. THE TRUMP KIDS. LESS SO, WE WERE TOLD AT LEAST BY JENNIFER, LESS SO, QUESTIONS ABOUT, SAY, GIULIANI, OR JARED KUSHNER. SO WE WERE SORT OF GETTING THE OUTLINE OF AT LEAST SOME OF THE TOPICS. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF EVERYTHING WE JUST DISCUSSED? HER NEW COMMENTS? AS WELL AS WHAT INVESTIGATORS ARE LOOKING AT? >> WELL, I THINK, WERE MAYBE GETTING AHEAD OF OURSELVES. FOR ONE THING, THERE IS NO SUCH CRIME AS OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE IN THE NEW YORK STATE SYSTEM. THERE IS WITNESS TAMPERING. BUT BASED ON THE FACTS THAT WE HAVE LAID OUT HERE, ITS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO MADE OUT. ITS POSSIBLE THAT ALLEN WEISSELBERG HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH EVICTING HER. AND THEN, IF YOU CAN CONNECT THE DOTS THAT THATS IN ORDER TO PREVENT HER FROM COMMUNICATING INFORMATION. SHE IS ABOUT TO BE CALLED AS A WITNESS. NEW YORK LAWS ARE NOT VERY BROAD IN THIS AREA. THEY ARE NOTHING LIKE THE FEDERAL LAWS THAT NICK WAS TALKING ABOUT. SO I DONT THINK THERES -- I MEAN, THERE IS A REASON TO ASK QUESTIONS, SURE. I MEAN, WHO -- WHY DID THAT HAPPEN? >> NO, LETS PAUSE ON THAT. DANIEL, LETS -- LETS PAUSE ON THAT POINT, WHICH IS YOURE TALKING ABOUT, AGAIN, TO REMIND EVERYONE, THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROBES. THERE IS A PROBE DOWN IN GEORGIA. THERE WERE FEDERAL INVESTIGATIONS IN THE MUELLER PROBE. YOU ARE MAKING AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THAT, IN YOUR VIEW, BECAUSE THIS IS IN THE LOCAL SIDE, THE D.A.S OFFICE, AND THAT BECAUSE THE EVICTION, HOWEVER UNSAVORY IT MAY SOUND, IT MAY SOUND LIKE A BULLYING TECHNICAL TACTIC BUT YOU ARE SAYING IF IT WAS AN OTHERWISE-LAWFUL PROCEEDING, THAT WOULDNT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF TAMPERING. >> WITHOUT MANY-MORE FACTS, INCLUDING SHE IS ABOUT TO BE CALLED AS A WITNESS. THAT WEISSELBERG WAS BEHIND THIS. THAT HE DID IT IN ORDER TO SOMEHOW PREVENT HER FROM -- FROM -- FROM COMMUNICATING WHAT SHE KNEW TO THE PROCEEDING, WHICH WOULD BE THE GRAND JURY IN THIS CASE. SO WE ARE A LONG WAY FROM THAT LEAP. YOU KNOW, THAT SAID, SURE. ANYTHING -- ANYTHINGS POSSIBLE. I THINK THE MORE SERIOUS THING FOR ALLEN WEISSELBERG TO WORRY ABOUT IS WHAT MICHAEL COHEN WAS TALKING ABOUT. ITS -- THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION AND ITS ACCOUNTING. THEYRE NOT LOOKING AT TRUMP, AS -- AS PRESIDENT, REALLY, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE STORMY DANIELS PAYMENT HAPPENED DURING THAT TIME. BUT THEY ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION.
