Feb 28, 2019

House Intel Committee plans to bring in Trump Org. CFO Allen Weisselberg

Allen Weiselberg behind Donald Trump and Donald Trump Jr. Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

The House Intelligence Committee plans to bring in the Trump Organization's longtime Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg to testify, the Daily Beast first reported and a Democratic aide confirmed to Axios.

Why it matters: President Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen testified yesterday that Weisselberg was directly involved in Trump's sketchy legal practices. Cohen alleged that Weisselberg and Trump discussed reimbursements for hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels, and that Weisselberg was aware Trump committed potential insurance fraud by inflating his assets.

House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings said Thursday that the panel is also pursuing an interview with Weisselberg and other Trump Organization executives.

Worth noting: Weisselberg was granted immunity in August by federal prosecutors in New York for cooperating with their investigation. However, it appears Trump still has Weisselberg's loyalty. NBC reported yesterday that Weisselberg still works with The Trump Organization and has never been a cooperating witness against Trump.

Go deeper: The Trump Organization's coming "proctology exam"

Go deeper

Orion Rummler

Updated 28 mins ago - Politics & Policy

U.S. enters 6th day of nationwide protests over George Floyd's killing

A protest in Philadelphia on May 31. Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images

The D.C. National Guard is being called to assist police with protests, per AP, as protests continue past the city's 11 p.m. curfew.

What's happening: Police fired tear gas into a crowd of over 1,000 people in Washington, D.C.'s Lafayette Square across from the White House one hour before Sunday's 11 p.m. curfew, AP reports. Earlier in the night, protestors held a stand off in Lafayette Square, after previously breaking through a White House police barricade. A fire in the basement of the city's historic St. Johns Church was extinguished.

Go deeper (3 min. read)

Sara Fischer

Updated 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Journalists get caught in the crosshairs as protests unfold

A man waves a Black Lives Matter flag atop the CNN logo outside the CNN Center during a protest in response to the police killing of George Floyd, Atlanta, Georgia, May 29. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Dozens of journalists across the country tweeted videos Saturday night of themselves and their crews getting arrested, being shot at by police with rubber bullets, targeted with tear gas by authorities or assaulted by protesters.

Driving the news: The violence got so bad over the weekend that on Sunday the Cleveland police said the media was not allowed downtown unless "they are inside their place of business" — drawing ire from news outlets around the country, who argued that such access is a critical part of adequately covering protests.

Go deeper (2 min. read)

Rebecca Falconer

Updated 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Tanker truck plows into Minneapolis protesters

The tanker after plowing into protesters on the shut-down bridge in Minneapolis on Sunday evening. Authorities said it appeared protesters escaped injury. Photo: Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via Getty Images

Minnesota authorities said in a statement they're investigating as a criminal matter what happened with a truck that "drove into demonstrators" on a Minneapolis bridge Sunday evening while the eight-lane road was closed for a protest.

What they're saying: Minnesota Department of Public Safety tweeted, "Very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W, inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators. The truck driver was injured & taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He is under arrest. It doesn't appear any protesters were hit by the truck."

Go deeper (1 min. read)