Andrew Weissmann: ‘This Is Not Some Sweetheart Deal But This Is Pretty Standard’

MITCHELL Andrew Weissman you ░░░░░░░░ former general counsel to ░░░░░░░░ FBI Here you ve ░░░░░░░░ someone who had these ░░░░░░░░ dollar deals with foreign ░░░░░░░░ He s the son ░░░░░░░░ so it s a ░░░░░░░░ of interest you could ░░░░░░░░ in terms of appearance ░░░░░░░░ there s no legal ░░░░░░░░ there We can stipulate ░░░░░░░░ But just the fact ░░░░░░░░ he didn t pay ░░░░░░░░ taxes he had a ░░░░░░░░ and a half dollars ░░░░░░░░ to this in income ░░░░░░░░ did not pay any ░░░░░░░░ for two years I ░░░░░░░░ the excuse that they ░░░░░░░░ giving the explanation I ░░░░░░░░ say is that he ░░░░░░░░ addicted and was not ░░░░░░░░ I mean how does ░░░░░░░░ hold that up WEISSMANN ░░░░░░░░ just to be clear ░░░░░░░░ excuse or explanation they ░░░░░░░░ they re giving up ░░░░░░░░ he is going to ░░░░░░░░ guilty to doing this ░░░░░░░░ So you know one ░░░░░░░░ between him and other ░░░░░░░░ like the former president ░░░░░░░░ he is actually pleading ░░░░░░░░ and you do get ░░░░░░░░ benefit if you plead ░░░░░░░░ Lots of people have ░░░░░░░░ about to take the ░░░░░░░░ situation that if he ░░░░░░░░ pleading guilty he might ░░░░░░░░ well have been treated ░░░░░░░░ David Petraeus and other ░░░░░░░░ who are who who ░░░░░░░░ generally are treated better ░░░░░░░░ you plead guilty in ░░░░░░░░ legal system Under the ░░░░░░░░ guidelines there actually is ░░░░░░░░ provision for that And ░░░░░░░░ underscore your question to ░░░░░░░░ it really is important ░░░░░░░░ know first who made ░░░░░░░░ decision here It is ░░░░░░░░ Trump holdover who made ░░░░░░░░ decision who did the ░░░░░░░░ the Tax Division has ░░░░░░░░ sign off on this ░░░░░░░░ that should give people ░░░░░░░░ comfort that this is ░░░░░░░░ some sweetheart deal but ░░░░░░░░ is pretty standard My ░░░░░░░░ experience is that first ░░░░░░░░ tax defenses like this ░░░░░░░░ generally treated pretty leniently ░░░░░░░░ well as the the ░░░░░░░░ count which is a ░░░░░░░░ trial diversion There s ░░░░░░░░ issues that that statute ░░░░░░░░ be unconstitutional So I ░░░░░░░░ that all in all ░░░░░░░░ seems like a very ░░░░░░░░ resolution.”