The reporter who was able to get a copy of one of Trump’s tax returns and the same guy who wrote the book on the Trumps’ financial methods (Three books, actually), David Clay Johnston, now predicts that the state of New York, whether through the Attorney General’s office or the Manhattan D.A.’s office, will bring racketeering charges against the Trumps.

From his CNN interview this morning:

Well, Donald Bender, the Mazars accountant who prepares Trump’s tax returns testified before the Manhattan grand jury and New York has this very unusual law, if you testify before the grand jury, you are granted immunity. That’s not true at the federal level and in other states. So, he no longer is in concern personally for anything he may have done, from the Manhattan prosecutors.”

All of which is true, but one can bet that Mazars will be doing all they can to be good citizens going forward. They knew what they were doing and that the numbers were not making sense.

“But, it does mean that Mazars is helping the prosecutors put together the, what I expect, will be a racketeering case. A New York state racketeering case against Trump, the Trump Organization, Allen Weissingberg and probably Donald’s three older children. 

All of which makes perfect sense if he was talking about any family that hadn’t occupied the White House and didn’t have the cult following that Trump has. There is no question that the Manhattan D.A. could bring some kind of fraud case based solely upon the testimony of Michael Cohen, Mary Trump, and the Trump tax returns. Racketeering is more serious, but they can likely prove it.

The issue remains the problems Trump will cause for the city and state with respect to security concerns, Trump’s mouth, the likelihood of a verdict, the appeals.. This country hit “hot” Civil War for a few hours last January, it wouldn’t take much for Trump to heat it up again and that must weigh on their minds.

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[email protected] with Nicole Hickman