Trump associate's perjury caused Engoron to 'slam on the brakes' on fraud ruling: expert

The judge who holds the fate of Donald Trump's real estate empire in a stroke of his pen is likely stalling to deliver a verdict now that it was learned the Trump Organization's former finance chief Allen Weisselberg is negotiating a deal to plead guilty to perjury.

Former federal prosecutor Elie Honig appeared on CNN's "The Source" with Kaitlan Collins to explain how it's more than likely Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron requested more time to render a verdict in the $370 million civil fraud trial now that he and the world know that Weisselberg is hashing out a plea.

"If I'm in Judge Engoron's position here, and getting ready to issue a big verdict and ruling, and now I've heard this, and we've all heard it, that one of the key witnesses committed perjury in front of me — I slam on the brakes and say, 'I'm not going to rule until I know the specifics of this,'" he said.

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Honig suggested Weisselberg's testimony was likely proven to be shaky.

"I think it's likely the judge discredited Weisselberg's testimony anyway because it was contradicted," he said.

Weisselberg answered "I don't recall" to dozens of questions when he took the stand in the civil trial brought by New York Attorney Letitia James accusing him, former President Donald Trump, his grown-up sons, Eric and Don Jr., and the company of committing years of widespread fraud.

He also called it a "coincidence" that he secured a $2 million severance from the Trump Organization — mirroring the $2 million he was ordered to pay in tax-fraud fines and interest in 2022.

The consequences of this plea could affect the judge's decision.

"If you're going to issue a ruling and it turns out Weisselberg lied, that's going to harm the Trump Organization when it comes time for the verdict," said Honig.

And it bears serious stakes for the 45th president as he sweats out the judge's decision.

Honig explained that the plea and the delay are "a problem for Donald Trump because he's going to be on the receiving end of this verdict."

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