In a recent development, Donald Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, has strongly criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for charging the former president with falsifying business records. The charge came after Allen Weisselberg, Trump's longtime financial advisor, pleaded guilty to perjury in relation to his testimony during a civil fraud trial brought forward by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Blanche, in a scathing letter addressed to Bragg, expressed concerns about the upcoming criminal trial and suggested that presenting evidence from Trump's ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, would have serious legal and ethical consequences. Cohen, who has faced accusations of perjury himself, played a significant role in the civil case filed by James against Trump. Blanche accused the prosecution of turning a blind eye to similar allegations against Cohen while seeking a perjury plea deal for Weisselberg.

The civil case, overseen by Judge Arthur Engoron, found Trump guilty of filing fraudulent financial statements for several years, artificially inflating the value of his properties and assets. Weisselberg falsely claimed while under oath that Trump's luxury triplex apartment in Trump Tower was worth $327 million based on its exaggerated size. However, a Forbes magazine article disputed this claim, revealing that Weisselberg had been involved in trying to convince Forbes that the apartment was worth more than it actually was.

Blanche further criticized Bragg, accusing him of prosecutorial misconduct for pursuing a plea deal with Weisselberg while ignoring similar allegations against Cohen in the civil case. Trump and his legal team have frequently accused Cohen of lying under oath, alleging that he had been instructed to inflate the value of assets in financial statements.

The letter from Blanche asserts that if the prosecution presents testimony from Cohen in the criminal trial, it would have adverse effects on the integrity of the proceedings and raise questions about the ethical conduct of individual prosecutors involved. Blanche also criticized Engoron's findings regarding Cohen's credibility, arguing that the judge facilitated a sham trial and failed to consider Cohen's perjury.

Bragg's office has been contacted for comments on the matter. Meanwhile, Trump is scheduled to stand trial on the 25th of March, facing 34 charges related to allegations that he instructed Cohen to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep their alleged affair a secret before the 2016 election. Cohen, who has become a vocal critic of Trump, is expected to be a key witness for the prosecution in the criminal case. Engoron previously ordered Trump to pay a penalty of $454 million in the civil case.

Weisselberg, who has pleaded guilty to perjury, is facing a potential jail sentence of up to five months. His sentencing is set to take place in April. Notably, Weisselberg had previously served 100 days of a five-month sentence after pleading guilty to 15 felony charges in a separate case related to a tax evasion scheme conducted by the Trump Organization.