In a recent episode of the YouTube show "Justice Matters," former assistant U.S. attorney Glenn Kirschner claimed that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had effectively "neutralized" Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization. According to Kirschner, Weisselberg could have potentially been called as a defense witness for former President Donald Trump in his upcoming criminal trial concerning hush money payments.

The trial, set to begin on Monday, marks Trump's first criminal proceeding since being indicted in March 2023 on charges of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. Trump, who has vehemently denied all charges and insists they are politically motivated, could have relied on Weisselberg's testimony to bolster his defense.

However, Bragg reportedly took measures to "neutralize" Weisselberg by prosecuting him for perjury. Kirschner suggested that the district attorney pursued Weisselberg not only for his own crimes but also to prevent him from serving as a defense witness in Trump's trial. Weisselberg recently struck a deal with prosecutors and agreed to plead guilty to two felony counts for false statements made during a 2020 deposition with New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Weisselberg's false statements concerned his knowledge of the size of Trump's triplex apartment in Manhattan, a matter that was part of James's civil fraud lawsuit against the former president. The lawsuit alleges that Trump overstated the values of his assets in financial statements used to secure loans and make deals. Although Trump has not admitted to any wrongdoing, he was found liable for financial fraud and ordered by New York Judge Arthur Engoron in February to pay $355 million plus interest. Trump has appealed the judgment.

On Wednesday, Weisselberg received a sentence of five months in New York City's Rikers Island jail complex, adding to the legal troubles that have unfolded for him and the Trump Organization in recent years. This comes shortly after Weisselberg's release from jail in connection with a separate 2022 criminal tax fraud case against the organization.

Kirschner further explained that Weisselberg's lack of agreement to testify truthfully about Trump's alleged crimes would prevent him from being called as a prosecution witness in the hush money trial. However, the former prosecutor speculated that the defense may consider calling Weisselberg as a witness in an attempt to assert Trump's innocence. The credibility of such a move, in light of Weisselberg's involvement in a "15-year-long criminal scheme" during his tenure at the Trump Organization, remains questionable.

As the trial unfolds, the extent to which Weisselberg's absence as a potential witness will impact Trump's defense strategy will become clear. The proceedings will undoubtedly be closely watched, considering the significance of this criminal trial for the former president and the potential repercussions it may have on his political future.