Call on Manafort Trial Judge to Recuse Himself

[srcameron]

Judge T.S. Ellis has made remarks in court accusing the prosecution in being more interested in getting after Donald Trump than in Paul Manafort. This is absolutely inappropriate and should grounds to demand that Judge Ellis recuse himself from this case. The statements are so obviously blatant and biased that the only reason they do not come as surprise is exactly because we are living in the Trump era. This is an absolute shame, and his behavior is a mockery of the oath he was supposed to have taken as a judge. Something needs to be done about this pronto.

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Future will be hundreds of horrible sycophants appointed by the fascist

who is now in the WH.

Our courts is where everything happens and is decided, these assholes will destroy the country.

[Blue_true]

22. The thing that is frying my ass m.

Is that the likes of Sarandon, West, et al, are as silent as church mice, after the shitstorm they caused in 2016. They are closet facists, IMO.

[quartz007]

31. Yes, what happened in Iowa today?

Abortions will be illegal after 16 weeks? PP is filing a suit, and hopefully the judge will not be sycophant.

[procon]

2. Who is saying this?

What source is this from; the link is missing.

[Cattledog]

3. Federal judge says special counsel wants Manafort to 'sing' about Trump

A federal judge in Virginia on Friday sharply questioned the motivations of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s fraud prosecution of President Trump’s former campaign manager, saying it was aimed at getting him to provide evidence against the president.

Judge T.S. Ellis III’s comments came during a hearing in Alexandria federal court, where attorneys for Paul Manafort argued that bank- and tax-fraud charges against him are outside the scope of the special counsel’s authority. While the judge has yet to rule and indicated that he may well decide in favor of prosecutors, his scrutiny of their approach quickly became a rallying cry for supporters of the president.

“You don’t really care about Mr. Manafort’s bank fraud,” said Ellis, who is known for being combative with attorneys in his courtroom. “You really care about getting information Mr. Manafort can give you that would reflect on Mr. Trump and lead to his prosecution or impeachment.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/manafort-to-appear-in-virginia-court-in-bid-to-have-fraud-charges-dismissed/2018/05/03/c3b0acb0-4ca2-11e8-b725-92c89fe3ca4c_story.html?utm_term=.207ff32be072

[procon]

6. Thanks, but that's not what I was asking.

The OP's title states, "Call on Manafort Trial Judge to Recuse Himself".

I can't validate that claim, so who is saying this?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. We can't "call on" the judge to do anything.

If the prosecutors think the judge can't make unbiased decisions they can make a recusal motion. Nobody else has standing to do that, and certainly not members of the public.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

35. You're saying that we, as Americans, who are subjected to Traitor-Nazi tRump's tyranny

every single day in this country don't have standing?! BullSHIT!!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

36. The prosecution represents the people. However,

only the prosecutor, in that capacity, has the procedural right to call for the recusal of a judge. I do not and you do not. If you call the courthouse and tell the judge he was biased and has to recuse himself you would get nowhere. Only the party who has reason to believe the judge cannot rule fairly can move for recusal. If anybody who was pissed off at a judge could make that demand, don't you think the wingnuts would be doing that every day, all day, every time Trump complains that a judge who rules against him was unfair or not a real judge? There are procedures for these things. Everyone has to follow them or we have no law.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

38. I hear you... AND believe you. Just sayin' it's a ridiculous justice system we have.

I could go on and on about ALL the reasons, not just in this particular case.

[B2G]

44. Perhaps you would prefer

Judicial decisions via an internet poll?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

45. Couldn't do worse. haha!

Certainly wouldn't care if it led to the tRumpster fire's downfall.

[left-of-center2012]

4. I think the O.P. poster is asking this

[Blue_true]

23. News article today.

The judge attacked the Special Counsel, accusing them of charging Manafort in a way that will make him flip on Trump. The judge also demanded to know how much of the original money allocated to the Special Counsel had been spent. The judge was very hostile to the Special Counsel.

[procon]

24. Thanks anyway, but I asked WHO is calling on the judge to recuse himself?

I'm guessing the OP made it up and forgot to add that sarcasm thingy.

[left-of-center2012]

5. I think it could be grounds for an appeal

[PJMcK]

8. Could the prosecutors ask for the judge's recusal?

I'm not a lawyer so I'm asking from a layman's point of view.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

12. Yes.

They would have to file an affidavit setting forth evidence that the judge is not impartial.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. Probably not unless a timely recusal motion is made and denied.

I don't think an interlocutory appeal can be taken, though.

[Skidmore]

7. So we should

corrupt the process??

[B2G]

9. On what grounds?

Asking the prosecution questions we don't like?

[Snotcicles]

27. +1. nt

[elleng]

28. Thanks,

and this here (anyway) without hearing the entire colloquy.

[Shrike47]

10. No, no, no. Don't politicize the judiciary.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. A recusal motion has to be made by (on behalf of) a party if the judge doesn't do it

voluntarily. If the prosecutors think it's necessary and the criteria are met I assume they'll do it. Recusal by the judge himself, without a motion being filed, is mandatory in “any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” Or else a party can file an affidavit setting forth evidence of bias. We'll see if they do this.

[Generic Brad]

15. There are three possible reasons why the judge did this today

1) He has been bribed.
2) He has been threatened.
3) He's a fucking idiot who does not belong on the bench.

[greyl]

16. 4) Getting prosecution's response on record. nt

[jberryhill]

47. Then why did he rule against Manafort today?

[Kaleva]

17. That is the kind of behaviour Freepers engage in.

They want judges who don't act the way they'd like to be impeached, recused, jailed for treason, or forced to retire.

Why not let Team Mueller handle this?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

19. Don't. Contacting the judge is stupid and useless.

If the prosecutors think the judge is too biased to continue in the case they'll move for recusal. Griping by members of the public will have no effect at all, nor should it.

[jberryhill]

29. Trollin, trollin, trollin... keep those dogies rollin... rawhide.. yeeeha!

[Exotica]

20. Reagan appointee, 31 years on the Fed bench

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Ellis_III

Education and career
Born on May 15, 1940, in Bogotá, Colombia, Ellis graduated from Princeton University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in 1961. Ellis served in the United States Navy as a Naval aviator from 1961 to 1966. Ellis earned a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1969. Harvard awarded Ellis a Knox Fellowship for study in England. He then received a Diploma in Law in 1970 from Magdalen College, Oxford University. Ellis then entered private practice with the law firm of Hunton & Williams (now Hunton Andrews Kurth), founded in Richmond, Virginia, where he remained until 1987. His practice included a wide range of commercial litigation matters. He often worked with fellow Hunton & Williams attorney John Charles Thomas, who became Virginia's first African-American Supreme Court Justice. Ellis also was a lecturer at the College of William and Mary, from 1981 to 1983.[1]

Federal judicial service
Ellis was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on July 1, 1987, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia vacated by Judge Robert R. Merhige Jr.. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 5, 1987, and received his commission on August 6, 1987. He took senior status on April 1, 2007.[1] He continues to hear cases in the Eastern District of Virginia, and also has been empowered to hear cases in the Western District of Virginia. Ellis has issued over 1,000 published decisions during his tenure. Ellis also occasionally sits by designation on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

25. That's not him.

This is Ellis:


Your photo is of Rep. William Jefferson, who was tried for bribery in 2009. Jefferson turns up in some Google images when searching for Ellis because Ellis was the judge in Jefferson's trial.

[Exotica]

41. yes, I see now, wikipedia and many other websites linked to wrong picture

I saw born in Bogata, Colombia and didn't think twice

[jberryhill]

26. When did he change his skin tone?

[Exotica]

42. wikipedia and many other websites linked to wrong pic, sorry

see my reply above

[Blue_true]

21. My guess is if he rules against Mueller, Mueller should appeal if possible.

I read the judges comments today, there is no way a higher court won't overturn any ruling he makes against the Special Counsel. The judge's bias against Mueller was clear.

[triron]

30. Unless he is throwing a curve ball.

[pangaia]

32. THAT was the opinion expresses in another thread here.

That he is covering bases for the prosecution in the event he rules for them and manafort's lawyer appeals.

[quartz007]

33. Appeal? How long will that take?

In the meanwhile tRump is free to appoint many more Ellis type judges all over the country?

Memo to Mr Mueller...could you please speed things up a little? How long will it take before impeachment happens?

[Blue_true]

34. We need to vote in primaries this summer and definitely vote in November.

Republicans are spreading the claim that if democrats takeover congress, bad things will happen. They have already started their lies. Trump's base will be sure to vote, we much match them and beat them soundly. We can't have any of the purist BS that hurt us at voting time, we need to send a firm, hard message.

[quartz007]

43. Yap, Mueller can't do much before November 2018

The blue wave is coming! Mueller is probably waiting for change of congress. My only problem with that is it gives tRump many months to pack the courts with right wing ideologues.

[NCTraveler]

37. This seems a bit strange.

I see no reasons for recusal.

What are the judges options. Was there a challenge made by the defense and the judge is doing due diligence? Is the judge wondering why it is still under the Special Council and wasn’t handed off?

If you read the indictment it’s really clear that they have the goods on him. He was not doing anything complex

[leftynyc]

39. What would stop Mueller

From handing MAnaforts case to Eric schneiderman? Charge him in NY, trump can't pardon him, put him at the mercy of Cuomo. Why wouldn't that happen?

[oasis]

40. Ellis putting his bid in for the next SCOTUS opening. nt

[Oneironaut]

46. Um... If Trump did something wrong, wouldn't Manafort "singing" be the optimal option?

I really don’t get the judge’s point. If Trump is innocent, what would Manafort tell the FBI about? If not, why would getting someone to testify against him be a bad thing?