Current Manafort Trial Isn't Even About Russia. Why is [Redacted] So Freaked?

[TygrBright]

Trick question, which WaPo answers in the first sentence of this article.

"President Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort went on trial Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Va., where prosecutors charged that his personal fortune was propped up by years of lies to tax authorities and banks."

Boom.

From the nutshell: "His personal fortune was propped up by years of lies to tax authorities and banks."

THAT'S why [Redacted] is crapping his pants all over the tweeter machine right now. If they can actually prosecute a schlub like Manafort for THAT...

...OMG, whatta they gonna do to him?

He thought he'd get away clean. He's been getting away for decades. And now they're prosecuting someone for exactly what he's been doing all along.

Karma, dude.

amusedly,
Bright

[Jersey Devil]

1. Trump now knows what Gates told Mueller

Even though the info will not be used in the Manafort trial, as part of discovery Manafort's lawyers had to be shown just before trial all the previous statements that Gates has made to Mueller, whether relevant to the Manafort trial or not. So now Trump knows just how much trouble Gates can get him into.

[krawhitham]

10. THIS

That is why Giuliani mentioned a Pre "Russian meeting" meeting, Gates attended that meeting

[Jersey Devil]

11. good example

There's probably a ton of other stuff about to surface as well that's bad enough to put Don Jr and Jared in jail even if it doesn't nail Trump.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. "Collusion" isn't Trump's only crime. He's almost certainly been laundering money

and evading taxes for years and years - probably in some of the same ways as Manafort, through dodgy real estate transactions with Russian oligarchs. So even if Mueller can't bust him on conspiring with the Russians to swing the election, he can surely get him at least for tax evasion like Al Capone (who also had tertiary syphilis). Maybe there is evidence they've turned up while investigating Manafort (whom Trump has actually known for decades) that could implicate Trump in those or similar crimes. I think that's why the target is getting buggy right now.

[maxsolomon]

7. And it's precisely what Trump's said he would consider beyond Mueller's brief

Financial crimes of himself or his grifter family.

He's not "buggy". He's deliberately attacking the legitimacy of the investigation, and solidifying support for suppressing it among his voter base, who'll make life hell for any GOP pol with a semblance of loyalty to the Constitution. He does it every day, without any shame or ethical restraint.

It's a strategy.

[Jarqui]

12. Like Manafort, Trump is probably in debt to a Russian oligarch

(maybe/probably indirectly through his companies)

He seemingly had to turn to them when US and other banks wouldn't loan him any more dough in part because of all his bankruptcies.

If it comes out that Mueller is going through his finances in depth (which he probably already is to a significant extent ...), he'll fire Sessions and Mueller because it is his only long shot to keep himself out of jail.

At the moment the polls show it is in their best interest and folks who also had their hands in the Russian cookie jar aren't calling the shots, the GOP will dump him and install Pence. They care about as much for Trump as Trump does immigrant children separated from their parents.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

3. If Manafort gets proven as a crook--even on an unrelated matter--it doesn't look good for him.

You know, associating with criminals and what not.

Of course, we all know Trump himself is a criminal, but this would just underscore it.

[marylandblue]

4. Trump and pals have been extra buggy since last week

I think it has more to do with Cohen saying he knew about the Russia meeting and that Cohen taped him taking about payoffs.

[SWBTATTReg]

5. It just goes to show you that these guys will do anything for money, anything!

So much for the high minded idea of a great America! Screw that, show me the money! (this is what rump, and his whole crowd of cronies are saying).

Traitors, all of them!

[kwassa]

6. Trump is guilty of something, and he knows it.

Most likely, his kompromat is financial, with links to Russian oligarchs who have major dirt on him.

[emulatorloo]

8. Great op-ed thanks for posting it.

[Hekate]

9. Delicious

[kentuck]

13. Good question Bright!

Manafort's trial is not even about the Russia investigation? Why is the trump so concerned about it?

He doesn't want people to know that he has known Manafort since the 1980's.