Manafort to appear in Virginia court in bid to have fraud charges dismissed
Source: The Washington Post
By Rachel Weiner May 4 at 6:00 AM
Prosecutors investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election will appear in a Virginia court Friday to argue for the charges against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort.
Manafort is seeking to have bank and tax fraud charges against him dismissed in federal court in Alexandria, arguing that the alleged crimes having nothing to do with the election or with President Trump.
He has filed similar motions in D.C. federal court, where he faces charges of money laundering, making false statements, failing to follow lobbying disclosure laws and working as an unregistered foreign agent.
Lawyers working for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III have in response revealed some details of the secretive probe, including portions of a memorandum authorizing Mueller to investigate whether Manafort illegally coordinated with Russia in 2016.
Read more: 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
kysrsoze
(6,021 posts)Leghorn21
(13,524 posts)RandySF
(58,823 posts)emulatorloo
(44,124 posts)Wwcd
(6,288 posts)His findings were broad and criminal activity included anything related to or NOT related to Trump.
I don't see how any of this gets dropped.
Hasn't PM been under investigation long before he was involved with Trump?
I think Lawrence Tribe had a piece on Manafort awhile back.
Manafort's criminal activity with Trump just adds to the list they already have on him.
emulatorloo
(44,124 posts)By Spencer S. Hsu and Rosalind S. Helderman April 3
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/justice-official-authorized-mueller-to-investigate-whether-trump-campaign-chair-colluded-with-russia/2018/04/03/ffa78ac4-3738-11e8-acd5-35eac230e514_story.html?utm_term=.7d16eca66e09
The new filings show that Rosenstein specifically approved lines of investigation for the special counsel in an August 2017 memo. A version of the memo filed in court showed that Rosenstein signed off on an investigation of whether Manafort committed a crime or crimes by colluding with Russian government officials and of Manaforts work as an international political consultant in Ukraine before joining Trumps campaign.
Wwcd
(6,288 posts)So much news passes by quickly. Key pieces like this reinforces the fact that we are NOT losing our minds.
So basically Manafort's request is theater.
barbtries
(28,794 posts)manafort exposed himself when he signed up for the campaign. i'll be disgusted if he prevails in this argument.
emulatorloo
(44,124 posts)and Mueller has provided the supporting documentation. So sounds like Manafort doesnt have a leg to stand on.
angrychair
(8,699 posts)When your argument is process, not content, you are guilty.
They know they will lose but this is really meant to establish an appeal on process.
jmowreader
(50,557 posts)Bank fraud and tax fraud committed as part of Trump's election campaign: very bad, prosecutable offenses.
Bank fraud and tax fraud committed for your own personal ends: perfectly fine things to do.
OliverQ
(3,363 posts)a Reagan-appointed old white man. sounds like he's joined the cult and forgot why he's a judge.
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,446 posts)Occasionally lifetime appointment makes judges feel able to tell big truths: prosecutors charge crimes they normally wouldnt to flip defendants against the people they want.
Link to tweet
Retweeted by LoomingCrisisHat: https://twitter.com/Popehat
Judge Ellis really taking it to the special counsel: In a time honored practice [of prosecutors] which Im fully familiar with ... you can tighten the screws and they can provide information in what youre really interested in. That appears to be whats happening here.
Link to tweet
More from the Judge:
"You don't really care about Mr. Manafort's bank fraud," Judge Ellis said to prosecutor Michael Dreeben. Ellis said they were interested in Manafort because of his potential to provide material that would lead to Trump's "prosecution or impeachment.
Link to tweet