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Ex-Trump campaign chief Manafort loses bid to dismiss Virginia charges

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posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:17 AM
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A second judge has refused to dismiss the case against Paul Manafort. Both judges have shown sympathy for Manafort in the past and have questioned Mueller's scope of investigation. Amy Berman is the first judge that has been vocal on the case and we have read about her here. Today's decision by T.S. Ellis, in contrast with his previous position, paints a very bleak picture for Manafort's defense.


Judge T.S. Ellis in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled that Special Counsel Robert Mueller was properly appointed by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in May 2017 and has the authority to prosecute Manafort.

He also disclosed that a classified August 2017 memo written by Rosenstein authorized Mueller to investigate allegations that Manafort “committed a crime or crimes by colluding with Russian government officials with respect to the Russian government’s efforts to interfere with the 2016 election.”


Manafort has been indicted in Washington and in Virginia and will stand two trials. Virginia is set to begin next month and Washington in September.


Manafort’s argument for dismissing the case had in some ways mirrored criticism by Trump and his allies, who have sought to portray Mueller’s probe as a politically motivated “witch hunt” that was also legally out of bounds.

“This decision seems to take the wind out of those sails legally,” said Michael Zeldin, a former federal prosecutor.


Reuters

Is it normal for federal judges to do a 180 like that? Is it possible that emotions ran high in the beginning but once documents were disclosed both judges sided with the law?

Or is there a darker angle to this? Could both judges have been threatened into doing a turn about?



edit on 27-6-2018 by Kharron because: bad keyboard



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:19 AM
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a reply to: Kharron




Is it normal for federal judges to do a 180 like that?

There was no 180.
It's a demonstration that one's opinions can be separate from the execution of one's duties.

Imagine that.



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:20 AM
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originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Kharron




Is it normal for federal judges to do a 180 like that?

There was no 180.
It's a demonstration that one's opinions can be separate from the execution of one's duties.

Imagine that.


And that is commendable. In that case, how ethical is it for a judge to rile people up like that before evidence is presented?



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:23 AM
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a reply to: Kharron

Good point. But there really isn't any court of public opinion. Except at the ballot box. And his opinion really didn't seem to have much to do with that.

Not looking good for Manafort. IMO.



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:37 AM
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I can remember having that opinion of Manafort back during Trump's campaign. He seemed like he was dirty all the way back then. It was just something about the way he carried himself at rallies and news interviews. I do believe he has years of legal battles ahead of him and I think there's far more dirt lying in wait involving Ukraine.



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:39 AM
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a reply to: Saiker

Just Manafort?



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:39 AM
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originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Kharron

Good point. But there really isn't any court of public opinion. Except at the ballot box.


That's a common PR term that spans far outside of politics. Criminal cases, corporate PR ordeals, and so on.

About the only times its 'debunked' is at the ballot box like when 'half' the nation voted for [insert Two Party politician name here].



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:39 AM
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a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

Who voted for Manafort?



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:41 AM
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a reply to: Phage

Apparently Trump supporters past, present and future.




posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:42 AM
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a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss
No. They just supported someone who seems to surround himself with nothing but "the best people."



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 09:17 AM
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originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Kharron




Is it normal for federal judges to do a 180 like that?

There was no 180.
It's a demonstration that one's opinions can be separate from the execution of one's duties.

Imagine that.


Point
And match.



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 09:29 AM
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a reply to: Kharron

www.reuters.com...
So how does this



He also disclosed that a classified August 2017 memo written by Rosenstein authorized Mueller to investigate allegations that Manafort “committed a crime or crimes by colluding with Russian government officials with respect to the Russian government’s efforts to interfere with the 2016 election.”

Square with this...


None of the charges relate to work he performed on the 2016 campaign.


so he hasn't been charged with a "crime or crimes by colluding with russian government officials with respect to the russian government's efforts to interfere with the 2016 election"?

www.denverpost.com...


The new court filings indicatethat prosecutors provided Manafort with copies of his past interviews to help him prepare for trial on charges including conspiracy, money laundering, and tax and bank fraud. Manafort has pleaded not guilty.

oh they are just now going to charge him for what he was doing while the former admin was in place and well before he was in any way associated with the current president....
oh and lying to the fbi



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:07 PM
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originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Kharron

Good point. But there really isn't any court of public opinion. Except at the ballot box. And his opinion really didn't seem to have much to do with that.

Not looking good for Manafort. IMO.



Agreed, not looking good at all.

However, there is a court of public opinion in a way as evidenced by, if nothing else, the two posts I linked in my OP. The judges were so adamant about Mueller not having any scope over this investigation, they got the majority of the people on this very website saying that Mueller should be fired. They helped form the opinions of many before they even knew what their own cases entailed.

Now they can go on and do their duty and obey the law, as is expected, but the damage is done. Some people still won't believe this is legal because of their previous statements.

You and I agree and I think the readers are missing that.

Thanks for reading everyone.



posted on Jun, 27 2018 @ 12:15 PM
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The biggest piece of news in this story though is that the "witch hunt" rhetoric has just lost ground. Both judges have found that Mueller does indeed have the authority and the grounds for investigating collusion between the campaign and Russia.



He also disclosed that a classified August 2017 memo written by Rosenstein authorized Mueller to investigate allegations that Manafort “committed a crime or crimes by colluding with Russian government officials with respect to the Russian government’s efforts to interfere with the 2016 election.”


I found that to be a very important quote. It should now give Mueller unobstructed access to continue the investigation, for as long as it takes, as it has been shown that there is cause, legally, and that it is within his scope.

We may have to wait another two or three years but at least there is now very little chance of Mueller being removed, legally that is.



posted on Jun, 28 2018 @ 06:50 AM
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a reply to: Kharron

Three hours till that hearing starts.

I can hope whatever is found out today will put the russian collusion argument to bed one way or another.

But I know that it wont. Which ever side doesn't hear what they want to hear from this hearing today will just say that those testifying are telling lies.




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