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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsManafort trial poses first courtroom test for Mueller
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's criminal trial on bank and tax fraud charges begins Tuesday, marking an initial courtroom test for special counsel Robert Muellers team of lawyers and investigators.
The trial promises to be an explosive affair, with Manafort facing allegations he laundered $30 million from work on behalf of pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians and then stashed money overseas to avoid paying U.S. taxes.
Its the first trial stemming from Muellers probe into possible collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign, but it will also be strangely separate from the Russia controversies that have shadowed President Trump since the day he took office.
Judge T.S. Ellis, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, rejected Manaforts argument that the charges against him are outside the scope of Muellers mandated Russia investigation, but he also warned lawyers against referencing collusion or other related matters that could prejudice the jurors, according to The New York Times.
Ellis said in May that he thought Mueller was pursuing charges against Manafort just to build a prosecution or impeachment case against the president, CNN reported.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/399293-manafort-trial-poses-first-courtroom-test-for-mueller?userid=229233
chillfactor
(7,584 posts)is more than ready.
lame54
(35,330 posts)He'll cave before the verdict
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)Stallion
(6,476 posts)Mueller himself or someone else
3Hotdogs
(12,439 posts)OnDoutside
(19,982 posts)bpj62
(999 posts)BTW it is now $60 million that Manafort is accused of hiding. As for Mueller being ready, this is a guy who led troops in combat, who took down John Gotti when no one else could and who oversaw the Enron prosecutions. The judge is a hardass but that just ensures that Mueller is on his game. This is a jury trial so other than some unusual request from the defense you are not going to see a lot of fireworks from either side.
TheRealNorth
(9,500 posts)Are they the equivalent of OJ's "Dream Team" or the hacks that Trump has had representing him thus far?
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,304 posts)Mueller convicted John Gotti. Something Giuliani was unable to do.