Oops! Mueller files new charges against ex-Trump aides Manafort and Gates

[malaise]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/21/manafort-mueller-charges-new-rick-gates-trump-investigation-fbi-latest
<snip>
The special counsel investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin has stepped up pressure on the former campaign manager Paul Manafort by filing new sealed court charges against him.

Reuters saw a court record referring to the sealed charges, which were also directed against Rick Gates, Manafort’s former business associate, but the documents provided no details on the nature of the charges.

It was not clear if the charges involved alleged bank frauds the special counsel’s office referred to in a court dispute over Manafort’s bail on Friday, in which he is said to have doctored profit and loss statements from his firm, in order to get a mortgage on a property in Virginia.

NBC News reported on Wednesday that Manafort was being investigated for having allegedly promised the president of the Chicago-based Federal Savings Bank that loaned him his mortgage a job in the Trump White House in return for $16m in home loans on his properties in Virginia, New City and the Hamptons.

[H2O Man]

1. Recommended.

The pace is picking up.

[malaise]

2. With vitamin speed -almost 'one a day' :chuckle:

Chris Hayes to lead a discussion after the break

[H2O Man]

9. The next week

should be interesting. (Trump's legal team is refusing to agree to having him meet with Mr. Mueller. This could lead to the grand jury sending him a "formal request" in March.)

[hedda_foil]

3. Tightening the screws. Sounds like Gates' proffer was inadequate.

[malaise]

5. They are going down

Go Mueller!

[Corgigal]

4. Malcolm Nance been saying March

for months. We will see shortly if he's correct. Load up on food and supplies now.

[malaise]

6. Nick Ackerman says Manafort is heading for prison

Says' conspiracy' evidence coming up

add

[TheDebbieDee]

7. On the Stephanie Miller Show this morning, Malcolm Nance speculated

That Mueller is making a case to prosecute Manafort for Espionage - this might make it unlikely that Trump would Pardon Manafort for this!

[OhNo-Really]

8. Graduated sentences. from wiki.

United States law, treason,[12] espionage,[13] and spying[14] are separate crimes. Treason and espionage have graduated punishment levels.

[RainCaster]

10. curious how these sealed charges work- do THEY know what the charges are?

Or is this all so double-blind secret that only Mueller knows what the charges are?

[George II]

11. You know that the bankers involved in the "promise" will not lie to Mueller, the probably....

....have already told him the details of the "promise". They won't risk losing their banks to safe Manafort or trump.