A question about Manafort

[louis c]

I have followed the whole Mueller investigation as closely as one can and still have a life.

Manafort was easily convicted of federal tax fraud and evasion in a Virginia court. Common sense would dictate that anyone who committed Federal tax fraud must have committed state and local tax fraud, too. After all, I don't think Manafort fucked the federal government, but played by the rules in Virginia and New York.

Since the President* can't pardon anyone for state charges, wouldn't it be prudent to have already charged Manafort in the states he was required to make his state tax payments? I know it may be coming, but would Mueller have far more leverage with Manafort if Manafort knew he was fucked even with a federal, Presidential* pardon?

[marble falls]

1. It would be very hard for me to believe that Mueller has made any ...

missteps so far. The penalties for Federal tax evasion are much stiffer than the those for state and local violations. I think Manafort put his money on a pardon. I think he's trying to negotiate his sentence down by copping to this next set of charges. The big question is: will he sing, too.

[OnDoutside]

2. Mueller had to have expected this, so my guess is that he is holding back handing over other

elements of this case, specific to NY. That said, he didn't do that with Cohen. It would be a lot cleaner if Manafort signed a cooperation deal, though Trump hasn't tweeted anything negative about it so far....

[louis c]

3. I think we're all getting a bit impatient...

...I know that this is relatively fast for an investigation of this size. I know Whitewater-Monica took about 7 years and Benghazi 4. But, still, in no other case was the very existence of the Republic at stake.

[OnDoutside]

4. Yes, impatient, and fearful that Trump/GOP will kill it.

[lastlib]

5. Mueller wouldn't have any say on state charges....

Best he could probably do is refer matters to the respective states, and I suspect he may have in New York. It would be up to the state to pursue it if they want to. But Mueller's jurisdiction is strictly on the federal side.

[louis c]

6. No kidding...

Last edited Sat Sep 15, 2018, 07:23 AM - Edit history (1)

...but if someone cheated on their federal taxes and confessed. it shouldn't be too hard to convict in a state case for taxes. As a matter of fact, in the Mueller plea deal, that's exactly what was used for leverage.