Manafort Breached Plea Deal by Repeatedly Lying, Mueller Says

[George II]

Source: NY Times

Manafort Breached Plea Deal by Repeatedly Lying, Mueller Says

By Sharon LaFraniere
Nov. 26, 2018

WASHINGTON -- Paul Manafort, President Trump's former campaign chairman, repeatedly lied to federal investigators in breach of a plea agreement he signed two months ago, the special counsel's office said in a court filing late on Monday.

Mr. Manafort's "crimes and lies" during a series of interviews with prosecutors working for the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, and the F.B.I. relieve them of all promises they made to him in the plea agreement reached in mid-September, investigators wrote in the filing.

Defense lawyers disagreed. Mr. Manafort has been truthful with the special counsel's office and has abided by the agreement, they argued in the same status report to Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Given the impasse between the two sides, Mr. Manafort asked that Judge Jackson set a sentencing date.

The dramatic development in the 11th hour of Mr. Manafort's case means, at a minimum, that prosecutors will not ask for a lighter punishment in return for his cooperation. They could also conceivably seek to refile bank fraud charges that they agreed to dismiss as part of the plea agreement.



Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/26/us/politics/mueller-paul-manafort-cooperation.html

---

NY Times update above thanks to Don Viejo.

CNN: Mueller just submitted a late filing on Manafort (7:00 PM)

No details, Erin Burnett moments ago "we're just going through it now"

Will update when available.

Found this background from November 15:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-16/mueller-promises-judge-more-details-on-manafort-case-in-10-days

Mueller Promises More Details on Manafort Case in 10 Days

[pnwmom]

1. Here is a link to the court document:

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5280675-11-26-18-Manafort-Status-Report.html

Link to tweet

NEW: Special counsel's office claims Paul Manafort lied to the FBI and to Mueller's office "on a variety of subject matters" after signing a plea deal, in breach of the agreement. Manafort disputes that characterization. More soon.

[brooklynite]

2. oopsie!

[sandensea]

3. "How were you able to determine that, Special Counsel Mueller?"

"Simple. He opened his mouth."

[ffr]

6. That was quick.

Mueller doesn't mess around. There's no such world for alternate news for him.

FFFFFFFFFFFF-yeah!!!!

[George II]

9. Not sure if it's the same as this one:

https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.190597/gov.uscourts.dcd.190597.455.0_1.pdf

[getagrip_already]

40. That pretty much says....

Mueller has proof that ma a fort lied. Which means manafort has no idea where that evidence came from.

Too stupid to realize a prosecutor will ask questions they know the answers to already. Helps them assess the veracity of a witness.

Dumb ass.

[pnwmom]

43. There are SO MANY people and things from which Mueller was gathering

evidence.

Just one example that I almost never hear mentioned anymore. Remember when the FBI was stopping Russians and others in airport security and interviewing them, and scanning their laptops and phones? Imagine what they could've discovered that way.

[ffr]

4. Now this kind of drama I can dig!!

Down with tRump's and the GOP's crime family.

[riversedge]

5. I see this as a warning to Trump---see what I can do when you LIE.

[FM123]

7. Manafort being dishonest, somehow this does not surprise me....

[George II]

10. For 30 years I've lived within 10 miles of his company in CT, your statement is 100% correct.

[pnwmom]

8. Eric Swalwell and David Corn are agreeing that Manafort and Corsi

might be fishing for pardons.

[bluestarone]

11. NO DOUBT in my mind

All pre-arranged!! Can only hope Mueller has an answer for this!

[BigmanPigman]

21. Is this why Papadopoulos is being an ass again too?

Are they all hoping for pardons? Manafort will still be charged for money laundering at the state level..oops!

[pnwmom]

24. Could be!

[getagrip_already]

41. Trump won't pardon them.....

For a bunch of reasons, but he is too selfish is the simple answer.

First, it would directly level a pretty solid obstruction charge against him.

Secondly, it wouldn't work. Those pardoned would be compelled to answer questions about any and all crimes they were pardoned for. Lying would bring fresh charges. They can't take the fifth because they can't incriminate themselves. They can't refuse to answer without a contempt or obstruction charge.

So no, Trump won't pardon anyone. He is too selfish. The only pardons he will issue will be to punish the country, or for himself.

[BigmanPigman]

44. Wow, great assessment. Thanks!

[mobeau69]

12. Link to Washington Post story

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/mueller-says-manafort-lied-after-pleading-guilty-should-be-sentenced-immediately/2018/11/26/61c76d5a-f18d-11e8-aeea-b85fd44449f5_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.bd9f17472533

[mobeau69]

13. Whatever he lied about after pleading guilty and getting a deal must be

focking HUGE!

[badhair77]

14. Lock him up.

[George II]

18. There are still very viable state tax fraud charges looming, for which there is no double jeopardy..

...and no possibility of a trump pardon.

Other states may have possible tax fraud charges since his financial holdings are in several states - New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Florida, maybe more.

[Jarqui]

20. Unfortunately, there is a case about to be heard by the Supreme Court

Gamble v USA - oral arguments Dec 5, 2018

That claims double jeopardy law should strike down the ability of a state to charge for a crime already dealt with at the federal level (excuse my rough terminology).

It was feared that the reason the GOP wanted Kavanaugh so badly was for this case - so the the President could protect the entire GOP with pardons as well as his cohorts in crime.

scary but now plausible

[George II]

22. Yes, but the explanations I've seen is that Manafort has been tried and convicted on FEDERAL....

....tax fraud charges - defrauding the Federal government of tax revenue (mostly by not reporting income)

States can claim that he defrauded them of STATE tax revenue, a completely different crime. That's not double jeopardy and not eligible for a presidential pardon.

I'm not a lawyer, but it makes sense to me.

[Jarqui]

28. I'm not a lawyer either. I was aware of it

It makes sense to me as well.

Nothing is cut and dry when it comes to lawyers and the law. Someone can always argue something. They would have a very good claim on the state taxes.

Maybe there is an option to drop the bank fraud charges so they can be assailed at a state level for example since it hasn't been completely consummated ....

Even if they get pardoned, politically Trump and the GOP will pay a heavy price for trying to pull something like this.

If Mueller has Trump making a back channel communication to offer such a thing to Corsi & Manafort, Trump will be done.

[pnwmom]

26. it's not double jeopardy when the new charges are different charges

than the original ones.

And he pleaded guilty to a bunch of crimes that were NOT included in the specific ones he was first charged with.

[forgotmylogin]

29. Actually the jury hanging on several Manafort counts was fortunate.

If they were decided, he couldn't be re-tried for them.

[pnwmom]

36. Yes, it was! But I think there were even more charges than those.

For example, some charges that could be charged under Illinois banking laws.

Hopefully Mueller's ten steps ahead on all this.

[bench scientist]

37. this is why i don't buy that argument.

Even if the Supreme Court rules unfavorably on Gamble, that decision will not be released until next summer. (The Supremes are notoriously slow it will June or July 2019 ). Manafort will have been sentenced then at the Federal level and perhaps at state.
He will be sentenced under existing law and any changes to the law will only apply going forward not retroactively.
Still might help Jared...

[orangecrush]

23. Which means Mueller KNOWS

exactly what he lied about, and has evidence to prove it.

[SayItLoud]

33. Mueller phone taps?

Not inconceivable that Mueller got ManaFARTS posse wire tapped. Based on witness tampering I can't see a judge denying that request. So conceivable that Mueller has recordings of people floating pardon's to someone in the ManaFART universe. Like wife.
I'm betting within a week Mueller brings charges against Mrs. ManaFART, and one of the kids.

[LenaBaby61]

16. IF Mueller alleges that ManFART lied to him ...

DURING his plea deal, Muller has to have voice prints of ManFART lying because he thinks he'll be pardoned. ManFART is dead meat now, because if he goes to prison he won't make it due to age and being given a long sentence, or because he was shivved by someone in there to shut him up permanently. Not sure what will become of his kids/wife. Crooked Kushner with his back-channeling we KNOW was also probably monitored or voice-printed, because as I understand there's no way he could speak to his Saudi buddies & other despots he may have been speaking to "privately" about his/their dirty/treasonous dealings. And Mueller knows that the blacked out phone number that Uday tRump called from tRump tower belonged to his fat, treasonous, lying hog of daddy.

I guess treasonous fatso will be issuing pardons until the world looks level sooner rather than later to his fellow treasonous criminal buddies and his family members.

[Pepsidog]

35. Right in Lenababy. Love your descriptors of the criminals

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

17. Lock him up!

[BigmanPigman]

19. He lies so much, like all of them, that he doesn't remember all of his lies.

They are so stupid...who else would pull this shit but the GOP?

I wonder if Stone's pal Corsi and Papadopoulos are a little more nervous or empowered (Hello Pardons).

[Shaddox]

25. If not sheer hubris then actual fear of reprisal - solitary not safe enough

[wiggs]

27. Given this news and the silence of the GOP generally, it's clear they see a way through. nt

[JudyM]

34. I'm afraid you might be right. They could be working on their end game.

[NRaleighLiberal]

30. Lock him up forever. Lock all of the swamp up, all of the deplorables, forever.

[Scurrilous]

31. K&R

[LudwigPastorius]

32. This just serves as a gentle reminder, by Mueller, to Trump and his lawyers:....

"I know things. You don't know what things I do and do not know. It's better for you not to lie to me, or the second you step out of the Oval Office, the prosecution begins. ...and I will win."

[DeminPennswoods]

38. MSNBC was pushing the "pardon" meme

pretty hard last night, but I just think Manafort is arrogant enough to have thought he could get away with lying or not telling the whole story or both. This is the same guy who tried to tamper with witnesses while out on bail and even tried it after he'd been caught and sent to jail to await trial and evidently thought he could get away with it. This is who he is - a crook and a liar.

Renato Mariotti had a thread about the filing and said if Trump/lawyers offered Manafort anything of substance, which would include a future pardon, that is a federal offense as well.

[Nitram]

39. Manafort couldn't even get a plea deal right. He has a lot in common with Trump.

Congenital liars, unreformed grifters.

[Scurrilous]

42. ...