Mr Manafort's Lobbying Efforts

For John, BLUF:  As Rush Limbaugh suggests, maybe some don't want all this to come out.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

---

Manafort’s pro-Ukraine lobbying campaign reached Obama, Biden

From Politico, by Reporter Marianne Levine, 14 September 2018.

Here is a key paragraph:

Court documents and filings with the Justice Department previously revealed some of the members of Manafort’s Hapsburg Group and showed that they met with dozens of members of Congress, congressional staffers and Obama administration officials.  But Friday brought the first indication that the campaign stretched to the top of the U.S. government.

Involved in this is Mueller Team member Andrew Weissmann.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Protecting the Jury

For John, BLUF:  Sure, I am convinced Mr Paul Manafort (as was the key witness against him) guilty of financial shenanigans, but I also wonder if the culture at DOJ is more about justice or more about counting Coup?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

---

This is a Tinker to Evers to Chance kind of thing, starting with a blog post by Law Professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds, that starts with:

Manafort's Purge Trial

From PJ Media, by Mr Roger L Simon, 17 August 2018.

Here is an interesting paragraph from Mr Simon, talking about the Democrats, and those who run with them:

This, of course, comes from the very people who themselves were colluding with the Russians only minutes ago, but that is the nature of groupthink. A healthy amount of self-delusion is necessary. The party line is ever moving. Don't panic. Just stay with the nomenklatura. They're always right. (If you don't think we have our own nomenklatura, you're not paying attention.)

In his blog post Professor Reynolds then links to a Power Line post on seven news agencies asking for the names and addresses of the jokers in the Paul Manafort case.

Yes, I can see some legitimate news gathering purpose in interviewing the jourers after the trial.  However, I can also see some Rep Maxine Waters inspired public harassment of the jurors if the don't return the "right" verdict.  That would be a major injustice to the jurors, and it would damage our justice system.

As Professor Reynolds says in his post:

Once I would have thought this paranoid, but I’ve learned that this is how they operate.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Manafort Trial Stumbles Forward

For John, BLUF:  I don't think I have seen anything about Russian Collusion WRT this trial.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

---

Judge Ellis Loses Patience with Mueller Prosecutors and Ends Court Early Over Screw-Up

From Law and Crime, by Mr Colin Kalmbacher, 2 August 2018.

Here is the lede:

Paul Manafort‘s third day on trial over charges of bank fraud and tax evasion was cut a bit short on Thursday after government attorneys made the same mistake twice in a row.

I wonder if Federal Judge T.S. Ellis III has talked with United States District Judge Emmet G Sullivan?

Hat tip to the Drudge Report.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Meuller Investigation Update

For John, BLUF:  When you wrestle pigs in the mud you get dirty, but they enjoy it.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

---

I have been assured by experts that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has the goods on President Trump and on Mr Paul Manafort.  And California Congresswoman Maxine Waters has impeachment right around the corner, or January 2019, at the latest.♠

Tapped Out:  The Manafort Mess

From the blog L'Ombré L'Olivier, by Guest Blogger Jason Garik, 22 September 2017.

LANGUAGE WARNING.  Some people never grow up.

Here are a couple of excerpts:

C.  Manafort has publicly stated that the feds can release the information from the wiretaps and he has nothing to hide.  Considering that the feds stopped tapping him at some point, this probably means he’s calling their bluff.  It’s not a good look for the feds, and it doesn’t look like Manafort has something to hide.

Over at The Spectator we have some musings about how the wire tapping that never happened, did.  They compare it to Watergate, where, after the CIA said no, the Committee for the Reelection of the President hired former operatives to do the job.  Today the FBI cooperates with the Administration in spying on political opponents.

Will we be looking an another Ray Donovan moment?  "Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?"  Probably not the FBI or Robert Mueller's law firm or the Obama Presidential Library.  Maybe Ms Susan Rice will step up, or Mr Ben Rhodes?

Then there is this question about the Clinton Camapign. 

D.  Look at this from Manafort’s side.  Why the hell would he be gallivanting around saying “Russia! Russia! Russia!” for the feds to maaaaaagically listen in on him?  It’s too f___ing cute, and too amateur hour from a guy who’s been working in the game as long as he has.  Also, the John Podesta—a Clinton consigliere also worked as an advisor with many of the same Russian/Ukrainian figures.  Why aren’t the feds checking him out?

On top of this there is the whole "raid" on Mr Paul Manafort's home.  Is that just Special Counsel Robert Mueller playing the tough guy, or was it FBI Agents out of control?  Really, picking the lock before dawn, while the person was still in bed?  What if he had greeted them with a shotgun?  On the other hand, shouldn't the FBI Agents have been wearing leather trench coats for this kind of operation?

Maybe the agents were in a contest with the US Congress, since "agents appeared the day Manafort was scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee".  "Appeared" is a euphemism for "broke into the home".

Here is how The Old Gray Lady wrote the lede:

Paul J. Manafort was in bed early one morning in July when federal agents bearing a search warrant picked the lock on his front door and raided his Virginia home.  They took binders stuffed with documents and copied his computer files, looking for evidence that Mr. Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, set up secret offshore bank accounts.  They even photographed the expensive suits in his closet.

Is Washington so out of control that the Special Counsel feels he needs "shock and awe" tactics?  Is the swamp that wide and deep and fetid?  And if it is, is Special Counsel Robert Mueller the person to drain it?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  If it comes to pass in January 2019 that the Democrats control at least the Lower House, then you can probably thank Senator John McCain, who campaigned on a promise to repeal Obamacare (PP &ACA).