‘He has torn my head off’: Manafort judge known for being tough during trials

The Washington Post ^ | 8/1/2018 | Rachel Weiner

[Beave Meister]

Mere seconds into the first words spoken to a jury from the special counsel team investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, Judge T.S. Ellis III interrupted.

“Focus on the elements of the offense,” the 78-year-old jurist interjected Tuesday as Assistant U.S. Attorney Uzo Asonye described Paul Manafort as a man who believed he was above the law.

Soon after, Ellis interrupted again, as Asonye sketched for jurors Manafort’s luxurious lifestyle.

“It isn’t a crime to be profligate in your spending,” Ellis said.

He soon admonished defense attorney Thomas Zehnle in a similar fashion.

“I take it you plan to offer evidence?” he asked as Zehnle extolled Manafort’s contributions to American politics. Then say so, Ellis suggested.

As the federal judge in Alexandria oversees the trial of President Trump’s onetime campaign chairman on tax and bank fraud charges, his sharp demeanor comes as no surprise to lawyers who appear before him often.

[Paine in the Neck]

It seems Manafort's scheme was, have the Ukes pay his consulting fees to certain Cypress corporations, which then wired money directly to various US vendors to pay for goods and services provided to Manafort here in the US. Manafort claimed the payments were loans, but Mueller disputes that, claiming the payments are unreported income. The indictment lists specific amounts paid to specific payees, who were apparently proving goods and services to Manafort.

I guarantee Manafort structured this according to the advice and common practice of the PODESTAs and that it parallels HRC's own practices.

[DaxtonBrown]

Thanks for instructive reply. It might help me understand another case as well.

[raiderboy]

Mule face is totally finished. He is NOTHING!! He will go down as a failed attempted coup. I really think he will be arrested and convicted of treason. very soon.

[Ann Archy]

From your keyboard to God’s Ears! PRAY it is so!