Posted on 02/23/2018 11:22:47 AM PST by Innovative
Rick Gates, a former top official in President Trump’s campaign, has agreed to plead guilty Friday afternoon to conspiracy and lying to the FBI, according to court papers filed by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.
The guilty plea, which is scheduled for 2 p.m., caps a busy week for Mueller’s investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and related issues. It also ends a tumultuous period for Gates, who found himself re-indicted, changing lawyers and agreeing to plead guilty all within 24 hours.
According to a criminal information — a document filed with the permission of the defendant which traditionally signals that person plans to plead guilty — Gates conspired to defraud the United States regarding the money he and his business partner Paul Manafort earned, and lied to the FBI in a Feb. 1, 2018 interview about a 2013 meeting between Manafort, a lobbyist, and a congressman.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
“Top official”
Seems to me that Mueller is using the fake Russia investigation to settle old scores from his days at the FBI.
What was Trump thinking hiring these corrupt baboons? Where did the names even come up?
That is a very astute observation, FRiend.
I asked myself the same queston. I think the answer is, "Mr Trump tries to go to Washington. Who does he hire?" He has to ask around, and he's going to pick up some losers until he figures out the new environment.
Manafort had a high profile, and seemed really smooth. It wasn't obvious for a month or so how much dirty laundry he came with and how it could work against Trump.
Nothing to do with the 2016 election.
Since it has nothing to do with the election then it doesnt justify Mueller being a special prosecutor.
Fishing expedition.
This is a tax evasion charge he is copping a plea to isn’t it? He and Manafort may have diverted money they made doing political consulting for foreign countries and then laundered that money through real estate investments where they claimed large building renovation costs. So this has nothing really to do with Russia collusion or Trump but it meant to tarnish any of those who even remotely worked for Trump’s campaign in the eyes of the public to thwart any prospect of Trump’s re-election.
Only a fool would plead guilty to anything Mueller came up with after seeing the Nunes FISA memo.
Trump sure did have a lot of top officials,, but then, Obammy had a lot of WH visits by Islamofascist groups.. like anyone cared then.. or that he meddled in foreign elections with a passion. I guess that Nobel thingy gave him a free pass..
2013. NOTHING TO DO WITH TRUMP.
Thank you.
This is all about flipping Paul Manafort, Trump campaign manager. Rick Gates was deputy campaign manager and Manafort’s business partner.
I think that Manafort’s close and longstanding ties to the Kremlin may well become part of Mueller’s case in establishing that there was A. a Russian conspiracy, and B. Trump officials were at least aware of it, and maybe participating.
Clearly A is pretty well proven already. No one disputes there was “meddling” directed by the Russian state.
Mueller is trying to get B via these various plea deals. That still doesn’t necessarily touch Trump, though he did “joke” that the Russians should look for Hillary’s missing emails, and he did draft the lie about Don Jr’s meeting in Trump tower with Kremlin operatives.
In June 2016, Donald Trump hired Manafort to manage his campaign for president, and Gates went to work for Manafort. Gates handled the day-to-day activities of the campaign. He took responsibility for apparent plagiarism during Melania Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention. Gates stayed with the campaign after Manafort was forced out, and then went to work as a fundraiser for the Republican National Committee and the Donald Trump Inaugural Committee. He then helped to form a pro-Trump nonprofit group called America First Policies, but was removed from the organization due to his involvement with Manafort’s overseas ventures.[7]
The very first time I saw Manafort on some fox news show I didn’t like him, looked like a two-bit crook of sorts..
I wonder how many indictments would come down if a special prosecutor with unlimited funds and only Republican prosecutors would study the acts of a variety of Democrat politicians for the last 15 years?
No matter how vague or tangential, believe me, something will come up against the Trump family. What the hell are we waiting for?
Manafort’s doings were very well known for very many years. Don’t kid yourself.
Maybe so. I'm guessing. But, I would expect Trump's intelligence on swamp operatives to not have been complete early on. Maybe he should have known or Manafort's skeletons, or maybe a trusted adviser (Kushner at the time?) should have known enough to tell him.
Trump did fire him after only a month, likely because some of Manfort's problems were coming to light.
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