Posted on 08/01/2018 11:22:06 AM PDT by Hojczyk
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s prosecutors were lectured by a federal judge on Wednesday for the language they’ve used in the courtroom, as the trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort entered its second day.
U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III specifically told prosecutors to stop using the word “oligarch” to describe wealthy Ukrainians, whose dealings with Manafort are at the heart of the fraud charges he faces in northern Virginia federal court.
The judge said the term has a “pejorative” meaning and is not relevant in this case. Further, he cautioned that using it could suggest Manafort is associated with bad people – and guilty by association.
“It’s not the American way,” the judge said. He noted that wealthy donors like George Soros or the Koch brothers also could be considered oligarchs.
The Mueller team was later rebuffed again by Ellis when they tried to introduce photos that eventually would become public of Manafort’s closets filled with suits and high-end clothing.
While it’s part of their effort to paint Manafort as a tax scofflaw who spent big on luxury items, Ellis would not allow the photos for now.
“Enough is enough. We don’t convict people because they have a lot of money and throw it around,” he said.
Ellis has scolded members of Mueller’s team before, asserting back in May that the team was really interested in targeting President Trump.
But the case is proceeding, in the first trial arising from the Mueller probe.
The Manafort charges do not relate to allegations of Russian meddling or collusion with Trump figures in the 2016 campaign, but rather focus on allegations that Manafort cheated on his taxes and engaged in other fraudulent activity.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Time for a directed verdict from the bench with prejudice.
Manafort’s lifestyle and how he spent his money is irrelevant and should never have been brought before the jury. Either he fudged on his taxes or he did not. What he spent his money on doesn’t matter; I’m sure he had plenty of money anyway.
I like this judge...
I don’t know if Manafort evaded paying income taxes or not, but you would think that a guy of his apparent experience and intelligence and, in today’s biased political climate, would not set himself up for problems by not paying his federal income taxes.
Just the Facts ,LOL
Manfort buys his things and Deep State want to cruxify him. Hillary steals her stuff out of the White House, shaking down Foreign Entities for Cash, access and special treatment while SOS and they want to elect her President.
That would part of my closing against this B.S.
This is nothing but a political trail...were live the USSR now
Make up eighteen charges...go to a liberal court and the jury will think the guy is guilty of something..
Any lawyers out there.... can the judge throw the case out of court if the prosecutors keep trying the case this way..
Reversible error.
Mueller's team is playing very dirty. to quote Anthony Scaramucci, that's no who we are.
You broke an IRS law today. Yep, YOU!
Yes, you would think he was at least a little to the right of Al Sharpton on the intelligence scale.
I want to know why this case was closed a few years ago and then reopened by Meuller.
But that just goes to show the desperation in their case. They are trying to play on the jury’s emotions and instill some sort of class hatred, rather than focus on facts.
Now that would be Justice Properly served!
The judge clearly stated why earlier this year. The Mueller team doesn’t care a bit about Manafort. This is all about nailing him for leverage to get him to flip on Trump.
I believe that Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton could all be charged with very similar offenses of money laundering and tax evasion. When are they going to face trial? Oh, that’s right, they are above the law, where as Manafort just THOUGHT he was above the law.
The Mueller team was later rebuffed again by Ellis when they tried to introduce photos that eventually would become public of Manafort’s closets filled with suits and high-end clothing.
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Is this the prosecutions opening argument? A closet full of expensive clothes? Weird. Or do they not want to venture into discussions of tax evasion because it would allow for defense cross-examination that might bring up the association between Manafort and Podesta?
I hope this judge is wearing a kevlar vest...............
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