Posted on 08/03/2018 9:13:48 AM PDT by mandaladon
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.
The last witness called to the stand was J. Philip Ayliff, a certified public accountant (CPA) at Paul Manafort’s long-serving tax-preparation agency, Kositzka, Wicks and Co. (KWC), of Richmond, Virginia. As time inched along during the last witness’s testimony, nothing of particular interest seemed to be occurring at all.
Ayliff was mostly providing foundational testimony regarding the basic functions of a tax-preparation company. Prosecutors then moved on to specifics and attempted to “publish” one of Manafort’s e-file forms. Judge T.S. Ellis III‘s weariness all but amazed the courtroom as he denied the request–complete with an actual and pronounced finger-wag–before shouting:
No! You move it along!
(It probably hadn’t helped matters that court had just minutes ago returned from a lengthy recess due to the prosecution calling Ayliff out of the witness order provided to both the court and the defense. But as Judge Ellis noted yesterday, he has “a long memory.”)
Composing themselves again, the prosecution moved slowly forward before asking Ayliff to define the term “financial interest.” Ayliff began to answer the question but was immediately cut off by Ellis who noted that Ayliff was not a noticed expert. The defense then belatedly objected, prompting a quick and sarcastic dressing-down from the judge–but it was again the prosecution’s turn for scorn.
(Excerpt) Read more at lawandcrime.com ...
This show trial is a circus.
Not if the judge dismisses the case for failure to prove their case. Then the prosecution is stuck with an appeal.
Yep!! All Kabuki and no dismissal....it’s all BS! Mueller will one way or the other will get a conviction come hell or high water!!! Manafort is toast!! Bank on it!!
Ellis shows the crisp knowledge and respect for rules of evidence and law that a judge should show.
It is just disheartening to see the oily game-playing displayed by all the previous judges. They seem to be in the majority in the judicial branch.
I have been thinking the same thing with the Judge. It seems too easy. How do you call a witness out of order? Prosecution makes their own order. That is BS. I think something is wrong here. I also like your analogy to Wray. I have some questions about his appointment and actions.
I’m hoping he gets mad enough to outright dismiss the case with prejudice for prosecutor misconduct, and sanction these jackasses from practicing in Federal Court for 5 years.
I like this guy.
I don’t think the judge is going to let that happen. I’m wondering if the judge can override the jury. I recollect that happening “someplace”.
Judge can dismiss anytime he wants “for cause”. He could dismiss for making the same statement(s) after he said not to. Prosecurial Misconduct is fully within his discreation. Not sure if you have been anywhere near a Law School. This Judge could have dismissecd after day one and the “Manafort is too rich” comments. Not often would this happen but would have been done within one minute if clinton was on trial.
Sorry - don't know the terminology but why was the case even allowed to go forward in the first place is what I meant. Whatever the term for that is.
After all the initial criticism from the judge about Mueller's motives, why even let it happen? Did he not have a choice?
Not invested in anything. I'm just saying I don't trust anyone anymore, even if they "appear" to be legit.
That's what they wanted to convey. I think the judge recognized it right away.
As I remember the flow of events, the Judge observed that this was a political prosecution (My words) however Mueller still had the right to prosecute for tax evasion. Thus, the trial was allowed to proceed.
Judge Ellis plays a prominent role in Sidney Powell’s great book about federal prosecutorial malfeasance, “License to Lie!” Although written in 2014, before Trump, it covers many of the same cast of characters. A must read for anyone who is unaware of corruption in the Dept. of (In)Justice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KscWLeya-nI
I only recently learned of this term, thanks to the Pettifogger-in-Chief Mueller.
Then, about a week ago I watched John Wayne us the term, 'Pettifogging lawyer,' in True Grit. I LOL'd.
Where is manafort’s defense attorney. ???? All I hear is the judge objecting. WTH!!
“Sorry - don’t know the terminology but why was the case even allowed to go forward in the first place is what I meant.”
The counsel for Manafort did attempt to see the case dismissed prior to trial. They argued that the issues around tax fraud occurred more than a decade prior to the Special Counsel and fell outside his scope to investigate.
Judge Ellis requested to see the full scope of the SC. Prosecution was reluctant to give it to him but in the end they did.
After review, Judge Ellis determined the scope of the direction to the SC allowed them to take the matters accusing Manafort to trial. The public has not been privy to the full “scope” of that letter held by Rod Rosenstein’s office.
While he’s been highly critical, Judge Ellis is following the law as he understands it. Manafort’s counsel says there was no outgrowth from the investigation and the government is merely reopening a file in the case. They say the allegations of tax fraud were not an outgrowth from the scope given to the SC but were handed over in that file.
It was a good argument but ultimately it failed. The case in now in trial and Judge Ellis is ripping on the prosecution’s case. We’ll have to see where it goes.
The english caregiver who killed the kid. Jury said guilty. Judge sent her back to england. A big FU .
Recall Ellis making the ‘sing’comment, what else explains why this wasn’t just handed over to the IRS to deal with?
Manafort may/may not be guilty of tax evasion, but Mueller is just fishing. Casting and desperately hoping to catch anything.
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