Posted on 02/01/2018 6:33:46 PM PST by Steven W.
Lawyers for Richard Gates, a former Trump campaign aide charged with tax fraud and money laundering last year as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, have filed a motion to leave the case.
Gates's lawyers filed the motion Thursday, though the reason for their leaving was not made public.
"Pursuant to Local Rule 44.5(d), undersigned counsel hereby move to withdraw as counsel of record in this case effective immediately for the reasons set forth in Exhibit 1 which is the subject of a motion to be filed under seal," the filing reads.
The motion by Gates's lawyers comes just under a week after CNN reported that Gates, a former business associate of Paul Manafort, who is also facing charged as part of Mueller's investigation, could be moving to cooperate with the special counsel.
Gates, who entered a not guilty plea to eight charges in October, added a top Washington defense attorney, Tom Green, to his counsel in January. Green was seen leaving Mueller's offices multiple times during the month, CNN reported, fueling the speculation that Gates was moving to cooperate. Green was not among the three lawyers who resigned from the case Thursday.
Walter Mack, one of the attorneys who resigned Thursday, said in court last month that Mueller's prosecutors had warned him of more impending charges in the case against Gates.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
The “Prosecutor is a Weasel” Defense may gain some cred in coming days.
What credible reason does an Attorney representing a defendant have to put a related Exhibit under seal?
save $$$ after muledog gets fired.
He’s probably withdrawing because he hasn’t been paid. That’s the usual reason.
Big time defendants get lawyers regardless of fees. The lawyres become famous on a single case like Gates or Manafort. Or, hopefully, Comey.
In other words
Gates is out of money
Most likely a delaying tactic to have the memo come out and destroy their case. Tainted.
Motions for attorneys to quit due to not being paid are garden variety and don’t required sealed motions as exhibits!
It's standard practice if it involves attorney-client privileged communications.
That’s what I think....it’s a money problem.
I’ve been through a few of these and it’s financially and emotionally brutal. Whoever has the biggest war chest wins.
Usually it's because they haven't been paid and the client refuses to get new counsel or sign a substitution of attorney. Meaning, they're unreasonable, or broke. If the feds confiscated all his money, then he's got a serious problem. This will buy him a bit of time.
It could also mean he's difficult or impossible to work with and his attorneys can't represent him properly because he won't let them.
It’s probably not explosive, they just don’t want to put out there for all the world to see that the guy is out of money or is a jerk. Really, it’s not a big deal.
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