Donald Trump holds to his line about his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, saying he’s a “good man” (mostly, he’s stressed, he’s a “good man” because he hasn’t flipped on Trump…yet), but the judge in his Washington, D.C. federal court case disagrees.
Judge Amy Jackson issued orders to begin seizure of Manafort’s assets “immediately” as well as his Trump Tower apartment and home in the Hamptons on October 20, just ten days from the date of the order, for his part in tax fraud, bank fraud, and numerous other charges.
Order for Forfeiture of Pro… by on Scribd
According to ABC News:
‘Three of Manafort’s New York properties and four bank accounts are to be handed over to the government “immediately,” Mueller wrote, adding that two additional properties – the Trump Tower apartment and his sprawling Long Island mansion – will need to change hands by October 20.’
Judge says DOJ will take possession of ex-Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort's Trump Tower apartment "on or after October 20." His house in the Hamptons, too. pic.twitter.com/KAqKk6KM6z
— Brad Heath (@bradheath) October 10, 2018
Trump has repeatedly dismissed the stain on his campaign by doing what he normally does with his “whataboutisms.” After all, Manafort also worked on campaigns for Ronald Reagan and George Bush, so Trump feels that hiring a felon shouldn’t be all on him. It’s similar to every other defense Trump offers. What about Hillary? What about Democrats who supported the KKK sixty years ago? Why can’t Trump and his friends commit crimes and spread racism, what about what everyone else has done?
So far, the Mueller investigation has sent FOUR people behind bars. (1) Paul Manafort has been in jail since June. (2) Papadopoulos got 14 days in prison. (3) Alex van der Zwaan got 30 days in prison. (4) ID fraudster Ricky Pinedo was sentenced today to serve 6 months in prison.
— Marshall Cohen (@MarshallCohen) October 10, 2018
Manafort pleaded guilty to numerous felonies and received a reduced sentence for agreeing to cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller in the investigation into the alleged collusion between the Trump 2016 presidential campaign and Russian government operatives. Trump may want to save his “he didn’t flip” praise until that investigation is completed.
‘As part of the deal, Manafort admitted guilt to ten related federal charges in Virginia that a jury was unable to reach consensus on at a trial in August. The jury had already found him guilty on eight charges in the Virginia case.
‘The agreement marked a turning point in the Mueller investigation, providing prosecutors a first-hand account from one of Trump’s most senior former campaign aides – someone privy to the inner workings of the campaign during critical months in 2016. Manafort also participated in the now-infamous Trump Tower meeting, in which a Russian lawyer came to New York and met with top Trump aides during the campaign after intermediaries promised “dirt” on Trump’s Democratic opponent.’
Judge in Paul Manafort's DC case will keep some info in search warrant materials under seal b/c they include private info, financial info, and "non-public information concerning the government’s ongoing criminal investigation" https://t.co/GgHI34TO1h pic.twitter.com/KpdZDQC5My
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) October 9, 2018
Featured image via Flickr by Victoria Pickering under a Creative Commons license
