Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team and attorneys for Paul Manafort engaged in an unsuccessful round of plea negotiations to head off a trial next month for charges he is facing in D.C., the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. The discussions took place as a jury deliberated charges that Mueller brought against Manafort in Virginia, according to the Journal. The talks fell through due to issues raised by Mueller, according to one of the Journal’s sources.
In the Virginia trial, Manafort was convicted of eight counts and the jury was deadlocked on 10 others. That case focused on tax fraud and bank fraud allegations. In D.C., Manafort is facing charges that he failed to disclose his foreign lobbying and was engaged in a money laundering conspiracy. It begins on September 17.
If it’s true that Mueller knows a lot of things he can’t use in open court, and is thus engaged in campaign of parallel construction which depends on Manafort flipping, then I’m surprised these talks failed.
Perhaps Manafort made unrealistic demands? Or perhaps investigators have found a path that doesn’t depend on Manafort, whose value has diminished as a result?
It sounds to me as if Manafort perhaps just wanted to plead guilty, or perhaps even to reduced charges, without admitting anything or cooperating in any way.
Usually the government is just as happy to avoid the expense and uncertainty of presenting a case in public. But this is not usually. I think Mueller wants to lay the whole deal out in full for its effect on the rest of his investigation.
Traitors listen up. Softball season is over. It is hardball.
This almost certainly comes from Manafort’s lawyers and is being leaked by them to a paper they know Trump reads to rattle Trump’s cage and try to galvanize him into delivering on his pardon promise. Given that, one questions whether they were ever in those talks in good faith. The issue raised by Mueller might have been “could you pass me the water pitcher?”
ETA: Alternately, it could be that Gates has given him everything Manafort could have.
We know Papadoupoulos engaged in bad faith. And every action Manafort has taken throughout this process has been obstructionist in nature. From all the frivolous lawsuits against the Special Counsel to demanding separate trials to wanting to be moved then changing his mind, he’s made it clear he’s not going to help Mueller’s case in any way unless he has to.
Manafort’s already looking at significant jail time with more years to be tacked on in DC. It’s his life. He can throw it away for Trump and Putin if he wants, I suppose. Mueller can probably wait him out.