Manafort: Gates’ Guilty Plea Doesn’t ‘Alter My Commitment To Defend Myself’

Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and his wife Kathleen arrive at the Prettyman Federal Courthouse January 16, 2018 in Washington, DC. Manafort and his former business partner Richard Gates both pleaded not guilty last year to a 12-charge indictment that included money laundering and conspiracy.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 16: Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort arrives at the Prettyman Federal Courthouse January 16, 2018 in Washington, DC. Manafort and his former business partner Richard Gates were in... WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 16: Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort arrives at the Prettyman Federal Courthouse January 16, 2018 in Washington, DC. Manafort and his former business partner Richard Gates were indicted on charges that included money laundering and conspiracy. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort on Friday insisted that he is innocent after his business associate Rick Gates pled guilty to two charges and took a plea deal in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.

“Notwithstanding that Rick Gates pled today, I continue to maintain my innocence,” Manafort said in a statement via his spokesman, Jason Maloni.

Manafort said he “hoped and expected” that Gates “would have had the strength to continue the battle to prove our innocence.”

“For reasons yet to surface he chose to do otherwise,” Manafort said. “This does not alter my commitment to defend myself against the untrue piled up charges contained in the indictments against me.”

Gates on Friday pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to the special counsel and one count of conspiracy against the United States, and agreed to cooperate with Mueller’s investigation as part of a plea deal.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. It does not matter.
    If the Feds don’t get you the State of New York will.

  2. Is Manafort betting it all on the pardon? Is he such an old-school crook that he won’t rat? Is he afraid of something worse if he did? Nobody assumes he’s innocent.*

    *From what I’ve read, the GOP establishment assumed or knew Manafort was dirty for some time. Nicole Wallace said the McCain campaign wanted nothing to do with him because of that.

  3. Avatar for erik_t erik_t says:

    Doesn’t alter his ability to defend himself, either!

    (it’s still zero)

  4. Avatar for quickq quickq says:

    “a statement via his spokesman, Jason Maloni.”
    his spokesman has earned one day’s pay…

    wonder what Manafort really thinks…

  5. For reasons yet to surface he chose to do otherwise…

    Does the phrase, “busted cold” ring a bell?

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

39 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for paulw Avatar for sysprog Avatar for jjwhack Avatar for patterman Avatar for george_spiggott Avatar for stoy Avatar for bluinmaine Avatar for topcat Avatar for bonvivant Avatar for johncrandell Avatar for apotropoxy Avatar for khaaannn Avatar for tena Avatar for misterneutron Avatar for rod Avatar for uneducated Avatar for michaelryerson Avatar for thinski Avatar for erik_t Avatar for tindalos Avatar for spacesaver Avatar for justruss Avatar for karlwlewis

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: