[View here as a Twitter thread]
A new doc has been filed in the Manafort case: A criminal information The opening is explosive, and contains a few subtle changes from the previous indictment.
2/ The change: Gates and Kilimnik have been inserted. The previous indictment said “companies he ran.” Also in the information: To hide income from his Ukraine work, Manafort, with the assistance of Gates and Kilimnik, laundered money through at least 2016
3/ I haven’t slogged through the whole doc yet, but I just hit this: “More than $75,000,000 flowed through his off shore accounts. Fox says, “But Manafort has not been charged with anything related to the campaign.”
Well, I’m not reading it that way.
4/ I’m seeing this: Trump hired someone to head his campaign who for years had been working as an agent for the pro-Putin Party of Regions, and that same person—while serving on the campaign—was busy laundering millions in dirty Ukranian-Russian money.
5/ Dropping the bombshell into tweet 5 ’cause it just happened: twitter.com/DelWilber/stat… Recall that the previous docs indicated that Manafort had criminal exposure beyond what was being charged thus far.
6/ I still haven’t found a copy of the actual plea agreement, but we’re told that Manafort is cooperating in exchange for leniency. Manafort’s lawyer says Manafort is cooperating to make sure his family can “remain safe and live a good life.”
7/ He’s forfeiting $46 million—should be enough to cover the cost of the investigation! emptywheel.net/2018/09/14/pau… The crime Manafort is pleading has already popped up in several Mueller docs . . .
8/ . . . Conspiracy against the U.S. law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18… … Count One is: Conspiracy against the U.S. (hiding the fact that M was a foreign agent, laundering money, lying the DOJ, etc.) Count Two is Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice (witness tampering).
9/ Count 2: In 2018, Manafort, Kilimnik & others conspired to corruptly interfere with the truthful testimony of Persons D1 and D2. In plain language: They tried to get D1 and D2 to lie. Notice Manafort & Kilimnik are good buddies. In 2018.
10/ Who is Kilimnik? A time.com/5306563/robert… He shows up in several of Mueller’s docs. He’s a Russian political operative who [is believed to] have ties to Russian intelligence. I’m just not getting how people say this has nothing to do with Trump and the campaign. 🤷♀️
11/ Here’s the plea deal: justice.gov/file/1094151/d… Here’s what Manafort has to do: Cooperate fully in “all matters as to which the Government deems the cooperation relevant.” Waive the right to have his lawyers present when he is questioned Waive the right appeal.
12/ He forfeits $46 million in assets Any lying or additional criminal behavior from Manafort, and the deal is off. Here’s Manafort gets in exchange: If the government determines that Manafort has provided “substantial assistance,” the government will ask for. . .
13/. . . a reduction in M’s sentence. Notice the “if” in that sentence. Prosecutors hold all power. Plain language: Prosecutors have Manafort over a barrel. Looks like Manafort’s sentence, if he provides substantial assistance, is 10 year maximum.
14/ It also looks like Sarah Sanders statement that the plea deal has nothing to do with Trump is flat out wrong. If prosecutors want Manafort to talk about Trump, Manafort talks about Trump. Or he spends a whole lot longer in jail.
MANAFORT, PAUL
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TKANEFIELD
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