Well the old crank came back to earth...still a major piece of work but...

Judge in Manafort trial says he went overboard on criticizing prosecutors

Quote:

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The federal judge overseeing the financial trial of Paul Manafort said Thursday he was likely in error when he angrily confronted prosecutors during expert witness testimony, telling jurors in the former Trump campaign chairman's case to "put aside" his criticism.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III has subjected special counsel Robert Mueller's team to repeated tongue-lashings over the pace of their questioning, the massive trove of their evidence and even their facial expressions. But Ellis told jurors he went overboard when he erupted on prosecutors Wednesday for allowing an expert witness to remain in the courtroom during the trial.

Put aside my criticism," Ellis said, adding: "This robe doesn't make me anything other than human."

The judge's comments came in response to a written filing by prosecutors on the eighth day of Manafort's trial on charges of tax evasion and bank fraud. In the filing, they argued that Ellis should instruct the jury that he made an error in admonishing them during the testimony of IRS agent Michael Welch.

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Maybe this is a fakeout by Ellis. Perhaps he's trying to get the jury to feel bad for the prosecution in hopes that they'll dismiss Manafort's feeble defense. More likely Ellis is an activist judge who shouldn't be on the bench. Trump will probably nominate him to the SC if Kavanaugh fails.

The judge is acting like someone told him after his apology yesterday that he better keep going forward with his undermining of the prosecution's case. Our sacred institutions are under attack.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/08/10/manafort-trial-judge-mysteriously-delays-testimony-after-new-mueller-team-complaint.amp.html

Well there is this.... It seems a sidebar discussion let to sealing the info because it's related to TRUMP RUSSIA. Maybe the magnitude is freaking out old man Ellis.

Court seals portion of Mueller team's discussion relevant to 'ongoing investigation'

LD!

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/10/opinion/sunday/larry-david-trump-tower-meeting-russia.html

Woodward and Bernstein still on it 44 years later:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/aug/12/woodward-bernstein-watergate-donald-trump-era?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Manafort's defense rests, will not call any witnesses or Manafort.

So...is this an open and shut case or is Dotard injected into the proceedings...and is the pooch screwed?

Revoked because of "erratic behavior," according to SHS.

B.A. Bearacus said:

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Revoked because of "erratic behavior," according to SHS.

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I'm wondering if there is a possible cause of action that would survive demurrer to the point where the WH would have to provide all of its communications about the genesis of this action. In my simple mind, THAT would be devastating politically. In that context, I could also imagine litigation on the issue of whether ANY of the WH's predictable claims of National Security could conceivably withstand In Camera examination in a discovery motion.

The tRump Administration is starting to look like a criminal enterprise on the run. I wonder how many Diet Cokes and Viagra are in the go bag?

bearister said:

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The tRump Administration is starting to look like a criminal enterprise on the run. I wonder how many Diet Cokes and Viagra are in the go bag?

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The go bag is a big white sack.

"Brennan responds in a N.Y. Times op-ed this morning, "President Trump's Claims of No Collusion Are Hogwash":

"The only questions that remain are whether the collusion that took place constituted criminally liable conspiracy, whether obstruction of justice occurred to cover up any collusion or conspiracy, and how many members of 'Trump Incorporated' attempted to defraud the government by laundering and concealing the movement of money into their pockets."
"Mr. Trump clearly has become more desperate to protect himself and those close to him, which is why he made the politically motivated decision to revoke my security clearance in an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to challenge him." Axios

Papadopoulo ditches his plea bargain, says he's going to sue the U.S. government and then mount a full defense...with a pro bono lawyer. My question, what is he and his wife smoking, can't be the good stuff. Or is he going for a Manafort, a presidential pardon?

p.s. any pervs out there..y'all can send a dick pic to Simone, just to remind George he's going to prison.

The Manafort trial judge saying he is concerned about the safety of the jury smacks of code talk to me.

It's been reported that Ellis has received death threats and given this he felt the jury could as well.

That said, yeah Ellis is one weird dude.

Lest any of you are naive regarding the mindset of 30 to 40% of our country that has been formed by Fox News, the following is a sampling of comments from a Daily Mail story about the Manafort trial judge having concerns about his own safety and the safety of the jurors. It is comments like this that led me to conclude that even in the absence of jury intimidation, as many as 4 jurors could share the sentiments below and thus be willing to ignore the jury instructions and engage in nullification. If Manafort gets a hung jury on all counts I think the Republic is in jeopardy:

"Liberal Democrats love to encourage violence. Sad."

"If Manafort is aquitted. How long before CNN investigates the jurors and judge, and claims they're all Russians? "

"If Trump haters don't get their way, they lash out violently. Not surprising he's recieved threats."

"Liberals hate guns but it seems they are the ones who are more violent. So I will keep my guns to protect myself from crazy libs."

"The jury knows this is a witch hunt, and the fact the the judge needs armed security to protect him from threats, is proof."

"Trump supporters yell some true things at Acosta and it's all over the news. Lefties threaten the lives of a Judge and a jury and hardly a peep from the media. That's why they are fake news. And that's why they are the enemy of the people."

"You wonder why the miscreants Bill & Hill are not in jail? When they are not bribing C0RRUPT Federal Agents, threatening Federal Judges and Advancing D.A.`s careers they are MURDERING Witnesses."

An analysis of the comments above indicates that what we are witnessing is nothing less than The Fall of the American Empire. It was not brought about by war, nuclear annihilation, disease or famine. The triggering event was numbness of the mind, evidenced by the mass popularity of Reality TV, the byproduct of which is the Kardashians, a family with no discernible skill set with an earned net worth of over $1 billion and one Donald J. tRump, POTUS. It will end with a whimper, not a bang.

I think Golden Onenote and 003 wrote a couple of those comments...

Huge buzz around this story.

Interesting read for sure. So McGahn has cooperated with Mueller to save his own back...because McGahn thinks Trump and company might have set him up as the fall guy. Just goes to show, few people trust Trump. Michael Cohen didn't and made recording, Omarosa didn't either. McGahn didn't make a recording but he sought out legal counsel to protect himself.

May be the biggest development yet. Be careful if you hear word Academi is buying volumes of tanks and attack helicopters.

Another Bear said:

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Interesting read for sure. So McGahn has cooperated with Mueller to save his own back...because McGahn thinks Trump and company might have set him up as the fall guy. Just goes to show, few people trust Trump. Michael Cohen didn't and made recording, Omarosa didn't either. McGahn didn't make a recording but he sought out legal counsel to protect himself.

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Karma is a beeotch. A much bigger one than even Omarosa.

Bill Maher, in his HBO monologue last night: "The reality-show people are now the reality."

The day "Truth isn't truth" was aborted from Giuliani's mouth.

OT BI's got *****-***** reality surrounded . . . ,

The language appears like the jury has reached consensus on 17 of the 18 counts.

It's going to be interesting how Ellis sentences Manafort given Ellis' weird behavior. Or does he throw the book, 305 years...or just 270? Or does he simply give him essentially life, Manafort pushing 70, with 30 years+.

I very much look forward to the Steven Spielberg film on all this. Or some other filmmaker who can accurately tell the story of WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THIS INSANE ERA OF US POLITICS?!?!??!
Hopefully it has a happy ending where good triumphs over evil.
And does not include anything as dramatic as this:

Another Bear said:

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It's going to be interesting how Ellis sentences Manafort given Ellis' weird behavior. Or does he throw the book, 305 years...or just 270? Or does he simply give him essentially life, Manafort pushing 70, with 30 years+.

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Does anyone think Manafort is going to spend much time in jail at all?
Trump will pardon him universally on the last day of his presidency as a Thank You for not speaking a word. I'm sure that offer has already been made to all. What the hell kind of defense did Manafort provide? NONE!

I heard a hope is that the jury simply gets hung or confused. Looks to me like it's working if they could not reach consensus on at least one charge. Victory: bad guys.

Maybe Manafort will be found guilty and sentenced to 30 years with no chance of parole, and then Trump does that Header I keep speaking of before he can issue his pardon. Hmmm. I guess Pence would ride in to the rescue. The P in GOP must stand for Pardon.

Looks like the jury in the Manafort trial has come to an agreement on all but one of the charges against Manafort. The judge has given the jury instructions to deliberate on the remaining count. The first nail in the Trump coffin could be placed shortly.

As if it couldn't get worse for the Cheeto in Chief, Michael Cohen has a hearing scheduled today that could indicate a plea deal with investigators.

It also appears that the Flynn sentencing hearing has been delayed yet again which could mean that Flynn is providing further information to investigators.

Mueller just goes about the work of obtaining information, witness statements, and documents from anybody who can confirm what he already knows