Manafort Lawyers Claim Leaky Mueller Probe Has Provided No Evidence Of Contacts With Russian Officials
The alleged lack of evidence would be in sharp contrast to the repeated leaks from anonymous but highly placed government officials that led to the appointment of a special counsel.
By Mollie Hemingway
May 3, 2018
In a new filing demanding a full hearing on what Paul Manafort’s lawyers say is a series of illegal governmental leaks about his case, his legal team also reveals the government has provided no evidence of any contact between Manafort and Russian officials.
The special counsel’s office says it has no evidence in its possession responsive to Manafort’s request for transcripts, notes, or tapes of any and all conversation or contacts between Russian intelligence or government officials and Manafort, according to the filing.
This revelation, and the series of potentially false and illegal leaks from myriad government officials claiming they had such evidence, call into question the legal basis of Mueller’s probe of Manafort, which was ostensibly launched to ferret out illegal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and foreign officials, Manafort’s attorneys say.
Despite multiple requests to provide any evidence detailing contacts between Russian officials and Manafort, “the Special Counsel has not produced any materials to the defense — no tapes, notes, transcripts or any other material evidencing surveillance or intercepts of communications between Mr. Manafort and Russian intelligence officials, Russian government officials (or any other foreign officials,†the filing in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District Virginia says. “The Office of Special Counsel has advised that there are no materials responsive to Mr. Manafort’s requests.â€
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http://thefederalist.com/2018/05/03/manafort-lawyers-claim-leaky-mueller-probe-has-provided-no-evidence-of-contacts-with-russian-officials/
