The Manafort Indictment: Not Much There, and a Boon for Trump...By Andrew C. McCarthy

[mystery-ak]

 The Manafort Indictment: Not Much There, and a Boon for Trump
Do not be fooled by the “Conspiracy against the United States” heading.
By Andrew C. McCarthy — October 30, 2017

The Paul Manafort indictment is much ado about nothing . . . except as a vehicle to squeeze Manafort, which is special counsel Robert Mueller’s objective — as we have been arguing for three months (see here, here, and here).

Do not be fooled by the “Conspiracy against the United States” heading on Count One (page 23 of the indictment). This case has nothing to do with what Democrats and the media call “the attack on our democracy” (i.e., the Kremlin’s meddling in the 2016 election, supposedly in “collusion” with the Trump campaign). Essentially, Manafort and his associate, Richard W. Gates, are charged with (a) conspiring to conceal from the U.S. government about $75 million they made as unregistered foreign agents for Ukraine, years before the 2016 election (mainly, from 2006 through 2014), and (b) a money-laundering conspiracy.

There are twelve counts in all, but those are the two major allegations.

more
http://www.nationalreview.com/node/453244/print

[Frank Cannon]

Pretty well sums up what a Hail Mary this was for Mueller to stay relevant.

[edpc]

Apparently, both Manafort and his lawyers agree not much is there....

Trump-Russia Probe Charges: 2 Not Guilty Pleas, 1 Guilty

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians, special counsel Robert Mueller said Monday, while Trump's former campaign manager and that official's business partner pleaded not guilty to felony charges of conspiracy against the United States and other counts.

The guilty plea by former adviser George Papadopoulos marked the first criminal case that cites interactions between Trump campaign associates and Russian intermediaries during the 2016 presidential campaign. The developments ushered Mueller's sprawling investigation into a new phase with felony charges and possible prison sentences for key members of the Trump team.

**********************************

Manafort and Gates appeared in federal court in Washington and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/nyt-manafort-gates-told-surrender-mueller-probe-122235635--politics.html?exp=vv


Looks like Manafort and Gates are tossing it back To Mueller and saying ‘prove it.’  Money laundering cases are terribly complex and difficult to present to jurors.  Most likely, they’ll bargain this indictment down to something with much less monetary penalty and little jail time, if any at all.

[Bigun]

Here's the most incisive comment on this I've seen to date:

Matt Lewis @mattklewis
"If we’re worried about the incestuous “swamp,” the fact Trump’s campaign chair AND the brother of Hillary’s chair were lobbying partners..."

[Emjay]

Pretty well sums up what a Hail Mary this was for Mueller to stay relevant.

Yep.  I'm not sorry he did it but, realistically speaking, it's a criminal matter with little to do with politics.

[skeeter]

Pretty well sums up what a Hail Mary this was for Mueller to stay relevant.

Mueller knows most of his case is bullsh*t. The case doesn't have to be solid to break Manafort financially.

I just hope when he 'rolls over' he rolls over on Podesta.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Pretty well sums up what a Hail Mary this was for Mueller to stay relevant.

He needs more time for his U1 cover-up

[Right_in_Virginia]

Trump-Russia Probe Charges: 2 Not Guilty Pleas, 1 Guilty

And still no charges on Trump-Russia.

[Fantom]

Manafort should have borrowed Hillary's magic cloth.  That would be Mueller and Comey.