Judge Asks US to Defend Secrecy of Trump Associate's History

Associated Press ^ | March 21, 2016 | Jeff Horwitz

[reaganaut1]

A federal judge has asked the Obama administration to shield from public disclosure court records related to the once-secret criminal history of a former Donald Trump business partner.

In an unusual order prompted by an unsealing request from The Associated Press, U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan said that unless the Justice Department acts before April 18, he will decide whether to make the court files public under the assumption that federal prosecutors don't care.

The case involves Felix Sater, a Trump business associate who pleaded guilty in a major Mafia-linked stock fraud scheme in the late 1990s and cooperated with the government. The AP reported in December that, even after learning about Sater's background, Trump tapped Sater for a business development role in 2010 that included the title of senior adviser to Trump, and had an office in the Trump Organization's headquarters.

Sater's criminal past initially drew attention because of his ties to Trump, now the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination. But legal disputes over information related to Sater's efforts to cooperate with the government — which was ongoing during the period he worked with Trump — also raises questions about court secrecy.

"It seems to me that the government has a unique interest in keeping documents that relate to cooperation agreements under seal," Cogan wrote in his order. "The government should speak and assert its position as to whether the public's right to access each document in the record is outweighed by a compelling need for secrecy."

Lawyers for the AP had asked the judge to justify sealing a five-year criminal contempt proceeding in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

[reaganaut1]

Previous FR thread: Donald Trump's senior adviser is a stock fraud felon with mob past.

[b4its2late]

This’ll only get worse. Wait till the clintonites come out with the details.

[Iowa David]

Trump dealing with mobsters. Who would have thought.

[VitacoreVision]

Felix Sater was born in Moscow, Soviet Union on March 2, 1966 to parents Mikhail and Rachel Sater. A Jewish family, the Saters emigrated to Israel when Sater was eight years old to avoid religious persecution in the Soviet Union, and eventually came to the United States, living in Baltimore, Maryland before settling in Brighton Beach, New York in 1974.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Sater

[Gaffer]

So. Now the ankle biting goes from a 6 hour old story about a 2010 hiring to further description about goings on in 1998? Is that the baseline gist of it?

Frankly, I’d like to see something from you about the efficacy, honor and right-mindedness of your own personal candidate choice than more pile on, last ditch efforts to push your candidate further by hamstringing another candidate who isn’t an approved GOPe candidate.

[Basket_of_Deplorables]

Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump! Peak Trump!

[No Socialist]

Pretty much anyone who deals with real estate in new York city has to deal with mobsters. They are kind of like the politicians.

[heights]

Another hit piece by SLEAZY Crushers. Thanks for reinforcing the notion that Cruz supporters are slime balls.

[pookie18]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/memory-lapse-trump-seeks-distance-advisor-past-ties/story?id=34600826

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/31/politics/trump-mob-mafia/

http://danaloeschradio.com/how-i-came-to-my-opinion-on-donald-trump

[DesertRhino]

Cruz with Goldman Sachs and Lindsey Graham and McLame. Who would have thought.

[b4me]

I don’t see how it’s any different than obama and chicago connections. business/mob stuff all intertwined.

[heights]

Two can play at this game Cruzers. https://youtu.be/dN1IXDrXgV0

Teddy with his ‘ Murder Homosexual’ friend.

[hsmomx3]

Is this what the looney Alex Jones was referring to when he said a bombshell item would be made public about Trump? I am so sick of these people and their bombshell crap.

[libbylu]

Yeah, Snakehead has been dragging $100 bills not only through trailer parks will come out if DT wins nomination. Pam Bondi and Trump should be facing charges when he bought her off the Florida Trump U lawsuit in 2013, no surprise at her endorsement. Looks like Obama DOJ is going to let the floodgates open on DT’s business partner, that will be fun.
Of course his supporters do not care. Most Americans do.

[lewislynn]

Cruz with Goldman Sachs and Lindsey Graham and McLame

Neil Bush is no saint either. He'd probably be (should be) in prison if it wasn't for his name.

[lewislynn]

(Cruz: The truth with a smile.)

Never rust anyone always smiling. A smile is in the eyes. There's no smile in those dark eyes.

[Iowa David]

McCain endorsed Cruz? Can you show me a link to that, I was unaware. I googled it and couldn’t find anything about it either.

[Libertynotfree]

I am interested in Clinton, Obama, Sander... Mafia acts.

[Iscool]

I got news for ‘em...We don’t care...We’re going to elect Trump...Besides...Is this guy any worse than Hillary, or half the Reps in Congress???