Posted on 05/04/2018 9:00:17 AM PDT by Red Badger
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday sharply criticized Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s criminal case in Virginia against President Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, and openly questioned whether Mueller exceeded his prosecutorial powers by bringing it.
“I don’t see what relationship this indictment has with anything the special counsel is authorized to investigate,” U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis in the Eastern District of Virginia said.
At tense hearing at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, the judge said Mueller should not have “unfettered power” in his Russia probe and that the charges against Manafort did not arise from the investigation into Moscow’s alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.
Manafort is facing charges in both Virginia and Washington. The Virginia case charges him with offenses including tax and bank fraud. The other case accuses him of conspiring to launder money and failing to register as a foreign agent when he lobbied for the pro-Russia Ukrainian government.
None of the charges relate, however, to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign or possible collusion with Russia. Trump has denied any collusion.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Since the judge says it has nothing to do with the Russia case then Sessions’s recusal shouldn’t apply
“Failure to provide will require the judge to dismiss the case.”
BAMMM!
Thank you sir.
Most of the things he’s charged with are things that are commonly not prosecuted at all, but when you’re a prosecutor with an axe to grind, you naturally don’t care.
Especially when you and your entire team want to undo an election.
Looks that way - wonder how this Judge snuck through the cracks....we need more like him.
The defense has a right to the document because it goes directly to the issue of subject matter and personal jurisdiction. The prosecution has the choice to either turn it over or dismiss the charges.
National security is no excuse for a violation of a defendant’s constitutional rights.
There is case law supporting this position.
Case will be dismissed within two months.
Mueller has been trying to intimidate a witness. That’s a felony. Same thing with Cohen. Both of them should file a criminal against him; and file civil lawsuits.
This is like Kanye West leaving the plantation!
He could do more than that. He could bring it to trial and then find Manafort not guilty. He can make evidentiary rulings that hamstring one side or the other. He can throw out some charges and keep others. He can order disclosures. If he wants to torture Mueller, he has plenty of ways to do it.
So Michael Cohen’s case goes to SDNY, bt Manafort stays with Mueller. Seems like the judge knows what’s up.
That would just drag it out over the summer and into the fall...........................
Why hasn’t this litigation been transferred to a local US Attorney?
That’s the judge’s point. Michael Cohen was referred to the SDNY bu yet Manafort’s case which has nothing to do with Russian collusion during the 2016 campaign remains within Mueller’s grasp. Smells to high heaven...
Good thing I wasn’t 100% sure. That means I am still never wrong. :>)
Either way, I like this judge. His comments make a lot of sense. Muller and his team don’t have the powers to investigate the history of everyone that has ever been associated with Trump.
As I recall, the original judge recused himself after accepting the Mueller indictments against Mr. Manafort.
Good to see an honest judge is now involved in this Witch Hunt.
But Manafort was a plant by the deep state, which might put the judge in a category other than sane.
Media Headlines Online:
NBC: Federal judge in Manafort case skeptical of the scope of the Mueller investigation
CBS: Federal judge asks skeptical questions on Mueller’s authority to bring charges against Paul Manafort
ABC: Judge to prosecutors in Manafort case: ‘We don’t want anyone with unfettered power’
CNN: Judge in Manafort case says Mueller’s aim is to hurt Trump
MSNBC: Manafort judge says special counsel should not have ‘unfettered power’
FOX News: Federal judge accuses Mueller’s team of ‘lying,’ trying to target Trump: ‘C’mon man!’
The internet libtards are claiming..
“if the police are investigating a drug charge and they find a dead body in your house...the judge is saying you can’t be charged with murder”
HE IS NOT saying that...freaking idiots
Yes, I think you’re right. It was the Flynn case where the judge recused.
Thanks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.