Manafort tried to pen positive op-ed on Ukraine work - special counsel

By Sarah N. Lynch

 

FILE PHOTO - Former Trump 2016 campaign chairman Paul Manafort leaves U.S. Federal Court, after being arraigned on twelve federal charges in the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, in Washington, U.S. October 30, 2017. REUTERS/James Lawler Duggan/File Picture

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The special counsel investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Monday accused President Donald Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, of working with a Russian colleague to draft an opinion piece about his political work for Ukraine.

 

In court filings, a prosecutor working with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team said Manafort was working on the article as recently as Nov. 30.

 

Had it been published, prosecutors say it would have violated a Nov. 8 court order not to discuss the case publicly.

 

The Russian colleague who was working with Manafort allegedly to shape public opinion about his work for a Ukrainian political party has ties to Russian intelligence agencies, according to the filing.

 

Manafort ultimately never published the opinion piece, after prosecutors reached out to his attorneys to alert them, they said in the filing.

 

Due to Manafort's actions, prosecutors said the judge should reject his request to modify his bail conditions.

 

Manafort has proposed an $11.65 million bail package in exchange for lifting him from house arrest and electronic monitoring.

As part of that deal, he would forfeit four of his real estate properties if he violated his bail conditions.

 

"Even if the ghost-written op-ed were entirely accurate, fair and balanced, it would be a violation of this court's November 8 order if it had been published," wrote prosecutor Andrew Weissmann.

 

A spokesman for Manafort did not have any immediate comment.

 

Manafort and his business associate Rick Gates were both indicted in October in a 12-count indictment by a federal grand jury.

 

They face charges including conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy against the United States and failing to register as foreign agents of Ukraine's former pro-Russian government.

 

Initially, Manafort's lawyers had said in their court filing that the special counsel's office was willing to accept the proposed terms of his release.

 

But prosecutors wrote that they can no longer trust Manafort, and cannot accept his proposed terms.

 

"Because Manafort has now taken actions that reflect an intention to violate or circumvent the court’s existing orders, at a time one would expect particularly scrupulous adherence, the government submits that the proposed bail package is insufficient," the filing said.

 

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch, additional reporting by Karen Freifeld and Nathan Layne; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Dan Grebler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-12-05

Lock him up. Lock him up. Lock him up.

6 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Lock him up. Lock him up. Lock him up.

Lock them up. Lock them up. Lock them up.

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Had it been published

Hopefully it will be disclosed; perhaps if the prosecution gets the court to withdraw Manafort's bail and freedom.

The man-child brought this ultimate bottom feeder into his team and the fanboys still believe he's gonna drain the swamp! One has to question what goes on in the minds of such people.

Actually it might be nice to here another side to this story whether you want to believe it or not. Way too much on all these investigations is being kept secret.

56 minutes ago, Trouble said:

Actually it might be nice to here another side to this story whether you want to believe it or not. Way too much on all these investigations is being kept secret.

Yes, that's a good way to do investigations. Let the people you're gathering information on, know what you've got. Clearly, this principle ought to be applied to all criminal investigations.

1 hour ago, Trouble said:

Way too much on all these investigations is being kept secret.

I hope you're not in law enforcement.

9 hours ago, Trouble said:

Actually it might be nice to here another side to this story whether you want to believe it or not. Way too much on all these investigations is being kept secret.

What other side? That of a criminal?

 

You need to research how investigations are done. LOL