Trump says Manafort pardon 'not off the table': interview

 

U.S. President Donald Trump participates in the 96th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony near the White House in Washington, U.S., November 28, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had not ruled out granting a pardon to his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who has pleaded guilty to a range of federal charges from money laundering to unregistered lobbying.

 

"It was never discussed, but I wouldn’t take it off the table. Why would I take it off the table?” the president told the New York Post during an Oval Office interview.

 

Prosecutors for the special counsel investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election said in a court filing on Monday that Manafort had lied to them, breaching a plea agreement.

 

"Manafort committed federal crimes by lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Special Counsel's Office on a variety of subject matters," Special Counsel Robert Mueller said in the filing. The filing did not give details but promised more as part of a pre-sentencing report.

 

The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, said Manafort's alleged false statements included comments about his business dealings and contacts with a former associate in Ukraine.

 

Those statements did not appear to be central to the allegations Mueller is investigating of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, but it is unclear if prosecutors plan to accuse Manafort of additional lies, the Journal reported. Moscow denies meddling in the 2016 election and Trump has denied any collusion occurred.

 

Spokesmen for Manafort and Mueller both declined to comment on the Journal story.

 

Manafort said in the court filing that he disagreed with the special counsel's assertion that he had lied, but both sides agreed the court should move ahead and sentence him for his crimes.

 

Without a pardon, the 69-year-old Manafort could spend the rest of his life in prison, experts said.

 

The breakdown in the plea deal means that Manafort will almost certainly be hit with a harsher sentence - both for the crimes he pleaded guilty to in Washington and for his conviction in August in a separate case in Virginia on bank and tax fraud.

 

Manafort was likely facing about 10 years in prison for the eight guilty counts in the Virginia case alone, sentencing experts have said.

 

But the development also raised speculation that Manafort may be seeking to curry favor with Trump or protecting other associates who worked on the campaign.

 

Trump has been vocal in his support for Manafort, lauding him as a "very good person" during the Virginia trial.

 

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and David Alexander; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-29

A pardon for being a mole after he began cooperating with Mueller's team.  Stone, Corsi and Manafort are relying upon pardons to get them out of Trump's mess, although Trump claims he hardly knew them.  The obstruction case is now solid.

It is Trump's modus operandi to protect the bad guy (who he refers to as good men). So of course a pardon is on the table for these untruthful crooks who protected his ass by lying for him.

Talk about draining the swamp ..... what a hypocrite.

Trump acting like a banana republic dictator. Lock him up!

A pardon for Manafort is the appropriate action to take. 

A pardon for Manafort is an inappropriate action to take.

just look at who obama pardoned, they are all the same and do the same things

 

1 minute ago, seajae said:

just look at who obama pardoned, they are all the same and do the same things

 

Somehow I don't remember 44 needing to pardon his campaign manager and other cronies... care to elaborate?

He really has got the goods on the Donald.

 Manney has nothing to gain from cooperating or composing,they already stripped him and his family from ever becoming  human's again.This is the  dehumanizing price one has to ponder before ever associating one's name with anything that has Trump on it!Hopefully he will get a pardon! 

5 minutes ago, riclag said:

 Manney has nothing to gain from cooperating or composing,they already stripped him and his family from ever becoming  human's again.This is the  dehumanizing price one has to ponder before ever associating one's name with anything that has Trump on it!Hopefully he will get a pardon! 

Manafort committed criminal acts, was indicted, and then convicted in a court of law.  What the freak are you talking about? 

35 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Manafort committed criminal acts, was indicted, and then convicted in a court of law.  What the freak are you talking about? 

 Constitutional Presidential Pardon's of criminal acts

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/06/trump-us-presidential-pardons-history-clemency-constitution.html

1 minute ago, riclag said:

 Constitutional Presidential Pardon's of criminal acts

So your position is criminals should be pardoned.  Would this apply to every criminal?  Don't worry, I know you won't have a coherent answer. 

1 minute ago, Berkshire said:

So your position is criminals should be pardoned.  Would this apply to every criminal?  Don't worry, I know you won't have a coherent answer. 

 I refer you to my OP

39 minutes ago, riclag said:

 Manney has nothing to gain from cooperating or composing,they already stripped him and his family from ever becoming  human's again.This is the  dehumanizing price one has to ponder before ever associating one's name with anything that has Trump on it!Hopefully he will get a pardon! 

So you're saying that before associating oneself with Trump one has to take into consideration that one will certainly have to participate in criminal acts. Well, for once we agree.

1 minute ago, riclag said:

 I refer you to my OP

In other words; you've got nothing.

 

Trump answered appropriately . It's not off the table because the entire Mueller investigation started with  fraudulent fisa warrant applications based on

dossier paid for by hrc and company plus a yahoo article while commiting yet (or soon?) to be indicted treasonous offenses.

didnt you guys enjoy the recent Trumps retweet?

https://twitter.com/The_Trump_Train/status/1067687857400229888?s=20

 

 

29 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

Trump answered appropriately . It's not off the table because the entire Mueller investigation started with  fraudulent fisa warrant applications based on

dossier paid for by hrc and company plus a yahoo article while commiting yet (or soon?) to be indicted treasonous offenses.

didnt you guys enjoy the recent Trumps retweet?

https://twitter.com/The_Trump_Train/status/1067687857400229888?s=20

 

 

No, I didn't. And anyone who's not totally deplorable should feel ashamed that this POS is desecration the highest office in the US. May the McD diet work it's magic soon!

5 minutes ago, Becker said:

No, I didn't. And anyone who's not totally deplorable should feel ashamed that this POS is desecration the highest office in the US. May the McD diet work it's magic soon!

POS????

12 minutes ago, riclag said:

POS????

Since you obviously have a well developed imagination (I mean, you do after all believe the words of a proven compulsive liar, a shiny wall in the south that Mexico will pay for, MAWA etc etc etc) so I really shouldn't have to spell out for you what POS stands for in the context of discussing one of the most vile persons alive.

 

Hint: We're not discussing navigation so it's not "position".

 

16 minutes ago, Becker said:

Since you obviously have a well developed imagination (I mean, you do after all believe the words of a proven compulsive liar, a shiny wall in the south that Mexico will pay for, MAWA etc etc etc) so I really shouldn't have to spell out for you what POS stands for in the context of discussing one of the most vile persons alive.

 

Hint: We're not discussing navigation so it's not "position".

 

 Many American's refer to the President as POTUS!  I didn't know POS!

So getting back to your post#18

I don't feel ashamed ,As POTUS he hasn't done anything wrong 

41 minutes ago, Becker said:

No, I didn't. And anyone who's not totally deplorable should feel ashamed that this POS is desecration the highest office in the US. May the McD diet work it's magic soon!

Trumps is being very clear with that retweet.  It is treason to illegaly spy on a political campaign using a fraudulently attained fisa court approval, with the assistance of foreign(uk) intel apparatus. 

This is the   meddling in 2016 elections by Obama admin and is now an ongoing

campaign to coverup and unseat a duly elected president.

 

Biggest scandal in American history.

 

 

 

 

 

39 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

Trumps is being very clear with that retweet.  It is treason to illegaly spy on a political campaign using a fraudulently attained fisa court approval, with the assistance of foreign(uk) intel apparatus. 

This is the   meddling in 2016 elections by Obama admin and is now an ongoing

campaign to coverup and unseat a duly elected president.

 

Biggest scandal in American history.

 

 

 

 

 

Are you talking about trump being “very clear” by retweeting a lie?

 

or some other retweet that is probably a lie?

 

or are you talking about something unspecified, which given his demonstrable track record of lying, will probably be a lie?

 

ironically, with an unimaginably high rate of direct lying, I fail to see the point in him retweeting lies... go figure.

 

Perhaps it would be more edifying if you could provide a credible link to the fraudulently obtained fisa warrant (and HRCs connection to it.?)

6 hours ago, neeray said:

It is Trump's modus operandi to protect the bad guy (who he refers to as good men). So of course a pardon is on the table for these untruthful crooks who protected his ass by lying for him.

Talk about draining the swamp ..... what a hypocrite.

You, of course, can demonstrate where this lying took place and what the lie was?  

Illiberals took my advice.

 

They are indeed wearing their denial glasses.

 

They’re going to need them!

51 minutes ago, farcanell said:

Are you talking about trump being “very clear” by retweeting a lie?

 

or some other retweet that is probably a lie?

 

or are you talking about something unspecified, which given his demonstrable track record of lying, will probably be a lie?

 

ironically, with an unimaginably high rate of direct lying, I fail to see the point in him retweeting lies... go figure.

 

Perhaps it would be more edifying if you could provide a credible link to the fraudulently obtained fisa warrant (and HRCs connection to it.?)

I guess you didnt see his funny retweet of the whole cabal behind bars meme.

link provided in earlier post.

 

well so far no links provided for Russia collusion either except for libelous media articles which also have not provided credible links. 

 

Read oig report for starters, then wait for fisa application declas that every one in gchq is worried and panicking over.

 

 

56 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

I guess you didnt see his funny retweet of the whole cabal behind bars meme.

link provided in earlier post.

 

well so far no links provided for Russia collusion either except for libelous media articles which also have not provided credible links. 

 

Read oig report for starters, then wait for fisa application declas that every one in gchq is worried and panicking over.

 

 

So.... no credible links then.... just libelous cartoons with lies pasted over them. Cool.. just checking ( although it was as presidential as a wet fart... which is what makes it funny... right?)

 

Don worry... its all good... but can you maybe provide links to libelous media articles... or better, to the mueller investigation making libelous statements.

 

or.... what oig report are you referencing... can you link that? I only ask because waiting for government docs to be declassified (as you suggest) may see me dead before re- educated.... which would be a pity.

Don’t worry Donald there building a whole new wing at Leavenworth for you your family and your cronies you just can’t help putting your foot up your rear end lol better hope your (loyal)judges are enough to keep you out of jail lol

And will Cohen get a pardon too...

Quote

US President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen is expected to plead to lying to Congress in relation to Russia inquiry, US media report.

Mr Cohen will admit misleading lawmakers about a Trump real estate project in Russia, say reports.

He appeared unexpectedly at federal court in Manhattan on Thursday morning.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46390368

Another nail for the coffin...

6 hours ago, riclag said:

This is the  dehumanizing price one has to ponder before ever associating one's name with anything that has Trump on it!

Thank you for this statement of pure unadulterated truth.

It would appear that Manafort is holding back on some highly incriminating information about Trump, something so damming that it is sure to put Trump's ass in a sling. So by withholding this information, he is protecting NUMBER ONE criminal who he expects will pardon him from federal charges. My guess is that the same information will also incriminate Russia and prove their interference in the 'fixed' election of Trump. It would not be healthy for Manafort AND family to expose Russian/Trump secrets.