Manafort allegedly lied about giving polling data to Russian: court filing

[webfact]

Manafort allegedly lied about giving polling data to Russian: court filing

By Nathan Layne

 

FILE PHOTO: President Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort departs U.S. District Court after a motions hearing in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S., May 4, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was accused by federal prosecutors of lying about sharing polling data related to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign with a business partner with alleged ties to Russian intelligence, according to portions of a court filing by Manafort's defence team that were inadvertently made public on Tuesday.

 

Before sending the document to a public database for federal court filings, lawyers for Manafort had tried to black out the portion on polling data and other information about Manafort's interactions with Konstantin Kilimnik, a former business partner of Manafort's who Mueller has claimed in court filings has ties to Russian intelligence.

 

But some journalists, including at Vox and the Guardian, realized the redacted portions could be electronically reversed and posted uncensored versions on Twitter. Reuters did not independently review the filing, which was soon replaced in the public database with a properly redacted version.

 

Manafort's lawyers did not respond to a request for comment on the matter. A spokesman for Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose office is prosecuting Manafort, declined to comment. Kilimnik could not be reached for comment.

 

According to the unredacted versions posted online, the blacked-out sections showed that Manafort has been accused by Mueller of lying about his sharing of polling data on the 2016 campaign with Kilimnik.

 

The sections posted online also stated that Mueller's office believes that Manafort lied to prosecutors about his discussions with Kilimnik about a "Ukrainian peace plan" and a meeting that Manafort had with Kilimnik when they both were in Madrid.

 

The filing did not provide further details on the Madrid meeting or the peace plan, although Mueller has scrutinized a proposal by a Ukrainian lawmaker that involved, among other outcomes, the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Russia, according to people familiar with the matter.

 

In the document Manafort's lawyers referenced a December court filing in which Mueller alleged that Manafort had "conceded" to discussing the peace plan, which they argued was an indication that their client was forthcoming when his memory was refreshed of past events.

 

The inadvertent disclosures offered a rare glimpse into details that were meant to remain private while Manafort's lawyers and Mueller's office battle over whether Manafort has breached a plea agreement struck in September by lying.

 

In December Mueller accused Manafort in a court filing of telling "multiple discernible lies" related to five subjects, including his interactions with Kilimnik and his contacts with Trump administration officials in 2018.

 

At the time Manafort's lawyers said their client never intentionally provided incorrect information to prosecutors, but asked the judge for time to consider whether they wanted to contest Mueller's allegations or proceed to sentencing.

 

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson had given Manafort's lawyers until Monday to make a decision.

 

"The defence contests the Government’s conclusion and contends that any alleged misstatements, to the extent they occurred at all, were not intentional," Manafort's lawyers said in the filing, which was filed on Monday and released by the court on Tuesday.

 

In the filing Manafort's lawyers said they would not seek an evidentiary hearing to contest Mueller's allegations of lying, arguing that such factual matters could be addressed in a pre-sentencing report.

 

Following the filing by Manafort's lawyers, Jackson ordered the government to submit evidence supporting their allegations by Jan. 14, and held out the option of holding a hearing on the matter on Jan. 25.

 

(Reporting by Nathan Layne in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and James Dalgleish)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-01-09

[Chomper Higgot]

Manafort is not simply accused of sharing ‘Polling Data with a Russian spy’ he’s accused of sharing ‘Trump Campaign Polling Data with a Russian spy’.

 

This is problematic for Manafort and Trump in many respects, not least amongst which is the fact Trump had months earlier ‘dismissed’ Manafort from the Campaign and both Trump and Manafort are both on record stating Manafort had no part in the Campaign after his dismissal.

 

So Manafort hands Trump Campaign Polling Data to a Russian spy.

 

Illiberals get your denial glasses on, the truth will (Despite Individual-1’s best efforts) out!

 

Manafort is toast, he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison.

[roobaa01]

again one fairy tale stories which thus far have produced no russian collusion results but lots of red tape with more than usd 25 mill. wasted by mueller and his gang.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[Chomper Higgot]

19 minutes ago, roobaa01 said:

again one fairy tale stories which thus far have produced no russian collusion results but lots of red tape with more than usd 25 mill. wasted by mueller and his gang.

 

wbr

roobaa01

OK, handing Internal Trump Campaign Polling Data to a Russian spy doesn’t meet your idea of ‘Collusion’.

 

We get that.

[DoctorG]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

OK, handing Internal Trump Campaign Polling Data to a Russian spy doesn’t meet your idea of ‘Collusion’.

 

We get that.

My reading of the story is that it is an accusation that the judge is asking the government to prove.

[alanrchase]

3 hours ago, roobaa01 said:

again one fairy tale stories which thus far have produced no russian collusion results but lots of red tape with more than usd 25 mill. wasted by mueller and his gang.

 

wbr

roobaa01

Mueller and his gang have so far seized over 22 million usd in assets and by the time they have finished the investigation may well turn a profit. More than Trump could manage with his Casinos, airline, steaks, vodka........

[Chomper Higgot]

55 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

My reading of the story is that it is an accusation that the judge is asking the government to prove.

You correct.

 

That’s what happens in courts of law.

 

If the ‘No Collusion’ claim is now down to ‘Not yet proven in court’ - that’ll do for now.

 

I trust you are looking forward to updates on the verdict as eagerly as am I.

[jcsmith]

6 hours ago, roobaa01 said:

again one fairy tale stories which thus far have produced no russian collusion results but lots of red tape with more than usd 25 mill. wasted by mueller and his gang.

 

wbr

roobaa01

The Mueller investigation has confiscated more money than it has spent so far... And resulted in dozens of indictments and convictions. 

[Tug]

Oh ho more trouble for Donald lol I have a feeling muller has a boat load on Donald 

[Trouble]

Polling Data?  Boy this is really big time stuff.  All the polls were wrong anyway.  It's not like it's classified information.  So it's a fact the Kilimnik is a Russian Spy?  Looks to me like Manafort and his "business partner" Kilimnik are just guys trying to hustle money, making deals, selling information.  A lot about nothing, if you ask me.  Why Manafort would lie about this stuff risking more problems is beyond me. One would think that the first thing anyone would to is keep their mouth shut and get an attorney.  Never, ever talk to the federal investigators on their terms. Get the lawyer and take the 5th if you have to.  Everything Mueller seems to have done is catching people lying and mostly it is about little to do with collusion.

[Guest]

11 hours ago, roobaa01 said:

again one fairy tale stories which thus far have produced no russian collusion results but lots of red tape with more than usd 25 mill. wasted by mueller and his gang.

 

wbr

roobaa01

Fairy tale story you say? Here is what really happened - a fairy tale love story. ????

 

 

[bristolboy]

9 minutes ago, Trouble said:

  Why Manafort would lie about this stuff risking more problems is beyond me. 

Not suspicious at all. Nothing to see here. 

[Redline]

4 hours ago, Trouble said:

Polling Data?  Boy this is really big time stuff.  All the polls were wrong anyway.  It's not like it's classified information.  So it's a fact the Kilimnik is a Russian Spy?  Looks to me like Manafort and his "business partner" Kilimnik are just guys trying to hustle money, making deals, selling information.  A lot about nothing, if you ask me.  Why Manafort would lie about this stuff risking more problems is beyond me. One would think that the first thing anyone would to is keep their mouth shut and get an attorney.  Never, ever talk to the federal investigators on their terms. Get the lawyer and take the 5th if you have to.  Everything Mueller seems to have done is catching people lying and mostly it is about little to do with collusion.

Why are they lying ????

[DoctorG]

16 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You correct.

 

That’s what happens in courts of law.

 

If the ‘No Collusion’ claim is now down to ‘Not yet proven in court’ - that’ll do for now.

 

I trust you are looking forward to updates on the verdict as eagerly as am I.

Absolutely. Manafort is probably guilty of many things and I have never defended him. All I ever ask for is proof instead of wild accusations of collusion.

I will add that if Mr Trump is proven to have acted illegally, then I will also condemn him.

[Chomper Higgot]

8 hours ago, Trouble said:

Polling Data?  Boy this is really big time stuff.  All the polls were wrong anyway.  It's not like it's classified information.  So it's a fact the Kilimnik is a Russian Spy?  Looks to me like Manafort and his "business partner" Kilimnik are just guys trying to hustle money, making deals, selling information.  A lot about nothing, if you ask me.  Why Manafort would lie about this stuff risking more problems is beyond me. One would think that the first thing anyone would to is keep their mouth shut and get an attorney.  Never, ever talk to the federal investigators on their terms. Get the lawyer and take the 5th if you have to.  Everything Mueller seems to have done is catching people lying and mostly it is about little to do with collusion.

Comprehension not your thing then.

 

Not just ‘polling data’ but ‘internal Trump Campaign polling data’.

 

Handed by Trump’s former Campaign head to a Russian spy.

 

Illiberals get your denial glasses on, the truth will (despite Individual-1’s best efforts) out.

[SheungWan]

32 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Absolutely. Manafort is probably guilty of many things and I have never defended him. All I ever ask for is proof instead of wild accusations of collusion.

I will add that if Mr Trump is proven to have acted illegally, then I will also condemn him.

But until then its 'all hands on deck'.

[Thakkar]

18 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You correct.

 

That’s what happens in courts of law.

 

If the ‘No Collusion’ claim is now down to ‘Not yet proven in court’ - that’ll do for now.

 

I trust you are looking forward to updates on the verdict as eagerly as am I.

“No contact with Russians” has turned into something quite different.

16 of his people, including, but not limited to, his son, son in law, campaign manager, deputy campaign manager foreign policy advisor, future Attorney General, and future national security adviser had dozens of contacts with Russia.

 

ALL failed to disclose those contacts as required, lied about those contacts when asked, then lied about the nature if those contacts, then downplayed the importance of the discussions, and now claim there was nothing improper in making those contacts.

 

That is quite a journey. 

[bristolboy]

3 hours ago, DoctorG said:

Absolutely. Manafort is probably guilty of many things and I have never defended him. All I ever ask for is proof instead of wild accusations of collusion.

I will add that if Mr Trump is proven to have acted illegally, then I will also condemn him.

'Probably guilty"? Do you recall that Manafort was actually convicted in a trial by jury? 

[Thakkar]

4 hours ago, DoctorG said:

Manafort is probably guilty of many things

 

Only 355 days till Christmas, so let’s be charitable.

Yeah, that felon who has been convicted, is sitting in jail and who has opted to NOT contest some other charges against him, is “probably guilty”

[sirineou]

12 hours ago, Trouble said:

Polling Data?  Boy this is really big time stuff.  All the polls were wrong anyway.  It's not like it's classified information.

 were the polls wrong? or did the russian interference change them?