Sparta Report:
U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III specifically pushed Andres on why the prosecution was moving slowly with Rick Gates – the former Manafort business partner who testified on Monday – and specifically to describe the link between wealthy Ukrainian politicos and Manafort. Ellis argued that the connection was not the basis of the case.
“What matters are the allegations that he made money from them and didn’t report it,” Ellis said. “You don’t need to throw mud at these people.”“I don’t know if they are bad or good. And I don’t care,” Ellis argued, reiterating his previous claim that the prosecution seemed to be focusing not on the actual charges but on what he considered “political contributions.”
Ellis again compared the Ukrainians in question to American billionaires and “Mr. Koch and Mr. Soros” as political contributors.
“I don’t know why you keep bringing (up) these people,” Andres said, referring to the Ukrainians. “These people are not like any Americans. These people are oligarchs and that means they control a segment of the economy based on the governments allowing them to do that.”’
“These are not really political contributions,” he continued. “They are self-serving payments with respect to what oligarchs do.”
“Ellis argued that the connection was not the basis of the case.”
No, he did not. Judges do not “argue” in the courtroom. Prosecution and defense argue their cases. If the judge speaks, it is not an argument. It is a statement and almost never to the advantage to the party being spoken to.
“These people are not like any Americans. These people are oligarchs and that means they control a segment of the economy based on the governments allowing them to do that.”
These people are like some Americans: the ones who run the social media oligarchy.
In the context of this trial, Manafort could have been in a homosexual relationship with Ukrainian oligarchs and it still wouldn’t have any relevance to this case. Manafort is charged with money laundering and failing to file required financial reports concerning foreign accounts he ostensibly controlled – all predating Manafort’s involvement with the Trump campaign by years.
This trial is being covered because the press is hoping for evidence of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign concerning the 2016 election. Russian election collusion has nothing to do with what Manafort is charged with. The issues in this case are actually pretty boring to cover – did Manafort fail to make proper reports and did Manafort launder money. This is nothing but Mueller trying to throw mud on Trump through guilt by association.
Oligarchs and tigers and bears. Oh my!
It seems Judge Ellis dis likes the liberal GWB as much as I