Manafort action all over the place

Manafort action all over the place

by digby

Manafort's plea deal fell apart because he apparently lied to the prosecutors after he made the deal. This is not a shock since he violated his bail agreement earlier and ended up in jail because of it. He's not good at following instructions. The question is why he kept lying and there is good reason to believe we will find out when Mueller files his report to the court upon sentencing (if it isn't sealed pending other indictments.)

There's also a bunch of new Manafort news out there, much of which is inviting skepticism among the people who follow the story closely so I'll reserve judgment. However, it's worth noting. The Guardian reported today that Manafort had multiple meetings with Julian Assange in the Ecuadoran embassy before and after he joined the Trump campaign, most importantly in March of 2016 when he had just joined the Trump campaign and the Russian hacking operation was being implemented. Who know if it's true. Stay tuned.

CNN is also reporting that Mueller has been investigting a meeting between Manafort and the Ecuadoran government in 2017, whih had been reported before as a pitch for some business venture but perhaps indicates something else.

Josh Marshall notes that he met with the Ecuadoran governments on the same day that Trump fired Comey which may be coincidence but is intriguing nonetheless. He also noted that the Guardian story is datelines Quito Ecuador, indicating that the Guardian leak may becoming from there. It's speculative but interesting.

I would just remind everyone that Rick Gates, Paul Manafort's protege and right hand man for decades, including the Trump campaign and he remained with Trump after Manafort was exiled, including during the transition and was frequently in the White House after the inauguration has been cooperating with Mueller for months. He knows what Manafort knows.

This is quite the do-si-do:

Sanders dodges a series of questions about Manafort's reported meeting with Assange as quickly as humanly possible pic.twitter.com/lQO9RveL18
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 27, 2018

If anyone is surprised that Manafort is a terrible liar, here's an illustration of how he does it:

never forget the exact moment manafort began mumbling his way into prison pic.twitter.com/TJxUE02lhQ
— Tim Hogan (@timjhogan) November 27, 2018

In case you were wondering:

The Phony Witch Hunt continues, but Mueller and his gang of Angry Dems are only looking at one side, not the other. Wait until it comes out how horribly & viciously they are treating people, ruining lives for them refusing to lie. Mueller is a conflicted prosecutor gone rogue....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2018

....The Fake News Media builds Bob Mueller up as a Saint, when in actuality he is the exact opposite. He is doing TREMENDOUS damage to our Criminal Justice System, where he is only looking at one side and not the other. Heroes will come of this, and it won’t be Mueller and his...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2018

....terrible Gang of Angry Democrats. Look at their past, and look where they come from. The now $30,000,000 Witch Hunt continues and they’ve got nothing but ruined lives. Where is the Server? Let these terrible people go back to the Clinton Foundation and “Justice” Department!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2018