President Trump Acknowledges Trump Tower Meeting Was About Information on Hillary Clinton
When Rick Gates took the stand in Paul Manafort's Virginia trial Monday, he quickly showed the power Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team can wield if they can get witnesses to "flip" against former friends and colleagues, a particular obsession of President Donald Trump's as the Russia investigation grinds on.
By Monday, the jury in Manafort's trial had heard from an FBI agent, high-end menswear salesmen, accountants and financial experts, among other witnesses, to testify about the tax and bank fraud that Trump's former campaign chairman had been charged with. But court watchers had been eagerly awaiting Gates, who both the prosecution anddefenseseem to be hoping will be at thecenterof their case.
Gates's appearance in court marked a dramatic moment in the probe: the first visible case of a witness flipping, or turning on friends or colleagues in a case. Trump's former adviser George Papadopoulos has reportedly been cooperating with Mueller, but the public hasn't learned what he may have divulged. Trump is obsessed with loyalty in his inner circle, famously even demanding it of former FBI Director James Comey.
The New York Times and a third rate reporter named Maggie Haberman, known as a Crooked H flunkie who I don't speak to and have nothing to do with, are going out of their way to destroy Michael Cohen and his relationship with me in the hope that he will "flip." They use....
The New York Times and a third rate reporter named Maggie Haberman, known as a Crooked H flunkie who I don't speak to and have nothing to do with, are going out of their way to destroy Michael Cohen and his relationship with me in the hope that he will "flip." They use....
....non-existent "sources" and a drunk/drugged up loser who hates Michael, a fine person with a wonderful family. Michael is a businessman for his own account/lawyer who I have always liked & respected. Most people will flip if the Government lets them out of trouble, even if....
....non-existent "sources" and a drunk/drugged up loser who hates Michael, a fine person with a wonderful family. Michael is a businessman for his own account/lawyer who I have always liked & respected. Most people will flip if the Government lets them out of trouble, even if....
The government did not "let Gates out of trouble" for his cooperation, but prosecutors did agree to certain terms in a plea deal. Gates, who is facing five to 10 years in prison, testified Monday that as part of his plea deal he agreed to turn over evidence to the government and testify. In exchange, the government promised not to bring additional charges against him and dropa secondindictment against him on tax and bank fraud charges.
Gates, who typically sports a beard but appeared in court clean-shaven, said he had conspired with Manafort to underreport Manafort's income on his tax returns and hide overseas accounts. He was explicit at multiple points about Manafort's agency in the crimes, saying he lied to accountants "at Mr. Manafort's request," that he told those accountants Manafort didn't control any foreign bank accounts (which the prosecution says he did) "atMr.Manafort's direction," and that Manafort "directed" him to categorize some income as loans in order to reduce his taxable income.
Ellis tried to hurry the prosecution along throughout the day, at one point scolding Andres as he asked Gates about Manafort's political work in Ukraine. "I certainly hope you don't mean to offer a history of Ukrainian politics," Ellis snapped. Prosecutors still said they estimate having about three more hours of questions for Gates on Tuesday beforecrossexaminationcan begin.
Even a flipped witness, it seems, can still have a nice word to say for his old boss.
Pictures: Donald Trump's most outrageous quotes
Slide 1 of 40: FILE PHOTO - President Barack Obama (R) greets President elect Donald Trump at inauguration ceremonies swearing in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States on the West front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2017. REUTER
ON ALLEGED WIRETAPPING BY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
"Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"
"Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!"
"I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!"
"How low has President Obama gone to tapp [sic] my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!"
In a series of four tweets, sent on the early morning of March 4, 2017, Trump accused Barack Obama of wiretapping him in the run-up to the presidential election
"Even a small dog can piss on a tall building" Jim Hightower
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