Prosecutors Challenge Judge's Ideas About Banker's Awareness of Alleged Manafort Fraud

[turbinetree]

Source: Talking Points Memo

By Tierney Sneed | August 13, 2018 11:38 am

Just because a bank CEO was aware that Paul Manafort was committing bank fraud doesn’t make Manafort’s conduct any less fraudulent, special counsel Robert Mueller’s prosecutors argued in a court filing Monday morning.

The filing appeared to be prompted by a bench discussion the attorneys had with the defense and Judge T.S. Ellis on Friday, pertaining to Steve Calk, the CEO of The Federal Savings Bank (TFSB) who served as a Trump campaign advisor.

Federal Savings Bank was one of a number of lenders that prosecutors say were misled by false representations made by Manafort in applying for millions of dollars in loans in late 2015 and 2016. Manafort was approved for a Federal Savings Bank loan the day after Calk expressed to the Trump campaign chair interest in working for Trump, a bank employee testified last week. The prosecution presented other evidence that Calk was promised campaign and administration positions while negotiating Manafort’s loans.

During Friday’s bench conversation about whether statements by Calk could be admitted, Ellis “expressed concern about the notion that TFSB could be defrauded when Calk, who ultimately approved these loans for TFSB, was going to approve the loans for personal reasons,” according to Monday’s filing.

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/prosecutors-challenge-judges-ideas-about-bankers-awareness-of-alleged-manafort-fraud

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The prosecutors are asking that Ellis “recognize the lack of merit in any defense argument that Stephen Calk’s complicity in or awareness of Manafort’s fraud on TFSB renders immaterial as a matter of law Manafort’s false and fraudulent representations to TFSB for purposes of obtaining loans.”

[Xipe Totec]

1. That it's even up for discussion is troubling. nt

[olegramps]

21. Its time to start investigation of Judge Ellis' bank accounts.

[marylandblue]

2. Doesn't Calk's awareness of fraud make him a fraudster too

Or at least violates his fiduciary duty to his employer?

[SWBTATTReg]

12. At least RICO should apply here...seems like multiple entities involved in these illegal ...

acts...just curious as to why Mueller didn't go this route...

[lagomorph777]

17. Yes; Manafort and Calk conspiring to defraud TFSB.

That doesn't let Manafort off the hook; it adds Calk to the conspiracy.

WTF is up with the judge?

[RockRaven]

3. By logical extension, this argument would mean any fraud which includes an "inside man" would

magically not be considered fraud anymore. I don't think that's going to pass muster, though right wing kleptocrats might wish it did.

If there is any inconsistency or problem with how Calk's knowledge of Manafort's fraud interacts with what charges are/are not valid, it is this: maybe Calk should also have been charged with fraud as a co-conspirator.

[bettyellen]

5. You're right, this is messed up. Hopefully Illinois will go after Calk. But Manafort bribed that CEO

And just because he screwed him over and didn’t get him the army job doesn’t make either of them less guilty.

[UpInArms]

4. Makes Calk an accessory to the crime

Lock him up!

[Sneederbunk]

13. Calk has immunity.

Last edited Mon Aug 13, 2018, 05:26 PM - Edit history (1)

[UpInArms]

23. Obviously, he needed to secure that immunity ...

It still s criminal activity...

[UpInArms]

24. It appears Calk does not have immunity

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5b71d2f8e4b0ae32af9a8b6b/amp

Raico’s testimony potentially implicates Calk as well as Manafort. It is a federal offense for a person to give or offer money or other things of value to someone in exchange for that second person’s promise to use his or her influence to get the first person appointed to a government job. In addition, Raico’s testimony raises questions of whether Calk defrauded the bank, its investors and its regulators in some way. The government has no apparent plans to call Calk as a witness, and so it’s reasonable to conclude they haven’t offered him any kind of immunity and he may be in grave legal jeopardy. However, as of this

[bluestarone]

6. I feel this judge is completely out of line here!

Am i wrong here? Why in the world would he even question this?

[turbinetree]

8. That is the point..............a critical point.................

[lagomorph777]

18. What are the political connections of this judge?

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/01/politics/t-s-ellis-manafort-trial-judge/index.html

Reagan appointee; ruled in favor of Bush Jr's torture of a Taliban suspect.

[Perseus]

22. The judge is out of line on many lines

It almost seems like he is working for the defense...

Can the prosecutors ask for a change in judge? I guess that is a tough one, eh?

[Snellius]

7. Draining the swamp to make room for a dirtier swamp.

A Trump campaign adviser knowingly approved fraudulent loans for the Trump campaign chairman of a presidential candidate who would not release his tax returns? Rake the muck.

[bluestarone]

9. HA HA HA The water drained from the swamp BUT

All the SCUM and CREATURES are THRIVING!!!! PEOPLE ARE FUCKING IDIOTS!!!!!

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Draining the swamp to allow the muck and slime that's left to rule!

[3Hotdogs]

11. It seems to be that Judge Ellis is not impartial in this matter.

[Scruffy1]

14. This judge needs to retire.

i think he's lost it, if he ever had any. Just the fact he hangs on to a job at his shows he's nuts.

[Adrahil]

15. Wow, Ellis is an asshole.

The fraud was against the BANK, not Calk. If Calk participated in the fraud, that extends the criminal liability. It's doesn't negate it.

[Gary Gary]

16. Maybe Ellis is just dumb

We should start considering that.

[Brother Buzz]

20. One could make the argument Ellis isn't dumb, but has an agenda

Occam's razor suggests he's been given his marching orders. I'm just saying

[LiberalFighter]

19. I'm wondering what criminal activity the judge has been involved in.