Manafort Sought Deal in Next Trial, but Talks Broke Down

[Qutzupalotl]

Source: Wall Street Journal

Negotiations stalled after Mueller raised issues

Aruna ViswanathaAug. 27, 2018 5:20 p.m. ET

The plea discussions occurred as a Virginia jury was spending four days deliberating tax and bank fraud charges against Mr. Manafort, the people said. That jury convicted him on eight counts and deadlocked on 10 others. Prosecutors accused Mr. Manafort of avoiding taxes on more than $16 million he earned in the early 2010s through political consulting work in Ukraine.

The plea talks on the second set of charges stalled over issues raised by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, one of the people said. It isn’t clear what those issues were, and the proposed terms of the plea deal couldn’t immediately be determined.

....

The plea discussions on the Washington case represent a softening in posture for Mr. Manafort, who has fought charges brought by Mr. Mueller’s 15-month investigation longer and more aggressively than other defendants in the probe.

....

Prosecutors have until Wednesday to report whether they plan to retry Mr. Manafort on the deadlocked counts. For now, both sides appear to be preparing for the Washington trial.



Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/manafort-sought-deal-in-next-trial-but-talks-broke-down-1535404819?ns=prod/accounts-wsj

[Leghorn21]

1. Just make sure Red Don hears about this please!!

YEAH BABY!!!

[thbobby]

2. The manure is hitting clusertrump's fan

And it is glorious. Mueller is in control. Manafort trying to reach a deal is, IMO, a sure sign the Mueller has him. trump's impotent media war on Manafort is comparable to me sitting down to a strategic game of chess with the dust under my bed. Happy Days!

[DeminPennswoods]

3. Interesting

Maybe Manafort is just too much of a crook for Mueller.

[cstanleytech]

4. This is why Trump wants to pardon him as he is terrified that he will flip but

it would be a mistake for as long as the investigation by Mueller is active Manafort is at risk of being compelled to testify if he is pardoned.

[spooky3]

5. Sounds as if Manafort's lawyers know better than

to trust Lucy with that football pardon, which is being hinted at but will not happen.

[pnwmom]

6. I bet Mueller insisted on cooperation that Manafort wasn't willing to give.

He's not going to let Manafort get by with a simply plea like Cohen did. (And I'm sure Cohen is cooperating, too, just not officially.)

[H2O Man]

7. I agree.

There is a very real possibility that Mr. Mueller doesn't really need Manafort's cooperation, though. He is even more repulsive than Gates. But I think you are right, and that Manafort likely doesn't dare cooperate fully.