Federal judge decides Robert Mueller has the authority to prosecute Paul Manafort after all
U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III raised the hopes of President Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort in May by aggressively questioning whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller had the authority to prosecute him for bank fraud, tax evasion, and other alleged financial crimes, saying he saw no connection between the Manfort case and "anything the special counsel is authorized to investigate." Ellis dashed those hopes Tuesday, finding that "upon further review," Mueller's team had properly "followed the money paid by pro-Russian officials" to Manafort, and the case could go to trial in Virginia next month.
This is bad news for Manafort, the only one of four Trump campaign officials who chose to fight Mueller's charges rather than cooperate. But "it also hobbles a favored talking point of Trump and his legal team as they repeatedly attack Mueller's investigation as overly broad and seek to undermine its legitimacy," The Associated Press notes. In his 31-page ruling, Ellis reiterated his concerns about the broad scope of special prosecutors generally, warning that "those involved should be sensitive to the danger unleashed when political disagreements are transformed into partisan prosecutions." But he said "no interpretive gymnastics are necessary to determine that the investigation at issue here falls within" Mueller's mandate.
Mueller is also prosecuting Manafort for money-laundering conspiracy, acting as an unregistered foreign agent, and other alleged crimes in federal court in Washington, D.C., and the judge in that case, Amy Berman Jackson, affirmed Mueller's authority to pursue the charges last month.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
4 ways to give back this holiday season
The Explainer If your budget is feeling squeezed, remember that money is not the only way you can be generous around the holidays
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
4 tips for hosting an ecofriendly Thanksgiving
The Week Recommends Coming together for the holidays typically produces a ton of waste, but with proper preparation, you can have an environmentally friendly gathering.
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published