A federal judge today denied a request by Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort to dismiss charges in special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe.
The court further ruled that Mueller is not limited to probing ‘federal crimes concerning election interference or collusion.’
BREAKING: The federal judge handling Paul Manafort's case in Virginia has denied Manafort's motion to dismiss the indictment, becoming the second judge to reject Manafort's challenge to Mueller's appointment. Story here, stay tuned for updates: https://t.co/8Fla2pqPLX pic.twitter.com/gFz5vDP7o3
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) June 26, 2018
NEW: A federal judge denies Manafort's request to dismiss his Virginia case
Last month, the same judge suggested Mueller was interested in Manafort because of his potential to provide material that would lead to Trump's "prosecution or impeachment."
— David P Gelles (@gelles) June 26, 2018
Manafort judge in Virginia really doesn't like the concept of a Special Counsel: pic.twitter.com/NsYXPhArWh
— Joe Schneider (@joe_in_nyc) June 26, 2018
BREAKING/SIREN: Ellis rejects Manafort's challenge to special counsel Mueller's authority. Sees some "close" questions but says dismissal isn't warranted. Doc; https://t.co/oiM6OqlIUn
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) June 26, 2018
After Judge Ellis slammed Mueller last month, Trump showered him with praise. Trump called him a "highly respected judge," and "a good person" and said he was "really something very special." I doubt we'll hear that tone from Trump again, now that Ellis ruled in Mueller's favor. https://t.co/2oumfFQvDh
— Marshall Cohen (@MarshallCohen) June 26, 2018
Virginia Judge denies Manafort‘s motion to dismiss Mueller’s indictment. But he is apparently not a fan of the special counsel statute, noting that our “exquisite“ system of checks and balances only works when operated by people of goodwill. https://t.co/F5S8yNSEJs
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) June 26, 2018
Here's Judge Ellis' decision DENYING Paul Manafort's motion to dismiss his Virginia indictment. He gives the government everything it wants, but indulges in a bit of finger-wagging at the end. https://t.co/mVHvgi8OaJ pic.twitter.com/XlYm9LziMd
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) June 26, 2018
So much for the bizarre theory that Judge Ellis was somehow going to invalidate the whole #Mueller investigation…
What’s the next one? https://t.co/iZgw3vP0EM
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) June 26, 2018
1/ This is an opinion from the judge who Trump praised because he made some off-hand comments questioning Mueller's authority. Unsurprisingly, after closely examining the issue, the judge found that Mueller is acting within his authority. https://t.co/npVWfGjJ7R
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) June 26, 2018
This is actually a pretty shitshow opinion, which guarantees it will be appealed. By the time it is heard, however, it'll be too late for Paulie.
— emptywheel (@emptywheel) June 26, 2018
Will Judge Ellis's carefully reasoned 31-page opinion concluding that Mueller acted within his authority receive as much press coverage as his off-hand comments calling Mueller's investigation into question? Will Trump allies like @TomFitton reverse their call to shut it down? https://t.co/qtvszs4nls
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) June 26, 2018
Judge Ellis – who sparred with Mueller's attorneys about their prosecution of Paul Manafort – has denied the former Trump campaign chair's challenge to the special counsel's authority. Manafort has now lost on this issue in both DC and VA. pic.twitter.com/ZTNmt6Bd7v
— Brad Heath (@bradheath) June 26, 2018
Judge T.S. Ellis III rules against Manafort on motion to dismiss: "Although this case will continue, those involved should be sensitive to the danger unleashed when political disagreements are transformed into partisan prosecutions."
— Rachel Weiner (@rachelweinerwp) June 26, 2018
Ellis uses a footnote to whack at Steven Calabresi, saying Appointments Clause argument wasn't raised but "would likely fail" (more on decision here: https://t.co/S4gEissv55)
— Rachel Weiner (@rachelweinerwp) June 26, 2018
Here he pretty much makes clear on the old law that created independent counsels — which he says was allowed to expire because it had become "a tool for pursuing partisan agendas." pic.twitter.com/WM2sggGkoF
— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) June 26, 2018
[Reuters]