How’s “ride the hobby horse with a person not your wife”?
That’s fair. It’s not illegal to have an open marriage nor is it illegal to work for a foreign dictator, no matter how bad that dictator might be. This trial should only be about the crimes Manafort committed and not about whether or not he is an overall douchebag by the standards of most people.
Jackson said that both sides should not “belabor” the expensive items anyone was purchasing.“I think we can turn down the volume on that,” she said.
Ossssstrich. Just wanted to say it again before it’s excluded.
Nothing like spending your last free days in the dog house before you enter the big house. I wouldn’t wish that on even him.
Tell that to the felon in the White House.
Interesting that this was characterized as mostly aimed at the defense, since manafort’s for-cause divorce figured at least partly into his need for money. (Albeit not nearly as much as, erm, having possibly embezzled millions of dollars from his oligarch employers)
So, will the defense have to actually put on a defense?
I’m sure they would if they had one.
Luckily for many people, “Class 3 Felony Douchbag” is not an actual crime…
(But, to be fair, I think calling it an “open marriage” is a bit of a stretch. That usually implies knowledge and consent on both sides, and I don’t think we’ve seen any evidence of that so far.)
“Manafrot” (snicker) Sounds like a Hobbit.
Man o’fraught
Dowling- The judge just deprived me of the defense that my client was just promoting Democracy in the former USSR!!!
It actually is illegal to work for a foreign dictator if that work entails advocating on his or his state’s behalf without registering as a foreign agent. That’s kinda what this trial is about.
The defense never has to put on a defense in a criminal case. Sometimes they think it’s a good idea to do so anyway, sometimes they don’t.
I think your statement applies to work for any foreign government, whether the government is dictatorial or not. Therefore, by itself the fact that Manafort worked for a dictator is irrelevant for the trial. It would be equally illegal to do lobbying on behalf of a more democratic current Ukrainian government without registering as a foreign agent.
It will be interesting to see how hard the defense tries to push the outside voundaries of what the judge will allow. From what happened at the previous trial it is difficult to imagine they won’t try. It will also br interesting to see how the nudge will react if (when) they do.
You’re far more generous than I. I tip my hat to you.
The reasons why he needed money don’t really matter. What matters is what he did to get more money, regardless of whether he actually needed it.
I don’t know what this silly judge is thinking. How can the trial be all about her when she painstakingly lays down reasonable and clear expectations before the jury is even seated?
She’ll never be a blowhard now. Blew the opportunity before the trial even gets started.
Oh, wait, that’s how it’s supposed to be. Sorry, rules of the Trump era blinded me for a moment there.
When did the judge become a Jewish mother?