Paul Manafort, prosecutors reach tentative deal to avoid second trial, sources say

by Jesus Weaver | September 14, 2018 | 17:03

Special counsel Robert Mueller and former Trump campaign Paul Manafort have reached what ABC News is describing as a "tentative" plea deal to avert his upcoming trial in D.C., the network reported Thursday based on sources familiar with the negotiations.

The deal is expected to be announced in a Washington courtroom on Friday, but it remains unclear whether Manafort has also agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, ABC said, citing three unnamed sources with knowledge of the discussions.

ABC News reported Wednesday that Manafort was seeking to avoid a deal that would involve him cooperating with government prosecutors in the Russian Federation investigation.

His trial on the second set of charges is scheduled to begin in U.S. District Court in Washington on Monday.

Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor who is representing Trump in the Russian Federation probe, previously told the Politico news outlet that taking a plea deal to avoid a second trial would not crush Manafort's chances of receiving an eventual presidential pardon.

More news: Pope Francis summons bishops for summit on clergy sex abuse
More news: NASA shared these chilling images of Hurricane Florence from space
More news: Hurricane Florence: Five reasons to fear this storm

Manafort is already facing 8 to 10 years in prison from the eight guilty counts in Virginia, terms that may not change significantly no matter the outcome of the second trial.

Mueller is investigating Russia's role in the 2016 US election and whether Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow to help him win.

Neither trial actually concerned his work with President Trump's campaign and all the purported conduct happened before he took that post. If Manafort is getting a deal, that means Mueller is getting something in return. Prosecutors said he evaded taxes on $16 million laundered through shell companies overseas. Trump has denied colluding with the Russians. He resigned in August 2016 following a news report linking him to payments from Yanukovych's pro-Russia political party. Opening statements for trial number two are still scheduled (until we learn officially that there won't be a trial) for September 24.

Prosecutors have approached the second trial much like the first: with a wealth of documentary evidence and a range of witnesses who worked with Manafort. Trump has not said whether or not he would pardon Manafort, but he has not publicly ruled it out. "Paul Manafort is a good man", he said after the Virginia jury returned its verdict. But Judge Amy Berman Jackson of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia had already signaled that argument was out-of-bounds.

Hurricane Florence: Your guide to the story
More than 80,000 people were already without power as the storm approached, and more than 12,000 were in shelters. Municipal power agencies, including New Bern and Southport, have not reported any outages yet.

14 September 2018

FDA Considering Ban on Flavored E-cigarettes
The agency said it continues to check retail stores that sell tobacco, to ensure they are in compliance with federal laws. Gottlieb's action drew immediate praise from a major tobacco-control organization, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

14 September 2018

Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition HD for Switch launches today
Both Square Enix and Nintendo underestimated Octopath Traveler , and it went on to sell over 1 million units worldwide . In the meantime, it's also unclear why Final Fantasy 8 wasn't included in the lineup.
14 September 2018

Restaurant chain lost £145m in value after dead rat found in soup
According to a report from Chinese outlet Kanka News , the market value of Xiabu Xiabu has been on a downward trend since August. Many were shocked and disgusted by this story - grossed out by the photos that circulated on Weibo. "I feel like vomiting".

Meghan Markle birthday well-wishers receive thank you cards from duchess
The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle has been labelled a "DuchASS" by her half-sister Samantha in her latest rant. Either way, royal fans will still want to look like and dress like Meghan Markle no matter what she steps out in.

14 September 2018

Watch a livestream of Hurricane Florence bearing down on North Carolina
Cooper said 108 shelters are open across the state, with more than 7,000 people already staying at them, as of Thursday afternoon. Even miles away from the Atlantic, North Carolina residents in low-lying areas are boarding up and emptying stores.
14 September 2018

Unai Emery demands 'personality' from Arsenal players - Premier League 2018
Arsenal will look to make it three wins in a row when they take on Newcastle United at St James' Park on Saturday afternoon. All players have returned from global duty with their national teams in good health and are available for selection.

14 September 2018

Tobacco Stocks Jump Following FDA Warning to E-Cig Companies
Despite this extensive plan, some of the unelected bureaucrats at the FDA would still like to ban flavored e-cigarette products. Gottlieb said the FDA is rethinking the extension given the explosive growth of e-cigarette use among adolescents.

Hurricane Florence looms over East Coast — WHAT’S HAPPENING
And the more it hovers just off shore - a distinct possibility - the more potentially deadly storm surge it pushes on-shore. A man runs past a mandatory evacuation sign before Hurricane Florence comes ashore in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina .
14 September 2018

Declassified the name of the largest Apple iPhone 2018
Instead, a recent report from 9to5Mac insisted the Cupertino-based company could be planning to call the device iPhone Xs Max . The iPhone Xs Max will essentially replace the 'Plus' models in the previous iterations.

14 September 2018

Ryan Thomas wins Celebrity Big Brother 2018
Thomas appeared on Channel 5's The Jeremy Vine Show on Wednesday where he viewed the footage for the first time. The former Coronation Street actor was shown footage of himself crying over the accusations in the Diary Room.

14 September 2018

Dairy consumption can help lower rates of cardiovascular diseases
The findings are consistent with previous meta-analyses of observational studies and randomised trials, according to the researchers.

Articles

BMW Championship Purse: How Much Does the Winner Make?
And then in a playoff, his 5-foot par putt missed to the left, making Keegan Bradley a victor for the first time in six years. Woods, coming back from injury, made the Tour Championship for the first time since 2013. "Nice to be back without pain".

EU to take punitive action against Hungary for flouting rule of law
On Monday night, the opposition Socialist party announced that its two MEPs will vote for the findings of the Sargentini report. According to the official data, 115 EPP deputies voted in favour of the move, while 57 voted against, with 28 abstentions.

Alli and Lloris to miss Liverpool match, Poch discusses Lloris drink-driving
Michel Vorm will deputise for captain Lloris, who this week pleaded guilty to drink-driving in London and was fined £50,000. Lloris' injury seems to be the worse of the two as he's expected to be out several weeks.

Trump Accuses Democrats of Altering Statistics on Hurricane Deaths in Puerto Rico
Instead, he argued, without providing evidence, that the death toll was a Democratic claim to make him look bad. Cora indicated that the Puerto Rican people are continuing their efforts to a return to normalcy.

State of the Union 2018: The Hour of European Sovereignty
European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said, "Parliament wants, more than ever, to be at the heart of democracy". The vision involves what he calls a "continent-to-continent" free-trade agreement.

Rock slide in Zakynthos, one woman injured, three feared missing
The rock's weight drove waves on to the crowded beach , Mr O'Connell said, as families scrambled to safety. The woman's husband and two children were hospitalized with minor injuries .

Muslim Uighurs in China's Xinjiang region facing arbitary detentions: Human Rights Watch
It isn't the first time the Chinese government has been accused of oppressing minorities in Xinjiang or other parts of the country.

Advance Australia Fair: Pauline Hanson attacks schoolgirl's anthem protest
Queensland Liberal National politician Jarrod Bleijie, the state's shadow minister for Education, shared similar thoughts. When she refused to do either, the school handed Harper a lunchtime detention for "blatant disrespect".

Blasts near girls' schools in Afghanistan kill teen
AFP said an explosion near a school in Jalalabad , the capital of the province, killed a boy and left four adults injured. Relatives and family members of Tuesday's victims have continued blocking the highway, according to local witnesses.

Wright's playing career probably over after final homestand
Wright will be activated from the disabled list on September 25 for the Mets' final homestand, and he'll start on September 29. But on the final Saturday of this season, the Mets and David Wright will try to rebel, for just one afternoon.