Mueller's Manafort Mistake

By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

If anybody knows if Russia, Russia, Russia did what the Democrats say they did when it comes to manipulating the 2016 Presidential Election that put billionaire Donald J. Trump into the White House, surely Trump's campaign manager who was let go before the ride ended, Paul John Manafort Jr. would know.  The man is a lifelong Republican, having been an adviser for the U.S. presidential campaigns of GOP candidates Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Bob Dole; so in the eyes of the Democrats, he's got to be dirty.  Besides, he's already considered to be dangerous because of his business dealings with Ukraine, while he was lobbying for Ukraine.

Except, not only is the likely path a cold and empty one for the Democrats because the Russia, Russia, Russia collusion and interference claim is something the Democrats made up to cover up their own criminal activities regarding the election and the previous eight years of the Obama administration, but also, their way to get to try to get to Manafort was, in short, illegal.

No surprise.  The authoritarians of the Democrat Party believe they are above the law, and besides, to them, the ends justify the means.

The Democrats under the guidance of special counsel Robert Mueller's lead, raided Manafort's home, and now a top lawyer for President Trump slammed the special counsel’s office over the FBI raid of former campaign manager Paul Manafort’s Virginia home, accusing investigators of committing a “gross abuse of the judicial process” for the sake of “shock value” – and employing tactics normally seen “in Russia not America.” 

John Dowd, who specializes in white collar crime, in his note, questioned the validity of the search warrant itself, calling it an “extraordinary invasion of privacy.” Dowd said Manafort already was looking to cooperate with congressional committees and said the special counsel never requested the materials from Manafort.

“These failures by Special Counsel to exhaust less intrusive methods is a fatal flaw in the warrant process and would call for a Motion to Suppress the fruits of the search,” Dowd wrote, arguing the required “necessity” of the warrant was “misrepresented to the Court which raises a host of issues involving the accuracy of the warrant application and the supporting FBI affidavit.”

Dowd also said agents seized “privileged and confidential materials prepared for Mr. Manafort by his counsel to aid him in his cooperation with the Congressional committees."

Dowd said the FBI went too far by executing a search warrant at Manafort's home.

“Thus, it appears the Search Warrant here was obtained by a gross abuse of the judicial process by the Special Counsel's office. In addition, given the obvious unlawful deficiencies, this extraordinary invasive tool was employed for its shock value to try to intimidate Mr. Manafort and bring him to his needs. These methods are normally found and employed in Russia not America.”

The special counsel’s office declined to comment.

Manafort's home was raided in late July of this year, one day after he met voluntarily with members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The search warrant seems to indicate that investigators may have had reason to believe Manafort could not be trusted to turn over all of the records sought, The Washington Post reported.

Of course they think he can't be trusted.  He's a Republican.  For the Democrats, being a member of the GOP is enough for them to pull out their torches and pitchforks.

Manafort resigned as Trump’s campaign manager in August 2016 amid questions regarding his business dealings in Ukraine. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has taken over a criminal investigation into Manafort’s financial dealings, which began even before the 2016 election, as he probes Russian meddling in the campaign and possible coordination with Trump associates.

What they are doing is squeezing Manafort, making him feel nervous that he can't be trusted, and the Ukraine investigation is already there and making him nervous, so they are pulling out the bright light and hot room, hoping to pull out of him information he may know that they can use against President Trump.  Likely, they will give him a deal.  "Tell us something that will help us finish off Trump, and your Ukraine investigation goes away."

It's dirty. All of this.  The Democrats are using the kind of tactics the mafia uses, with secret contacts inside the government.  It is disgusting watching the criminal gang we call the Democrat Party seek to destroy the constitutional republic in the name of power, socialism, and their undying desire to silence and destroy their opposition so that they can rule this country under a one-party dictatorial system (as they accuse the GOP of the same desire).

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary