In a sign that fraudster and Russian stooge Paul Manafort is anticipating a pardon from co-conspirator and Russian asset Donald "Rump" Trump, Manafort's lawyer thanked Rump yesterday for his "support" after Rump publically declared his former campaign manager was a "good man" that had been treated "unfairly." Rump has used the term "unfairly" before pardoning such lowlifes as national security leaker Scooter Libby, smear merchant Dinesh D'Souza, and felonious bigot sheriff "Blow" Joe Arpaio. Many see Rump's comment as both trying to influence the jury, which has not been sequestered, and signaling to Manafort that he should not make a plea deal with the Mueller investigation in exchange for his testimony against Rump.
Manafort's attorney, Kevin Downing may also have committed ethics violations in publicly thanking Rump for supporting his client. Lawyers are admonished under American Bar Association ethics rules not to make public statements that might materially prejudice an ongoing judicial proceeding. Some are calling for the prosecution in the trial to pursue censuring Downing from the bench, but that's a slap on the wrist given the potential damage to the judicial process and rule of law.
(photo: Brooks Kraft, Getty. Traitors have to stick together.)
