Paul Manafort Was an Agent of Ukraine, Not Russia

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
Have you ever noticed what Paul Manafort’s major crime was? After two years of investigation, after the predawn raid in which his wife was held at gunpoint, after months of solitary confinement that have left him a shell of his former self, have you noticed what drew the militant attention of the Obama Justice Department, the FBI, and, ultimately, a special counsel who made him the centerpiece of Russia-gate?

According to the indictment Robert Mueller filed against him, Manafort was an unregistered “agent of the Government of Ukraine.” He also functioned as an agent of Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s president from 2010 to 2014, and of two political parties, the Party of Regions and its successor, the Opposition Bloc.

Manafort was not an unregistered agent of Russia. Mueller never alleged that Manafort was a clandestine operative of the Kremlin. He worked for Ukraine, not Putin. Indeed, for much of his time in Ukraine, he pushed his clients against Putin’s interests.



 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Of course, if you know even ONE Ukrainian - my old boss was Ukrainian - you'd know that being considered the same as Russian is fightin' words.
 
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officeguy

Well-Known Member
Didn't Manafort plead guilty?

To witness tampering and a conspiracy against the U.S. government involving tax fraud, money laundering, failure to report foreign bank accounts, failure to register as a foreign agent, and lying to the Justice Department?

He did. And now the left is grousing that he didn't receive death by firing squad but a rather typical sentence for a first time white collar offender in the federal system.
 

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
Manafort was an unregistered “agent of the Government of Ukraine.” He also functioned as an agent of Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s president from 2010 to 2014, and of two political parties, the Party of Regions and its successor, the Opposition Bloc.

Manafort was not an unregistered agent of Russia. Mueller never alleged that Manafort was a clandestine operative of the Kremlin. He worked for Ukraine, not Putin. Indeed, for much of his time in Ukraine, he pushed his clients against Putin’s interests.


Manafort was involved in Ukraine in the early 2000s. He was an advisor to Yanukovych in 2004. Manafort received secret payments of millions from the Party of Regions (a pro-Russian party).

During the timeline in the OP, He secretly routed at least $2 million to two lobbying firms on behalf of the pro-Russian party to lobby to reject a resolution condeming the jailing of Yulia Tymoshenko who was considered a political prisoner by the US and some European governments.

Manafort ignored federal law stating that he has to publically declare he's representing foreign leaders or their parties.

Viktor Yanukovych is somewhere in Russia currently while he's wanted in Ukraine for his role in the 2014 revolution there.
 

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
He did. And now the left is grousing that he didn't receive death by firing squad but a rather typical sentence for a first time white collar offender in the federal system.

He hasn't been sentenced in the case I posted above. Are you talking about his other case where he recently got 4 years?
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
No matter how many times people put in 'pro russian' into their posts it still doesnt make him an agent of Russia.

If you look at his history, he was an agent for whoever would cut him a check. Mobutu, Lebanese arms dealers, the government of Saudi Arabia, Ferdinand Marcos, Jonas Savimbi. His lobbying activities on behalf of 'anyone' were well known to the US government, so whether he filed the right piece of paper was inconsequential for his relations with the US governement or anyone in congress he dealt with. The foreign agent registration exists to guard against someone clandestinely lobbying for a foreign goverment. There was nothing hidden or clandestine about Mr Manafort.
 
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Hijinx

Well-Known Member
The Big deal is that Mueller was supposed to be investigating Russian Collusion and basically what he did was find some information he could use to try to squeeze people into lying against Trump. When that failed he wanted revenge and did his best to see these people went to jail. He did this in order to frighten others.

IMO Mueller eats sh1t and barks at the moon.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
The Big deal is that Mueller was supposed to be investigating Russian Collusion and basically what he did was find some information he could use to try to squeeze people into lying against Trump. When that failed he wanted revenge and did his best to see these people went to jail. He did this in order to frighten others.

IMO Mueller eats sh1t and barks at the moon.

If memory serves, I think it was Manafort they got to plead guilty because they told him they could bring charges against his wife as well.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
He did. And now the left is grousing that he didn't receive death by firing squad but a rather typical sentence for a first time white collar offender in the federal system.

THAT. As I pointed out in a previous post, one of the the worst offenders of this kind of crime got six years.
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
This case wasn't about Russian collusion.

Don't be obtuse the INVESTIGATION into Trump was .... that is how / why Muller got involved ... yes the Feds had looked into Manifort and dont nothing ... Muller got involved looking to leverage Information on Trump
 

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
Don't be obtuse the INVESTIGATION into Trump was .... that is how / why Muller got involved ... yes the Feds had looked into Manifort and dont nothing ... Muller got involved looking to leverage Information on Trump

Do you think he should have ignored other crimes if he found them?
 
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