Manafort Judge Asks If Mueller Overstepped His Authority
- Judge suggests Mueller wants Manafort to implicate Trump
- Prosecutors grilled at hearing on Manafort dismissal motion
Why Mueller Is Seen as the Perfect Man for the Job
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A judge sharply questioned whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller overstepped his authority by charging Paul Manafort with crimes unrelated to Russian election interference while also suggesting that the onetime Trump campaign chairman was indicted to coerce his cooperation against the president.
U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III expressed deep skepticism Friday about whether Mueller went too far in signing a bank- and tax-fraud indictment against Manafort. Ellis questioned how Mueller could prosecute financial crimes dating back a decade without charging Manafort for his election activities.