Washington (CNN) Former Trump campaign adviser Rick Gates is finalizing a plea deal with special counsel Robert Mueller's office, indicating he's poised to cooperate in the investigation, according to sources familiar with the case. Gates has already spoken to Mueller's team about his case and has been in plea negotiations for about a month. He's had what criminal lawyers call a "Queen for a Day" interview, in which a defendant answers any questions from the prosecutors' team, including about his own case and other potential criminal activity he witnessed. Gates' cooperation could be another building block for Mueller in a possible case against President Donald Trump or key members of his team. Once a plea deal is in place, Gates would become the third known cooperator in Mueller's sprawling probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. It would also increase the pressure to cooperate on Gates' co-defendant Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, who has pleaded not guilty to Mueller's indictment and is preparing for a trial on alleged financial crimes unrelated to the campaign. Gates pleaded not guilty on October 30 alongside Manafort. "Nobody (who's charged) goes in to provide incriminating information to the government unless it's part of plea negotiations," said a criminal defense attorney who represents a witness in the case. In a Queen for a Day interview, a defendant can typically admit to crimes with little additional consequences, unless he or she lies. After the interview, there's a very small chance a defendant could turn back toward fighting the charges, according to several lawyers who specialize in federal criminal cases. The White House sees little sign that Gates' cooperation could pose any risk to the President. "There'd be no anxiety here" if Gates cooperated with Mueller in exchange for a plea deal, one White House official said. It's still unclear what Gates, who outlasted Manafort in the campaign and later worked on the Trump inaugural efforts, could share that would be of value to the Russian collusion investigators, outside the Manafort case. The value of what a defendant says factors into the plea negotiation as both sides finalize the deal. https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/15/politics/rick-gates-plea-deal-mueller-russia-investigation/index.html
White House downplays significance Privately, Trump has expressed sympathy for both Manafort and Gates, believing that the only reason they are in legal jeopardy is because Trump associates have been unfairly targeted in a Russia probe the President has deemed a "witch hunt." "If Gates cooperates against Manafort that's nothing to us," the White House official said. "They have a hard case to make against Manafort. That's why Gates might get favorable treatment." The charges against Manafort and Gates center on work they did for Russia-sympathetic politicians in Ukraine between 2006 and 2015. Federal prosecutors said they earned tens of millions of dollars from that work, which they then allegedly laundered through US and foreign companies and bank accounts. Manafort faces up to 15 years in prison if found guilty of nine charges and is still under house arrest. His attorney has pledged to fight the charges, and has even sued Mueller and the Justice Department for overreaching the purpose of their investigation with this case. Manafort and Gates were at the helm of the campaign during the critical summer 2016 period when senior campaign officials, including Manafort, met a group of Russians at Trump Tower who had promised damaging information on Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. They were also in charge during the Republican National Convention when a handful of Trump campaign associates met with the Russian ambassador, and when Trump campaign officials intervened to change language on the platform about the Ukraine crisis. Gates often traveled with Trump during the campaign and grew close to other top advisers. When Manafort was ousted from the campaign in August 2016, Gates' role was diminished, and he later stepped away from the campaign. But he remained in the Trump orbit and worked as a senior official for Trump's inaugural committee. The White House believes Mueller is primarily interested in information Gates can provide about his long business history with Manafort rather than activities related to the presidential campaign or transition. https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/15/politics/rick-gates-plea-deal-mueller-russia-investigation/index.html
Steve Bannon, former secret lover of Hillary Clinton, met with special counsel Mueller multiple times this week, says NBC News, citing sources Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, has met with the special counsel overseeing the Russia probe multiple times this week, NBC News reports. Bannon met with Robert Mueller for about 20 hours, according to the report, which cites two sources familiar with the proceedings. Mueller is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election and any potential ties between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former chief strategist, has met with the special counsel overseeing the Russia probe multiple times this week, NBC News reported Thursday, citing sources. Bannon met with Robert Mueller for about 20 hours, according to the NBC report, which cited two sources familiar with the proceedings. Bannon, who also ran Trump's campaign during the final stretch of the 2016 presidential race, left the White House in August. He returned to his position heading up the right-wing online news outlet Breitbart afterward, but he departed the organization after his quotes in an explosive tell-all book went public earlier this year. In the book, "Fire and Fury," author Michael Wolff quotes Bannon from his time in the White House as insulting Trump's adult children Ivanka and Donald Jr. Last month, Bannon reportedly struck a deal with Mueller's team after he was subpoenaed, sparing him from testifying before a grand jury. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/15/ste...e-times-this-week-nbc-news-citing-source.html
Yes, I edited the titles to make them more @MARIS61 friendly since he doesn't like the titles used in the actual news articles.
My god, I think you've given me the key to this whole thing! Steve Bannon and Vince Foster are the same person! Now it all makes sense. barfo
