Trump-Russia scandal takes surprising New Years turn in court
‘Twas the night before New Year’s, and all through the White House, there wasn’t a rat, but only the lonely “President” Donald Trump, the louse. When out in the courthouses there arose such a clatter, that Trump went back to Twitter to see what was the matter. When to his wondering eyes did appear, more bad news, more legal exposure was near.
Yesterday, as most of America readied itself to bring in the New Year, and many government employees were on furlough, the federal prosecutors continued to make filings and take care of business. The latest news that Trump likely will have a meltdown over is that a Joint Status Report Under Seal has been filed in the W. Samuel Patten criminal matter. Patten, for those who might have forgotten, is a lobbyist and political consultant who was a close partner of Russian spy Konstantin Kilimnik, as well as working for the parent of Cambridge Analytica and working with Paul Manafort.
In August, Patten plead guilty for failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act while representing the Opposition Bloc, a Ukrainian political party. Patten also admitted to lying to the Senate Intelligence Committee. Most importantly and why this particular Status Report might be trouble for Trump is that Patten agreed and admitted that he laundered a $50,000 contribution from Kilimnik to the Trump Inauguration Committee. The admission included that he had taken money from Kilimnik and transferred it from a Cypriot bank to his company, then used an unnamed American to get it to the committee.
At the time, Rudy Giuliani referred to this plea as not having “a single thing” to do with “Trump” or with “collusion.” But Patten has been cooperating, and the Status Report was filed under seal today. In the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Like much in the Mueller investigation, we don’t have full optics into what is being filed today, but alas, it does not look good for Trump. Happy New Year, Trump, and may dreams of Mueller dance through your head, as 2019 looks likely to be an annus horribilis for you.
Daniel is a lawyer writing and teaching about SCOTUS, and is the author of the book “The Chief Justices” about the SCOTUS as seen through the center seat.