Page 4 - aruba-today-20180915

A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 15 September 2018

Manafort pleads guilty, will cooperate with special counsel

By ERIC TUCKER, CHAD DAY nian political consulting for the campaign to re-
and MICHAEL BALSAMO work but unrelated to the ceive derogatory informa-
Associated Press campaign, was struck just tion about Democrat Hill-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- days before Manafort was ary Clinton. He was also a
dent Donald Trump’s former to stand trial for a second close business associate of
campaign chairman Paul time. a man who U.S. intelligence
Manafort agreed Friday to He was convicted last believes has ties to Russian
cooperate with the special month of eight financial intelligence.
counsel’s Trump-Russia in- crimes in a separate trial And while he was working
vestigation as he pleaded in Virginia and faces seven on the campaign, emails
guilty to federal crimes and to 10 years in prison in that show Manafort discussed
avoided a second trial that case. providing private briefings
could have exposed him to The two conspiracy counts for a wealthy Russian busi-
more time in prison. he admitted to on Fri- nessman close to Putin.
The deal gives special day carry up to five years, White House press secretary
counsel Robert Mueller though Manafort’s sen- Sarah Sanders insisted the
a key cooperator who tence will ultimately de- Manafort case was unre-
steered the Trump election In this Feb. 14, 2018 file photo, Paul Manafort, President Donald pend on his cooperation. lated to Trump, and Giuliani
effort for a pivotal stretch Trump’s former campaign chairman, leaves the federal “He wanted to make sure said, “Once again an in-
of the 2016 presidential courthouse in Washington. that his family was able vestigation has concluded
campaign. The result also Associated Press to remain safe and live a with a plea having nothing
ensures the investigation Manafort the latest associ- traordinary development good life. He’s accepted to do with President Trump
will extend far beyond the ate of Trump, a president when Manafort agreed to responsibility. This is for or the Trump campaign.”
November congressional known to place a premium provide any information conduct that dates back It’s unclear how the deal
elections despite entreaties on loyalty among subordi- asked of him, testify when- many years and every- might affect any Manafort
from the president’s law- nates, to admit guilt and ever asked and even work body should remember pursuit of a pardon from
yers that Mueller bring it to work with investigators in undercover if necessary. that,” Manafort attorney Trump, though Giuliani
a close. hopes of leniency. Mueller has already se- Kevin Downing said outside told Politico before the
It is unclear what informa- Manafort had long resist- cured cooperation from court. deal that a plea without a
tion Manafort is prepared ed the idea of cooperat- a former national security The agreement doesn’t cooperation agreement
to offer investigators about ing even as prosecutors adviser who lied to the FBI specify what if anything wouldn’t foreclose the pos-
the president or that could stacked additional charges about discussing sanctions prosecutors hope to re- sibility of a pardon.
aid Mueller’s investigation against him in Washington with a Russian ambassa- ceive about Trump, but Under the terms of the deal,
into Russian interference and Virginia. Trump had sa- dor, a campaign aide who Manafort could be well-po- Manafort was allowed to
in the 2016 election. But luted that stance, publicly broached the idea of a sitioned to provide key in- plead guilty to just two
his involvement in key epi- praising him and suggest- meeting with Russian Presi- sight for investigators work- counts, though the crimes
sodes under scrutiny, and ing Manafort had been dent Vladimir Putin; and ing to establish whether the he admitted largely cover
his leadership of the cam- treated worse than gang- another aide who was in- campaign coordinated the same conduct alleged
paign at a time when pros- ster Al Capone. Trump’s dicted alongside Manafort with Russia. in an indictment last year.
ecutors say Russian intelli- lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, had but ultimately turned on He was among the par- He abandoned his right to
gence was working to sway suggested a pardon might him. Trump’s former per- ticipants, for instance, in appeal his conviction in
the election, may make be a possibility after the sonal lawyer has separately a June 2016 Trump Tower Virginia and agreed to for-
him an especially valuable investigation was conclud- pleaded guilty in New York. meeting with Russians and feit homes in New York, in-
witness. ed. Friday’s deal, to charges in Trump’s oldest son and son- cluding a condo in Trump
The agreement makes Then came Friday’s ex- Washington tied to Ukrai- in-law that was arranged Tower.q

Federal court ponders next

steps in DeVos for-profit suit

By MARIA DANILOVA efforts to ease regulations court does rule that the
Associated Press on the for-profit college in- Obama regulation must
WASHINGTON (AP) — The dustry. take effect, that it grant
Trump administration on Fri- Attorney Adam Pulver with the department 60 days to
day asked the court for an- Public Citizen, an advoca- prepare.
other chance to delay an cy group, said defrauded Judge Moss did not say
Obama-era policy meant students are facing “con- when he would issue a rul-
to boost protections for tinuing everyday harm” ing.
students defrauded by for- and asked the court that Massachusetts Attorney
profit schools. the delayed regulation be General Maura Healey,
The request comes two enforced immediately. who took part in the lawsuit In this June 5, 2018, file photo, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos
days after the court ruled But lawyers for the Depart- against DeVos along with a testifies during hearing on the FY19 budget on Capitol Hill in
Washington.
that Education Secre- ment of Education asked group of Democratic attor- Associated Press
tary Betsy DeVos’ move Judge Randolph Moss to neys general from a num-
to freeze the regulation give the agency a chance ber of states, said Wednes- The Obama administra- the loans of defrauded stu-
known as borrower de- to correct the mistakes the day’s ruling was “a victory tion went hard after the dents. DeVos said that sys-
fense was “arbitrary and court identified in how the for every family defrauded for-profit sector, tightening tem was unfair to taxpay-
capricious.” That decision delay was put in place. It by a predatory for-profit regulations and spending ers and set out to rewrite
dealt a severe blow to her also asked that in case the school.” over $550 million to forgive those rules.q