Filing In Patten Case Deepens Mystery About His Cooperation With The Feds
Source: Talking Points Memo
By Josh Kovensky
January 2, 2019 10:21 am
A mystery filing in the case of W. Sam Patten, the D.C. lobbyist who pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered foreign agent in August, adds a curious wrinkle to what has generally been regarded as a relatively minor case.
On New Years Eve, prosecutors moved to keep a routine status update in Pattens case entirely under wraps. The joint status reports filed after plea agreements but before sentencing have typically included a broad reference to the defendants ongoing cooperation.
The fact that Pattens status report is entirely under seal could suggest that Patten, who has been seen as a more marginal figure in the foreign lobbying world, may in fact have more value to prosecutors, including special counsel Robert Mueller, than previously realized or that a problem has developed with his cooperation.
In pleading guilty, Patten admitted that he helped a Ukrainian oligarch attend the Trump inauguration by illegally using a straw donor to purchase a $50,000 ticket to the event. The plea agreement required Patten to cooperate with the D.C. U.S. attorneys office, Muellers office, and other law enforcement agencies.
Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/filing-in-patten-case-deepens-mystery-about-his-cooperation-with-the-feds
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D.C. federal prosecutors charged Patten with one count of lying to Congress and another count of failing to register as a foreign agent, after receiving a tip from the Senate Intelligence Committee. Pattens case comes as investigations into the Trump inauguration heat up, amid allegations of pay-for-play that have swarmed the $107 million event.
Patten does not yet have a sentencing date. Prosecutors typically wait until they believe a cooperator has expended their usefulness before setting a sentencing date.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)Malcolm Nance mentioned that there would be a couple K Street high powered Law Firms that would be swept up in Team Mueller's foreign involvement investigation. Believe the 1948 law that was used by McCarthy in the 50's is being used once again. Crimes against the USA was one of its names. Pretty broad Law as I understand it,Team Mueller used it to nail Manafort.
reACTIONary
(5,771 posts)... that I remember hearing over and over in the Manafort convictions.