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Federal Judge Blasts Mueller: You Only Care About Getting Trump

manafort

A federal judge attacked Robert Mueller’s expansive Russia probe on Friday during a hearing related to Paul Manafort’s charges of tax and bank fraud.

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A federal judge criticized special counsel Robert Mueller and the scope of his team’s probe Friday morning during a hearing related to fraud charges brought against former Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III grilled the special counsel’s team for nearly an hour, questioning their “unfettered power” to prosecute and their desire to “tighten the screws” on Manafort, according to NBC’s Ken Dilanian. Ellis said he doesn’t see how Manafort’s indictment is related to what Mueller’s team is authorized to investigate.

“You don’t really care about Mr. Manafort,” Ellis told Mueller’s team, according to a Fox News report. “You really care about what information Mr. Manafort can give you to lead you to Mr. Trump and an impeachment, or whatever.”

Despite the intense questioning, Ellis did not issue an immediate ruling on Manafort’s case. The trail is set to begin on July 10, 2018.

The 77-year-old judge served as a Navy pilot, graduated from Harvard Law School, and was appointed to the district court by President Reagan.