Manafort Loses Challenge To Mueller’s Authority

The Associated Press reports:

A federal judge in Virginia rejected a bid by President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, to throw out charges in the special counsel’s Russia investigation, clearing the way for a much-anticipated trial to start as scheduled next month.

The decision Tuesday by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III was a setback for Manafort in his defense against tax and bank fraud charges brought by special counsel Robert Mueller.

It also deals a blow to a favored talking point of Trump and his legal team as they continue to attack Mueller’s investigation. The president had applauded Ellis for his skeptical comments and pointed questioning during a hearing in which he asked Mueller’s team whether they brought the case to get Manafort to testify against Trump.