Manafort Defense Rests Without Calling Witnesses

The Washington Post reports:

Lawyers for Paul Manafort say they’ll rest their case without calling any witnesses in the former Trump campaign chairman’s trial.

The decision in the bank- and tax-fraud case comes after Judge T.S. Ellis III denied a defense motion to acquit Manafort as his lawyers argued the special counsel had failed to prove its case at the federal trial in Virginia. Such motions are routinely filed and almost never granted.

The Federal Savings Bank loaned Manafort $16 million, which prosecutors say Manafort received based on fraudulent financial information. Prosecutors also say the bank’s chief executive, Stephen Calk, had helped Manafort secure the loans because Calk wanted a Cabinet-level position in the Trump administration.

Breaking: Paul Manafort's team will not present a case nor call any witnesses in his defense. The defense rested at 11:53 am

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) August 14, 2018

"Our defense is that the president will pardon Mr. Manafort, your honor." https://t.co/0b6dDmwTwG

— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) August 14, 2018