U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson told Paul Manafort Monday that he is not to engage in any more media outreach that could sway public opinion about his case.
Her warning comes after prosecutors presented evidence showing Manafort contributed to an editorial that framed his Ukrainian political work in a positive light.
Jackson said she should would consider any similar future behavior to be a violation of her Nov. 8 gag order not to discuss the case with the media or make public statements in ways that could affect its outcome.
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“Mr. Manafort, that order applies to you, and not just your lawyer,” Jackson said.
Judge Jackson also addressed Manafort's defense that the op-ed was designed to run in Ukraine and not influence anyone in the U.S.
“All that has to happen is for that favorable article, which is going to ... look on its face to be entirely independent, but is actually in part a message crafted and shaped by you ... is to have somebody you know post it on Facebook, Twitter or a blog, and you have accomplished your goal, given the power of retweeting,” she said.
Manafort and his associate Rick Gates, who also has been charge and remains under house arrest, will have to wait for a ruling on the bail agreement that would allow them to move around more freely:
[Jackson] said she has some outstanding concerns about Manafort’s proposed bail package, including the fact he relied on Zillow to come up with some of the property value estimates.
She also expressed frustration that the defendants were not always giving pre-trial services ample notice about their whereabouts, saying “it has to be more than an hour in advance.”
Manafort and Gates' next status conference is set for January 16, 2018.
Judge tells ex-Trump adviser Manafort to stop communicating with media (Reuters)