On the heels of the sentencing filings from the Special Counsel’s Office regarding Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort, Trump couldn’t stay away from Twitter to voice his displeasure — and multiple false claims that the investigation has turned up no proof of wrongdoing by him.
All year in 2018 and well into 2019, Trump has tweeted about the cost of the investigation — as though that should have any bearing on whether or not it’s completed — and complained that it’s actually Democrats who colluded with Russia. He simultaneously suggests that an investigation — no matter the cost — should be done into those claims.
A.P. has just reported that the Russian Hoax Investigation has now cost our government over $17 million, and going up fast. No Collusion, except by the Democrats!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 1, 2018
AFTER TWO YEARS AND MILLIONS OF PAGES OF DOCUMENTS (and a cost of over $30,000,000), NO COLLUSION!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 8, 2018
…..who is being totally protected by his best friend, Bob Mueller, & the 13 Angry Democrats – leaking machines who have NO interest in going after the Real Collusion (and much more) by Crooked Hillary Clinton, her Campaign, and the Democratic National Committee. Just Watch!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2019
The Mueller investigation is totally conflicted, illegal and rigged! Should never have been allowed to begin, except for the Collusion and many crimes committed by the Democrats. Witch Hunt!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2019
Now that they realize the only Collusion with Russia was done by Crooked Hillary Clinton & the Democrats, Nadler, Schiff and the Dem heads of the Committees have gone stone cold CRAZY. 81 letter sent to innocent people to harass them. They won’t get ANYTHING done for our Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 5, 2019
But just over a month ago, Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel team of prosecutors filed new paperwork in federal court lodging their hold on convicted Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort’s homes and properties.
The document listed both his home in the Hamptons and, perhaps worryingly for Donald Trump himself, Manafort’s condo inside Trump Tower in Manhattan. That was the location of the FBI raid that produced evidence that bolstered the breadth and scope of the charges that were brought against the former pro-Russian lobbyist who laundered millions through shady accounts unrepentantly for years.
The action also means that for an unspecified period of time, Robert Mueller will control part of Donald Trump’s building, a space that could potentially be used for government action including warranted surveillance or data analysis — a move that could make Trump just nervous enough to crack.
The seizures are part of “the broader forfeiture” in Manafort’s plea deal, according to NPR’s Carrie Johnson, which includes a third home in New York and one in Virginia, as well as four bank accounts and a large life insurance policy.
According to the filing, Mueller took control of the Hamptons home and the Trump Tower condo on or just after October 20th, 2018.
The total of the forfeiture Manafort has been ordered to pay is nearly $50 million. That’s a heck of a lot more than the $30 million Trump is complaining about. And now that Manafort’s been sentenced to four years in prison, perhaps the President can begin making plans for how to dispose of his own properties when he goes to prison as well.
Featured image via screen capture
