Manafort fesses up.

[One Bad Pig]

Not quite. Look at what he was actually charged with. Or more to the point, look at what he wasn't charged with.

He lied to the FBI about doing something that wasn't actually illegal, in other words.

[Roy]

Yes. I suspect what MM is getting at here is that Papadopoulos appears to have been working independently (so, not actually directed by the campaign) and that meeting with foreign government officials is not equivalent to colluding (though meeting obviously enables collusion); further, he was not actually successful in arranging a meeting, so... no collusion.

Apparently not. MM seems to think that the text of an indictment isn't related to the indictment.

[Roy]

Papadopoulos was indicted for making false statements to the FBI. Period.

What those false statements happened to be about is irrelevant because he wasn't charged with anything other than making a false statement.

He was changed with making the specific false statements listed in the indictment.

Claiming that the indictment had nothing to do with the Trump campaign or Russian government agents because "Papadopoulos was indicted for making false statements to the FBI. Period." is like claiming that OJ Simpson's indictment had nothing to do with Nicole Simpson because OJ Simpson was indicted for "Murder. Period".

The Trump campaign and attempting meetings with Russian government agents were specifically mentioned in the indictment.

[Roy]

He lied to the FBI about doing something that wasn't actually illegal, in other words.

I think he lied to the FBI about unsuccessfully attempting to do something that is illegal.

[Mountain Man]

He lied to the FBI about doing something that wasn't actually illegal, in other words.

[One Bad Pig]

I think he lied to the FBI about unsuccessfully attempting to do something that is illegal.

In that case, why would he not have been charged with the attempt, as is the case with attempted robbery, attempted murder, attempted support of terrorism....?

[JimL]

In that case, why would he not have been charged with the attempt, as is the case with attempted robbery, attempted murder, attempted support of terrorism....?

Duh! Maybe he got a deal for cooporating.

[Tassman]

He lied to the FBI about doing something that wasn't actually illegal, in other words.

How can he be charged with "something that wasn't actually illegal"? By definition a formal charge, which he was facing, relates to a crime or an action or omission that "constitutes an offence that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law".

[Roy]

In that case, why would he not have been charged with the attempt, as is the case with attempted robbery, attempted murder, attempted support of terrorism....?

Possibly because he didn't get far enough into the attempt? AIUI planning and preparation isn't sufficient to attract a charge of 'attempted X', some substantial progress needs to be made. The details in the indictment suggest Papadopolous didn't get very far.

[Roy]

How can he be charged with "something that wasn't actually illegal"?

He wasn't charged for the something, he was charged with perjury about the something.

[Mountain Man]

Duh! Maybe he got a deal for cooporating.

As I've explained to you before, it doesn't work that way. If you're trying to get the little fish to flip then you charge him with the big crime, get his guilty plea on record in exchange for a reduced sentence, and then use his guilty plea as evidence to go after the big fish. That Mueller was forced to settle for a nothing-burger process crime, and that Papa was given the lightest of sentences despite Mueller's protests, is not good news for his "mandate".

[One Bad Pig]

How can he be charged with "something that wasn't actually illegal"? By definition a formal charge, which he was facing, relates to a crime or an action or omission that "constitutes an offence that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law".

He can't. That was sort of my point.

[JimL]

As I've explained to you before, it doesn't work that way. If you're trying to get the little fish to flip then you charge him with the big crime, get his guilty plea on record in exchange for a reduced sentence, and then use his guilty plea as evidence to go after the big fish. That Mueller was forced to settle for a nothing-burger process crime, and that Papa was given the lightest of sentences despite Mueller's protests, is not good news for his "mandate".

And I keep telling you that you have no idea what Mueller has. He let the little fish off fairly easily, and that's all you know.

[One Bad Pig]

And I keep telling you that you have no idea what Mueller has. He let the little fish off fairly easily, and that's all you know.

You don't either, Jim. It's not MM who keeps promising there's filet mignon coming after all these nothing-burgers.

[JimL]

You don't either, Jim. It's not MM who keeps promising there's filet mignon coming after all these nothing-burgers.

Well, you obviously don't read MM's post then OBP. But of course, you are not much different, everything concerning this case is a nothingburger to you and MM.