This morning, Morning Joe focused on Paul Manafort's contacts with an operative linked to Russian intelligence, who met with Manafort while he was still serving as Donald Trump's campaign chairman in August of 2016.
"District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that Manafort meant to lie on at least three issues and that federal prosecutors are no longer bound by their deal to recommend a lighter sentence for the 69-year-old Manafort," Mika Scarborough said.
"The judge's written order states that Manafort made multiple false statements about his interactions and communications with Constantine Kilimnik, who the FBI has linked to Russian intelligence. The judge also ruled that Manafort lied to the FBI, the special counsel's office and the Mueller grand jury regarding payments made by an unidentified firm, Firm A, to a law firm that, the matter was material to their investigation, along with false statements in October of last year that were material to another D.O.J. investigation. The judge said that Manafort lied in two other instances. This new ruling could affect the severity of punishment for Paul Manafort. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13th.
"The level of stupidity is unbelievable, but this is a big, big step in the Mueller probe, a big win for Bob Mueller. >>
"A big step in the probe. Jeremy, I just have to ask you and I'm not being facetious here or not trying to be funny in the least, but how in the world can these people be so stupid?" Joe Scarborough said.
