Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team isn’t ready to share its information.
The special counsel’s office asked the court Tuesday for extra time to respond to a request to unseal records in Paul Manafort’s criminal case.
The Washington Post filed the initial request before Judge Amy Berman Jackson, citing “the profound public interest in these proceedings,” in the motion that aims to release more information from the large number of sealed and redacted records in Manafort’s Washington case.
The deadline for Mueller’s team to respond was March 21, but in Tuesday’s two-page filing, Deputy Solicitor General Michael R. Dreeben and prosecutor Adam C. Jed wrote that it wants up to April 1 to respond to the filing.
“The counsel responsible for preparing the response face the press of other work and require additional time to consult within the government,” the motion reads, adding that the Washington Post did not oppose the motion to extend the deadline.
Manafort, 69, was sentenced this month to nearly 7 years in jail as a result of two separate criminal cases. Manafort pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and was found guilty of hiding millions of dollars he earned overseas.
Manafort was President Trump’s campaign chairman and allegedly shared polling data with an individual who had alleged ties to Russian intelligence. He was arrested as part of Mueller’s wide-reaching probe that has led to highly publicized indictments and convictions of individuals associated with Trump.
The House last week voted unanimously to pass a resolution calling on Mueller to release his final report to the public once it is complete.
