Russian collusion won’t come up in Paul Manafort’s DC trial

Manafort has been charged by Mueller’s team in Washington on allegations of money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent stemming from his work in Ukraine. Jackson said it will be only be acceptable to bring up Manafort’s work with the Trump campaign in a limited way.

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Kevin Downing, a lawyer for Manafort, argued that Manafort was only being charged because of his work on the Trump campaign — but did not want the work brought up in front of jurors.

Jurors “will be unable to separate their opinions and beliefs about those matters from the charges to be tried before them in this case,” Manafort’s defense lawyers had argued in a brief filed before Wednesday’s hearing.

Prosecutors countered and said Manafort began his string of lies and criminal activity when he was still with the campaign, first lying to the press in August 2016 and then lying to government investigators in the months following.

Manafort, 69, was convicted on a handful of different bank and tax fraud charges brought against him by Mueller in August in federal court in Alexandria, Va. However, those charges and his conviction will not be allowed to be brought up in the Washington trial, ruled Jackson.

The trial will also not be moved to Roanoke, Va., the judge decided, after Manafort’s defense filed a motion to do so.

Despite the political leanings of Washington, the jury questionnaire and selection will provide for a fair trial, Jackson said.

Jury selection is slated to begin Sept. 17, followed by opening arguments on Sept. 24. Manafort had waived his appearance in court on Wednesday, and remains jailed in Alexandria after Jackson revoked his bond in July for allegations of witness tampering.

Manafort has pleaded not guilty.