MSNBC legal analyst Danny Cevallos explained how special counsel Robert Mueller will use Paul Manafort’s alleged lies to sneak past President Donald Trump’s claims of executive privilege.
The special counsel’s office alleged Monday in a court filing that Manafort violated his plea agreement by lying to investigators, and Mueller will present his evidence to a judge in a public hearing.
“Courts are different than the Mueller team’s mandate for secrecy,” Cevallos told “Morning Joe.” “Anything that’s filed in court, unless it’s filed under seal, and there’s a presumption against filing things under seal in federal court, will be publicly available.”
Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani has signaled that the White House will claim executive privilege to prevent Mueller’s final report from public release, but Cevallos said the special counsel could reveal some of his strongest evidence at Manafort’s sentencing.
“At some point, Manafort will be sentenced, and at that point there will be a prolonged hearing where there will be witnesses called and information revealed and we will learn that information,” Cevallos said. “Because the sentencing will be open to the public and people will be able to hear what exactly Manafort did and did not do.”
Cevallos said the special counsel likely had evidence to prove Manafort — or possibly even the president — lied to investigators.
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