Manafort. And speaking of flipping today, Ruby Red District in ohio may be the latest to elect a democrat in a special election. We will get to that in a moment. First lets go outside of the federal courthouse in alexandria, virginia, on the trial of Paul Manafort. Joe johns is here with an update. Good morning, joe. Rick gates back on the stand, taking questions from prosecutors, laying out the government case. They say it is illegal conduct that goes all the way from 2008 to 2015. Thats seven years. Meanwhile, in 2016, mr. Manafort took over as the Campaign Chairman for the trump campaign, rick gates was right there beside him as his deputy. So what did we learn so far . Among the most important testimony is his testimony that
our Justice CorrespondentJessica Schneider is here, former u. S. Attorney greg bower joining me. And analyst xian wu. Lay out your representation previously of rick gates so its on the table. Right. We had represented rick from the time that he was indicted to just before he pled guilt et etetch guilty. The guilty plea and illegal operation i was not involved in. And everything i talk about is on the record. Nothing confidential or privileged. Understood. Building on that, what do you make of the prosecutions strategy of laying out the serious crimes that rick gates now admits to, just putting it out and not waiting for the cross and the defense to bring this out . Thats a good strategy. Its by the book. The prosecutions wants to put out any dirty laundry before it gets revealed as a surprise to them. This is the thing theyll normally want to do. Theyll want the cooperating witness, as well as any noncooperating witness to be up front with anything the prosecution wants to use against them. It theoretically will add credibility to gates testimony because hes willing to admit other things hes done wrong up front rather than being caught at it by the defense. Jessica, we heard yesterday a lot of color from inside of the courtroom that manafort was staring straight at rick gates. Some described it as staring with daggers the entire time. What can you tell us about that, how the jury might have responded . This was a noholdsbarred testimony. We only saw about 90 minutes yesterday. Were in for another three hours of direct examination. And thats exactly right. Paul manafort was really staring down rick gates as he was on the witness stand. Whats interesting to note, rick gates, we know, never looked at Paul Manafort. He avoided eye contact. He really treated this like he was just there to do his job, to
tell the jury what he promised prosecutors he would. So who knows how the jurys reading into this. I mean, Paul Manaforts been sitting there silently throughout the trial that started just about a week ago. So who knows how the jurys reading into this. You know, rick gates is giving so much information here to the jury about exactly how this scheme played out with Paul Manafort, that he was an active part of. And also interesting here maybe, poppy, is what the jury isnt hearing because you know, rick gates has met with prosecutors 20 times already. Theyve agreed not to bring additional charges. Rick gates was an integral part of the operation with Paul Manafort and was also with the donald trump campaign. And there were a few contacts that have come out with russians during the campaign. And we know that rick are available in september and october of 2016. He had talked to constantin
The latest news from around the world with hosts John Berman and Poppy Harlow. Gates for putting so much of that together. Assuming its not a crime to unwittingly hire at least alleged tax evaders and admit it on the part of gates, greg, does the president truly have nothing to fear other than bad optics . No. I think theres potentially a lot more than that. And all of that, of course, is in the background of the investigation. As you mentioned, its not something that this jury is going to hear about. Its not a focus of these particular charges in this trial. Its part of the background. Im assuming that the mueller team wants to get this narrow case out of the way. Then moving forward with rick gates and potentially Paul Manafort as a cooperating witness for further cases. Jessica, back to you in terms of what is expected today. You had t and how the cross
will go. Year youre a lawyer, you know how this goes. They will lay out the bad illegal stuff that gates is admitting to doing. How do they cross him in the most effective way since they wont have the bombshells in the cross since theyre already out there . Thats right. That was an effective play by prosecutors. Of course, you want to get that potentially Bad Information out during the direct examination so you can control it, so the jury can hear it. So theyve already done that. Rick gates here admitting that, yes, he lied on credit card applications, on mortgage applications, and that he falsified some of the expense reports to then get the hundreds of thousands of dollars from Paul Manafort. What the defense is going to do here, theyre going to still hammer home on all of the lies that rick gates told. And the core argument, they told this to the jury during opening statements, they said, listen, were going to show you that rick gates embezzled millions of dollars from Paul Manafort. Again, something the prosecution has already touched on but that the defense will delve a lot more deeply into. Cross . I agree with shan. If the prosecution does its job, there will be nothing left for the jury to be surprised by. Nothing that the jury hasnt heard in terms of negative information about rick gates, his crimes and past lying, so i think what the defense is left with is nothing more than reiterating and getting mr. Gates to repeat over and over that he lied repeatedly, and in closing arguments, trying to emphasize to the jury that this is san admitted liar, that you this is an admitted liar, that you cannot believe him. If the prosecution does its job, and this is prosecution 101, the jury will not be surprised by anything they hear during the crossexamination. Thank you all very much. Shan, greg, jessica, an explosive day ahead. Thats to say the least in this courtroom in virginia. Thanks. Still to come, the president is being urged to stop tweeting about the 2016 trump tower meeting. By whom and accuweathwhy . Also this
wasnt about both candidates but about the president. More about getting democratic back into office. A pivotal special election today in ohio. Coming down to the wire. What it means for the midterms. Why is what happens today in ohio 12 so important in november . And Serena Williams putting it all out there for all mothers. What she said about feeling like a bad mom. The discussion ahead. vo when bandits stole the lockbox from the wells fargo stagecoach, Agent Beekman was one step ahead of them. Because he hid his customers gold in a different box. And the bandits, well, they got rocks. We protected your money then and were dedicated to helping protect it today. Like alerting you to certain Card Activity we find suspicious. If its not your purchase, well help you resolve it. Its a new day at wells fargo. But its a lot like our first day. You wouldnt accept an incomplete job
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tweets have become a focus for the special counsel, robert mueller, something that hes looking at, what the president has tweeted about Jeff Sessions, about james comey, and the like. Of course, the president can get this advice about tweeting. He can be told not to tweet about certain things because they believe its giving too much oxygen to a story like that. This is the president s twitter feed. Hes been advised by people in the past and previous lawyers not to tweet about things like that and has done so anyway. Well see if this is any different than that. Right. Its 10 17 in the morning, and there havent been any yet. Well see what happens. Kaitlan, Before You Go, the back and forth over whether or not the president is going to sit for the interview with muellers team, we know mueller wants to and at least is insisting now on asking some obstructionrelated questions, face to face with the president , so they can have followups. The president says he wants to do this. Lawyers dont want him to. Where are things now . Reporter the president s legal team is prepared to respond, a proposal that said they would limit the questions about Obstruction Of Justice but wanted to ask the questions to the president in person. That is not something the president s legal team wants. Instead they want to limit those questions that he asked the president to questions about collusion and events that occurred before President Trump was inaugurated. They are prepared to respond in the coming days. Of course, a word of caution here. Negotiations have been ongoing for eight months. They hit a wall after the fbi hit Michael Cohens home, office, and hotel. The president has been expressing interest, sources tell us, in sitting down for an interview with the special counsel as he did in the previous months. Not something his legal team wants, but in the end it could be the president who makes the final decision here. Sure. Ultimately. His call. Kaitlan, thank you as always. To ohio we go next. It is the last major election before the midterms, and a very tight race in ohio in a district where it shouldnt be tight at all. This is a traditionally
republican district, ohio 12. The polls now open. Theres still time to fight for votes. Look i can say im still in a neutral zone. Im not really leaning. Down to the wire. Down to the wire. When i touch you like this its so hard to believe but its all coming back me. Baby, baby, baby. All you can eat is back, baby. Applebees. Stop fearing your alarm clock. With new zzzquil pure zzzs. A drugfree blend of botanicals with melatonin. That supports your Natural Sleep cycle. So you can seize the morning. New zzzquil pure zzzs. Morning. Morning. What do we got . Keep an eye on that branch. Might get windy. Have a good shift. Fire pit. Last use 0600. Id stay close. Morning. Get ready to switch. Protected by flo. Should say, protected by alan and jamie. Right . Should it . When you bundle home and auto. Run, alan . You get more than just savings. You get roundtheclock protection. You get more than just savings. Im a small business, but i have. Big dreams. And big plans. So how do i make the efforts of 8 employees. Feel like 50 . How can i share new plans virtually . How can i download an efile . Virtual tours . Zipfile . Really big files . In seconds, not minutes. Just like that. Like everything. The answer is simple. Ill do what ive always done. Dream more, dream faster, and above all. Now, ill dream gig. Now more businesses, in more places, can afford to dream gig. Comcast, building americas largest gigspeed network. The polls are open in
central ohio where a democrat is running a tight race for a seat thats been in the republican hands since the early 1980s. In the final hours of this hotly contested race, a stunning statement from republican candidate Troy Balderson, listen to what he said last night. My opponents in Franklin County, and Franklin County has been challenged. We dont want somebody from Franklin County representing us. We dont want someone from Franklin County representing us. With that he took a shot at onethird of the electorate in the district that he is running to represent. Our Jason Carroll is there and has a look at the race. I cant thank you enough. Lets get motivated. Reporter republican state representative Troy Balderson should be writing his victory speech. Instead hes fighting his democratic opponent Danny Oconnor for every vote. Whos ready to win . [ cheers ] reporter the polls show a virtual tie. Yet its a Seat Republicans have held solidly for decades. A loss would be seen as a defeat not only for balderson but also for the president. Mr. President , we dont want to go back. Im not tired of winning. Reporter Trump Won The District by 11 points two years ago. He held a campaignstyle rally on saturday to fire up his base. We must elect Troy Balderson. Reporter the Central Ohio District is primarily white. It covers rural stretches as well as suburbs of columbus. Both sides courting voters who could tip the win in their favor, namely independents like these two women, mara prodich and April Kennedy are friends and coown a business together, prodichoconnor. Kennedy is backing balderson. A mans character is very important. I dont believe that our president currently has my best interests at heart. And ive watched some of the things that have happened in the past few months, and its a little scary. Reporter so youre defining
decision your defining decision wasnt about both candidates but the president . More about getting democratic back into office. Im probably a lot like millions of americans where its not necessarily that you like the candidate of choice, but its who you dislike less. I think that during the president ial election, i believe thats how trump ended up in office. I think the race with balderson is the same way. Reporter kennedy says shes concerned about oconnors ties to Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi who was seen unfavorably by a majority of americans according to a recent gallup poll. Oconnor waffled on whether he would support pelosi during a previous interview and attack ads keep tying him to the minority leader. Ive said time and time again that i would vote against nancy pelosi. We can need new we need new leadership in washington because what we see now is not working. Reporter do you think thats resonating with people on the fence, who are uncomfortable with yeah. I mean, people are focused on that stuff. Reporter the gop has spent 4. 5 million on tv ads in the race Versus Democrats who spent 3 million. Despite all that, Diner Owner Rick Haan still remains undecided. I can say im still in a neutral zone. Im not leaning. Reporter down to the wire . Down to the wire. Reporter Jason Carroll, cnn, columbus, ohio. Down to the wire. Thank you very much for bringing that race home to all of us, for that reporting. With me, republican congressman Warren Davidson of ohio. A member of the House Freedom caucus and sits on the House Financial Services committee. Thanks for being here. Thank you, poppy. There is a delay, for our viewers. Im sorry about that. Well try not to speak over each other too much. This is a safe republican district until now. The race is neck and neck, 43 , 44 in the latest polling. The president won the district by 11 points, double digits. Its one that republicans have held by at least 20 points since 2012. Outside republican, you know, donations were five times that of outside democratic donations. And yet it is so close. Is this a wakeup call for your part party . I think it highlights the importance of energy in any campaign. And in ohio, i think it highlights People Dont Vote in ohio just two years ago on june 7th of 2016, i won a special election to fill former speaker boehners open seat. And so that was the last s