It certainly seems like when it comes to the Trump administration, when it rains, it pours. Tuesday became a watershed day both for critics of the current administration and for legal and historical scholars, as two prominent figures with close ties to the President found themselves making headlines with “guilty” next to their names, nearly at the same time.
Trump’s longtime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, came to an agreement on a guilty plea with federal prosecutors in New York on multiple counts, and appeared in court to confirm that plea just as a verdict was coming in on the trial for Paul Manafort, the former chairman of Trump’s presidential campaign.
Manafort was facing 18 felony charges, including conspiracy against the United States. The jury — which at one point asked the judge what they should do if they were unable to come to an agreement on one of the charges (to which the judge essentially responded “talk about it some more”) — returned a verdict of guilt on eight of the counts, while a mistrial was declared on the remaining 10 counts.
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty on:
• 5 counts of tax fraud
• 1 charge of hiding foreign bank accounts
• 2 charges of bank fraudHere's a look at the charges against him: https://t.co/StgEL10MeF pic.twitter.com/HcUITaFGQ9
— CNN (@CNN) August 21, 2018
Sentencing will be delayed until the prosecution determines whether they wish to pursue a retrial for the remaining 10 counts, or accept the eight guilty verdicts and call it a day.
In a scene you couldn't script, Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is found guilty on eight counts and Trump lawyer Michael Cohen pleads guilty to eight counts within minutes of each other. Trump is on Air Force One flying to a rally in West Virginia.
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) August 21, 2018
Trump’s Updated Scorecard:
1. Paul Manafort, Trump Campaign Chairman: Guilty
2. Michael Cohen, Trump's lawyer: Guilty
3. Michael Flynn, National Security Advisor: Guilty
4. George Papadopoulos, Trump Adviser: Guilty
5. Rick Gates, Trump Adviser: Guilty
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) August 21, 2018
#BREAKING: Sentencing hearing for Manafort will be August 29. It will be his first opportunity to address the court
— Sean Langille (@SeanLangille) August 21, 2018
Regardless, this is a very bad day — at least on the surface — for the Trump administration, and Twitter (for the most part) lapped it up with glee.
michael cohen
post malone
azealia was in elon’s home
nazi prison guard deport
verdict time for manafort🎶 we didn't start the fire 🎶
— julia reinstein 🚡 (@juliareinstein) August 21, 2018
Celebrating the Manafort and Cohen verdicts…topless, naturally pic.twitter.com/o0AO7rXFHb
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) August 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/JimCarrey/status/1032049342981464064
Just spitballing here, but if Flynn is guilty, and Manafort’s guilty, and Cohen’s guilty…maybe Trump’s guilty?
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) August 21, 2018
So brilliant of the Deep State to lay down the long con by embedding Cohen and Manafort in Trump World so early.
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) August 22, 2018
Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen are going to prison.
I just like saying that.
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) August 22, 2018
TRUE STORY: This gentleman was outside the Alexandria courthouse holding signs deriding Manafort from the beginning of the trial.
BUT, during one of the 1st days, he scored a coveted seat inside the courtroom, only to give it up Manafort’s wife, who could not find an open seat. pic.twitter.com/tJuM8fJBhP— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) August 22, 2018
"Drain the Swamp!" is the chant at the WV Trump rally. That's exactly what's been done today–Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort, Duncan Hunter.
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) August 21, 2018
Once again, props to the casting director who found Michael Cohen for the role of Mob Snitch pic.twitter.com/qax9wcFk4j
— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) August 21, 2018
Hundreds Of People Exactly Like Manafort, Cohen Enjoy Another Day Without Any Consequences Whatsoever https://t.co/FdYRurTDsD pic.twitter.com/fOiZR1XsiZ
— The Onion (@TheOnion) August 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/michaelianblack/status/1031996022694789120
ANY OTHER INDICTMENTS I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
— Matt Pearce 🦅🇺🇸 (@mattdpearce) August 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/ChrisEvans/status/1032014568040673281
We’ll have to wait and see what sort of sentences both Cohen and Manafort stand to receive, but given the precedent for rich and powerful people receiving sentences in the United States, it’s likely to be a lot less time than you think. And that’s without even the consideration of a Presidential pardon for either man (which is definitely on the table).