Here is Paul Manafort's change of venue motion for his upcoming second trial involving his work as a lobbyist in the Ukraine. As some are aware, Manafort has already been convicted earlier this month on tax and bank fraud charges. Manafort is attempting to get his second trial, set to occur in D.C., moved to Roanoke, Virginia. His attorneys have cited the usual reason for a change of venue i.e., pretrial publicity. However, after reading the motion, I also noticed that they are using the 2016 election results as grounds to move the trial. According to the motion,
[i]t is not a stretch to expect that voters who supported Secretary Clinton would be predisposed against Mr. Manafort or that voters who supported President Trump would be less inclined toward the Special Counsel. Notably, however, voters in the Washington, D.C. voted in favor of Secretary Clinton (90.9% Clinton; 4.1% Trump). This split is more balanced in other places such as Roanoke, Virginia,
located in the Western District of Virginia.
It is highly doubtful that the court will grant Manafort's request.
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