President Donald Trump’s longtime personal attorney and confidant Michael Cohen testified before the grand jury in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election on Friday, according to multiple reports. Cohen, who has spent hours behind closed doors with investigators on Capitol Hill, entered court through a side entrance, keeping his head down, and did not answer questions as he walked inside. His attorney Stephen Ryan also declined to comment on why they were there or what they would be doing before entering the courthouse.
Who Is Sam Patten?
Sam Patten is a lobbyist, political consultant, and fundraiser who has served on the board of directors for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He is best known for his work with Paul Manafort when Manafort was Trump’s campaign chairman. Patten pleaded guilty to federal charges of violating U.S. lobbying laws by not registering as a foreign agent, and he has been cooperating with investigators since then.
Patten’s cooperation with prosecutors could shed light on Manafort’s work for pro-Russian politicians and oligarchs, including his ties to Ukraine’s Party of Regions. It is also an important new thread in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s interference in American elections and its contacts with people close to Donald Trump.
It was Patten who introduced Manafort to Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian-Ukrainian business associate of Manafort’s who prosecutors have alleged has ties to Russian intelligence. The two men met at a cigar bar in 2013 and talked about how they had both worked as consultants abroad helping political campaigns.
Patten Pleaded Guilty to Lobbying Disclosure Violation
One of Donald Trump’s top attorneys, Jay Robert Patten, pleaded guilty to a federal lobbying disclosure violation after he was caught not registering as a foreign agent. Patten had been working on behalf of the government of Ukraine to convince Washington policymakers to uphold sanctions against Russia.
He reported his work with the Ukrainian government and admitted that he had failed to register as a lobbyist for them. The case is part of an investigation into Russian meddling and potential coordination with members of the president’s campaign.
Who is Paul Manafort?
Paul Manafort is an American lawyer and politician who was President Donald Trump’s campaign manager from June to August 2016. He served as a senior adviser to Viktor Yanukovych, the former president of Ukraine, for almost ten years. In 2006, he co-founded Davis Manafort Partners (DMP), which became involved with clients from eastern Europe and Russia. Manafort resigned from DMP in 2016 after allegations surfaced that he had received millions of dollars in illegal payments while working as a political consultant abroad.
In July 2017, Special Counsel Robert Mueller began investigating the ties between President Trump’s campaign and Russia. The probe led Mueller to acquire letters written by Paul Manafort on behalf of his Ukrainian clients. In October 2017, it was reported that Mueller had requested documents related to Rick Gates’ finances.
Patten Worked for Paul Manafort
Patten’s testimony on Tuesday before the grand jury, which is looking into possible collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign, was his first appearance before investigators.
He is one of several close associates of President Donald Serby who have been called to testify over the past few weeks. Patten’s name first came up in July when he was identified as a co-conspirator along with former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who has since been convicted of financial crimes unrelated to the election. Patten worked for Manafort during a period when he was doing work for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine.
Why Was He Before the Grand Jury?
The investigation into possible Russian interference during the 2016 election is not over yet, and now it appears that the inquiry has expanded to include more than just President Donald Trump’s campaign. In fact, a new report from CNN indicates that one of Trump’s attorneys and advisers recently testified before a grand jury regarding potential election meddling by Russian entities.
The attorney was summoned by special counsel Robert Mueller III and had testified before a grand jury as part of his probe into whether or not Russia interfered in the U.S. presidential election, according to sources familiar with the issue. It is unclear what he told jurors or what they asked him about, but there have been reports that Mueller is looking at possible coordination between Russia and people working on behalf of Trump’s campaign.
Political Consultant Disclosed $50,000 Payment to Donald Trump’s Personal Lawyer Michael Cohen
A political consultant who worked with the Trump campaign disclosed to a grand jury that he paid $50,000 to President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen, a source close to the matter told ABC News. The consultant, W. Samuel Patten, testified before a Washington D.C. grand jury as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with members of the Trump campaign.
Patten is cooperating with prosecutors and has been answering questions about his involvement with Cohen and others connected to Russia, according to two sources familiar with the interview.