4430 Loc: Little Egypt ** Southern Illinory

Greg Craig, ex-Obama White House counsel, indicted for alleged false
statements

By Gregg Re | Fox News



Former Obama White House counsel faces possible prosecution

The DOJ is reportedly looking at lobbying work that Greg Craig performed
for the Ukrainian president in 2012 -- a case initially probed by
special counsel Robert Mueller; analysis from John Yoo, former deputy
assistant attorney general in the George W. Bush Justice Department.

Greg Craig, who once served as White House counsel for then-President
Barack Obama, was indicted on Thursday on two counts of making false and
misleading statements to investigators in connection with his work on
behalf of Ukraine.

Craig is the first Democrat to be indicted in a case arising from
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's now-completed probe into Russian
election interference.

The Washington-based lawyer was indicted by a grand jury in the U.S.
District Court for the District of Columbia for allegedly falsifying and
concealing “material facts” and making false statements to the DOJ
National Security Division's Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)
Unit, which is responsible for enforcing foreign lobbying laws.

At issue was Craig’s lobbying work performed in 2012 for the
Russian-backed president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, while Craig was
a partner at the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Specifically, Craig and the law firm were commissioned by Ukraine's
government to write a report to assess the merits of the government's
prosecution of dissident Yulia Tymoshenko -- which was widely regarded
as an abuse of power. The aim of the report, critics said, was to
provide political cover for the prosecution.

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 17: Retired Gen. James Cartwright, (C), arrives
for a hearing with his attorney Greg Craig (L), at US District Court,
October 17, 2016 in Washington, DC. Cartwright has charged with making
false statements during a federal investigation. (Photo by Mark
Wilson/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 17: Retired Gen. James Cartwright, (C), arrives
for a hearing with his attorney Greg Craig (L), at US District Court,
October 17, 2016 in Washington, DC. Cartwright has charged with making
false statements during a federal investigation. (Photo by Mark
Wilson/Getty Images)

Craig allegedly made false statements to investigators looking into
whether he appropriately registered foreign agent under FARA, which
requires lobbyists to declare publicly if they represent foreign
leaders, governments or their political parties.

"The purpose of the scheme was for Craig to avoid registration as an
agent of Ukraine," the indictment reads. "Registration would require
disclosure of the fact that Private Ukrainian had paid Craig and the Law
Firm more than $4 million ... [and] undermine the Report and Craig's
perceived independence; and impair the ability of Craig and others at
the Law FIrm to later return to government positions."

Craig faces a total of up to 10 years in prison -- up to five years and
a possible $250,000 fine for allegedly willfully falsifying and
concealing material facts from the FARA Unit, and another five years and
$10,000 fine for making false and misleading statements to the FARA Unit.

FARA violations were only rarely prosecuted until Mueller took aim at
Paul Manafort, President Trump's former campaign chairman, for his own
lobbying work in Ukraine. Manafort, who connected Craig with Yanukovych,
has been convicted on numerous bank and tax fraud charges, and was
separately accused of FARA violations as well.

Manafort was sentenced earlier this year to approximately seven years in
prison.

Craig left Skadden last year after his work with Manafort became public.
In January, Skadden agreed to cooperate with the DOJ's registration
requirements and paid $4.6 million in a settlement to avoid a criminal
prosecution.
FILE - In this May 23, 2018, file photo, Paul Manafort, President Donald
Trump's former campaign chairman, leaves the Federal District Court
after a hearing in Washington. Manafort faces his second sentencing
hearing in his many weeks, with a judge expected to tack on additional
prison time beyond the roughly four-year punishment he has already
received. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

FILE - In this May 23, 2018, file photo, Paul Manafort, President Donald
Trump's former campaign chairman, leaves the Federal District Court
after a hearing in Washington. Manafort faces his second sentencing
hearing in his many weeks, with a judge expected to tack on additional
prison time beyond the roughly four-year punishment he has already
received. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

"We have learned much from this incident and are taking steps to prevent
anything similar from happening again,” the firm said in a statement at
the time.

Craig's attorneys on Wednesday night told The Associated Press in a
statement that the "government's stubborn insistence on prosecuting Mr.
Craig is a misguided abuse of prosecutorial discretion."

On Thursday, the attorneys, William W. Taylor III and William Murphy,
told reporters: “Mr. Craig is not guilty of any charge."


The indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National
Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of
Columbia, and Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr. of
the FBI’s New York Field Office.

proud republican Loc: RED CALIFORNIA

Dems' House of Cards is falling,falling,falling!!!!!

tommsteyer

So potentially obama was colluding with the Russians. Why no special investigation into Trump?

Because having people in your orbit having deals with Russian individuals or companies is the same evidence that Democrats Postulate as qualifying accusations of Trump collusion.

I read a Slate article that smugly prated that there was " no evidence" that Obama was involved in spying on Trump Tower and djt's campaign.

Did they look for any?

Either Obama knew or he didn't.

Either he knew what his administration and Justice dept. or fbi was doing, or he didn't.

either way Obama is trying to conceal that it happened on his watch and he probably knew about it.

tbutkovich

Another corrupt Democratic lawyer about to “bite the dust.” Just more of the swamp cleanup. Get Craig will be tried, convicted and incarcerated. Good news he will be disbarred. Presidential “hopeless candidate”Avenatti, another Dem lawyer will also no longer be roaming the streets, but will be on the inside looking out, inside a prison cell peering through the bars. Yes, the crooks in DC are being targeted, all part of “Trump’s promise to drain the swamp!”

Fit2BTied Loc: Texas

I'm hoping for some transparency and justice, but until I see someone in orange, I'm guessing they'll "Jussie" up the justice system and no one will serve any time.

Roger jr

I'm willing to bet that they looked and found out that he orchestrated the dirty deeds

tbutkovich

All the crooks will all be trying to pull a “Smollet!”

4430 Loc: Little Egypt ** Southern Illinory

I've said all along that Hill and O would never be held accountable maybe just maybe several of their cohorts will see time !