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New York Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Judge T.S. Ellis III, 85, Dies; Stirred Outcry Over Manafort Sentence
T.S. Ellis III, a federal judge who shocked many judicial observers in 2019 when he sentenced Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, to 47 months in prison after sentencing guidelines had recommended up to 24 years behind bars as punishment for his engineering a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme, died on July 30 at his home in Keswick, Va. He was 85. His wife, Rebecca Garrou Ellis, said the cause was complications of Covid-19. Sitting in the Eastern District of Virginia, Judge Ellis presided in several high-profile cases, including the 2002 plea bargain of John Walker Lindh, the Californian (labeled 'the American Taliban' in the news media) who fought for the Taliban in Afghanistan. Sentenced to 20 years in prison as part of the agreement, Mr. Lindh was freed on probation in 2019. Judge Ellis also oversaw the corruption trial of former Rep. William J. Jefferson, Democrat of Louisiana, in 2009, in which Mr. Jefferson, known by political opponents as 'Dollar Bill,' was convicted on 11 charges of racketeering, bribery and money laundering involving business activities in Africa. Though Mr. Jefferson was sentenced to 13 years in prison, Judge Ellis tossed out seven of the charges and released him in 2017. An often sharp-tongued jurist, Judge Ellis was known for sparring with lawyers on both sides in a case, running brisk trials — his court in Alexandria was known as the 'rocket docket' — and sometimes going off on personal tangents. No episode brought him more attention than his sentencing decision in the Manafort case. Mr. Manafort had been found guilty of tax and bank fraud and was expected to serve 19 to 24 years under federal guidelines. Prosecutors said that over a decade he had hid his wealth to avoid paying $6 million in taxes and had deceived banks to obtain millions of dollars in loans. In sentencing him to 47 months, Judge Ellis expressed some sympathy for Mr. Manafort. 'Go and spend a day in the jail or penitentiary of the federal government,' he said from the bench. 'Spend a week there. He has to spend 47 months.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Independent
01-08-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Veteran federal judge T.S. Ellis III, who presided over trial of Trump aide Paul Manafort, has died
Federal judge T.S. Ellis III, whose legal scholarship and commanding courtroom presence was evident in numerous high-profile trials, has died after a long illness. He was 85. Ellis oversaw the trials of former Donald Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and former U.S. Rep. William 'Dollar Bill' Jefferson as well as the plea deal of 'American Taliban' John Walker Lindh across a judicial career that lasted more than 35 years. His acerbic wit sometimes drew muted complaints at the courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, where Ellis was based, but his legal reasoning was unquestioned. Ellis died Wednesday at his home in Keswick, according to the Cremation Society of Virginia. Thomas Selby Ellis III was born in Colombia in 1940 and frequently found ways in court to utilize his Spanish-language skills. He often told Spanish-speaking defendants who relied on interpreters to speak up as they pleaded for leniency, saying he wanted to hear their words for himself. He joined the Navy after receiving an undergraduate degree from Princeton, and completed graduate studies at Oxford. He received his law degree from Harvard, graduating magna cum laude. He was appointed to the federal bench by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. In a courthouse known as the 'Rocket Docket' for its speedy disposition of cases, Ellis' courtroom reflected his iconoclastic nature. Rarely did his hearings start on time, though when he presided over jury trials his punctuality improved as he zealously guarded jurors' time commitments. He frequently chastised lawyers to cut short long-winded arguments, in what he called 'a concession to the shortness of life.' But he was easily coaxed or diverted into telling stories from the bench recalling episodes from his long legal career. He snapped at lawyers who annoyed him, but would often adopt a more conciliatory tone later in the same hearing, and apologize for his short temper. His penchant for speaking freely drew raised eyebrows at what was arguably the highest-profile trial over which he presided: the prosecution of Manafort, on charges of tax and bank fraud related to his work advising pro-Russia Ukrainian politicians before managing Trump's campaign. Ellis ultimately delivered a 47-month sentence, and said as an aside that Manafort appeared to have lived 'an otherwise blameless life,' a phrase he often used at criminal sentencings. Critics who found much to blame in Manafort's long career working for clients including the tobacco industry and international despots were outraged by the comment. In 2009, Ellis sentenced Jefferson, a former Louisiana congressman, to 13 years in prison for taking bribes, including $90,000 found hidden in his freezer. The case threw multiple curveballs at Ellis, including a sexual relationship between a key witness and an investigating FBI agent. In 2017, Ellis reduced Jefferson's sentence to time served after a Supreme Court case changed the rules for what constitutes bribery of public officials. He made clear, though, that he believed Jefferson's actions were criminal, and called his conduct 'venal.' 'Public corruption is a cancer,' he said at the time of Jefferson's resentencing. 'It needs to be prosecuted and punished.' Ellis' sentencing hearings often followed a familiar script in which he invited defendants to explain themselves 'by way of extenuation, mitigation, or indeed anything at all' that they wanted to say on their behalf. He invariably told defendants before passing judgment that 'you write the pages to your own life story.' Ellis took senior status as a judge in 2007 but regularly worked an extensive docket. In recent years, with his failing health, his cases were reassigned.
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Veteran federal judge T.S. Ellis III, who presided over trial of Trump aide Paul Manafort, has died
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Federal judge T.S. Ellis III, whose legal scholarship and commanding courtroom presence was evident in numerous high-profile trials, has died after a long illness. He was 85. Ellis oversaw the trials of former Donald Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and former U.S. Rep. William 'Dollar Bill' Jefferson as well as the plea deal of 'American Taliban' John Walker Lindh across a judicial career that lasted more than 35 years. His acerbic wit sometimes drew muted complaints at the courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, where Ellis was based, but his legal reasoning was unquestioned. Ellis died Wednesday at his home in Keswick, according to the Cremation Society of Virginia. Thomas Selby Ellis III was born in Colombia in 1940 and frequently found ways in court to utilize his Spanish-language skills. He often told Spanish-speaking defendants who relied on interpreters to speak up as they pleaded for leniency, saying he wanted to hear their words for himself. He joined the Navy after receiving an undergraduate degree from Princeton, and completed graduate studies at Oxford. He received his law degree from Harvard, graduating magna cum laude. He was appointed to the federal bench by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. In a courthouse known as the 'Rocket Docket' for its speedy disposition of cases, Ellis' courtroom reflected his iconoclastic nature. Rarely did his hearings start on time, though when he presided over jury trials his punctuality improved as he zealously guarded jurors' time commitments. He frequently chastised lawyers to cut short long-winded arguments, in what he called 'a concession to the shortness of life.' But he was easily coaxed or diverted into telling stories from the bench recalling episodes from his long legal career. He snapped at lawyers who annoyed him, but would often adopt a more conciliatory tone later in the same hearing, and apologize for his short temper. His penchant for speaking freely drew raised eyebrows at what was arguably the highest-profile trial over which he presided: the prosecution of Manafort, on charges of tax and bank fraud related to his work advising pro-Russia Ukrainian politicians before managing Trump's campaign. Ellis ultimately delivered a 47-month sentence, and said as an aside that Manafort appeared to have lived 'an otherwise blameless life,' a phrase he often used at criminal sentencings. Critics who found much to blame in Manafort's long career working for clients including the tobacco industry and international despots were outraged by the comment. In 2009, Ellis sentenced Jefferson, a former Louisiana congressman, to 13 years in prison for taking bribes, including $90,000 found hidden in his freezer. The case threw multiple curveballs at Ellis, including a sexual relationship between a key witness and an investigating FBI agent. In 2017, Ellis reduced Jefferson's sentence to time served after a Supreme Court case changed the rules for what constitutes bribery of public officials. He made clear, though, that he believed Jefferson's actions were criminal, and called his conduct 'venal.' 'Public corruption is a cancer,' he said at the time of Jefferson's resentencing. 'It needs to be prosecuted and punished.' Ellis' sentencing hearings often followed a familiar script in which he invited defendants to explain themselves 'by way of extenuation, mitigation, or indeed anything at all' that they wanted to say on their behalf. He invariably told defendants before passing judgment that 'you write the pages to your own life story.' Ellis took senior status as a judge in 2007 but regularly worked an extensive docket. In recent years, with his failing health, his cases were reassigned.
Associated Press
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Veteran federal judge T.S. Ellis III, who presided over trial of Trump aide Paul Manafort, has died
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Federal judge T.S. Ellis III, whose legal scholarship and commanding courtroom presence was evident in numerous high-profile trials, has died after a long illness. He was 85. Ellis oversaw the trials of former Donald Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and former U.S. Rep. William 'Dollar Bill' Jefferson as well as the plea deal of 'American Taliban' John Walker Lindh across a judicial career that lasted more than 35 years. His acerbic wit sometimes drew muted complaints at the courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, where Ellis was based, but his legal reasoning was unquestioned. Ellis died Wednesday at his home in Keswick, according to the Cremation Society of Virginia. Thomas Selby Ellis III was born in Colombia in 1940 and frequently found ways in court to utilize his Spanish-language skills. He often told Spanish-speaking defendants who relied on interpreters to speak up as they pleaded for leniency, saying he wanted to hear their words for himself. He joined the Navy after receiving an undergraduate degree from Princeton, and completed graduate studies at Oxford. He received his law degree from Harvard, graduating magna cum laude. He was appointed to the federal bench by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. In a courthouse known as the 'Rocket Docket' for its speedy disposition of cases, Ellis' courtroom reflected his iconoclastic nature. Rarely did his hearings start on time, though when he presided over jury trials his punctuality improved as he zealously guarded jurors' time commitments. He frequently chastised lawyers to cut short long-winded arguments, in what he called 'a concession to the shortness of life.' But he was easily coaxed or diverted into telling stories from the bench recalling episodes from his long legal career. He snapped at lawyers who annoyed him, but would often adopt a more conciliatory tone later in the same hearing, and apologize for his short temper. His penchant for speaking freely drew raised eyebrows at what was arguably the highest-profile trial over which he presided: the prosecution of Manafort, on charges of tax and bank fraud related to his work advising pro-Russia Ukrainian politicians before managing Trump's campaign. Ellis ultimately delivered a 47-month sentence, and said as an aside that Manafort appeared to have lived 'an otherwise blameless life,' a phrase he often used at criminal sentencings. Critics who found much to blame in Manafort's long career working for clients including the tobacco industry and international despots were outraged by the comment. In 2009, Ellis sentenced Jefferson, a former Louisiana congressman, to 13 years in prison for taking bribes, including $90,000 found hidden in his freezer. The case threw multiple curveballs at Ellis, including a sexual relationship between a key witness and an investigating FBI agent. In 2017, Ellis reduced Jefferson's sentence to time served after a Supreme Court case changed the rules for what constitutes bribery of public officials. He made clear, though, that he believed Jefferson's actions were criminal, and called his conduct 'venal.' 'Public corruption is a cancer,' he said at the time of Jefferson's resentencing. 'It needs to be prosecuted and punished.' Ellis' sentencing hearings often followed a familiar script in which he invited defendants to explain themselves 'by way of extenuation, mitigation, or indeed anything at all' that they wanted to say on their behalf. He invariably told defendants before passing judgment that 'you write the pages to your own life story.' Ellis took senior status as a judge in 2007 but regularly worked an extensive docket. In recent years, with his failing health, his cases were reassigned.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Trump advisors wage Balkan campaign as MAGA moves into Europe
Former campaign advisors of President Donald Trump are at work on a new campaign in the Balkans, hoping to tip the scales for the right-wing Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha, who faces off against the highly favored Socialist Party leader and Prime Minister Edi Rama in Sunday's parliamentary elections. Former Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita, Trump 2016 campaign manager Paul Manafort, and strategist and pollster Tony Fabrizio round out the team backing Berisha, according to the Associated Press. LaCivita has compared Trump and Berisha, saying they are both "unfairly prosecuted and persecuted by a government that has no regard for Democracy." When asked by Syri TV's Cim Peka why the Albanian election is important for the world, LaCivita said that "one of the things that many of us know in the United States is that the Soros family is very active in politics around the globe, and it's not just regular politics, it's destabilizing politics." LaCivita said that the family thrives "in an environment where the governments are insecure and they found the perfect home unfortunately in Albania, and they found the perfect prime minister in Edi Rama." Soros V Trump — Socialists Target Conservatives In Upcoming European Nation's Election The Socialist Rama is hoping to win a fourth consecutive term as PM in Sunday's election on a promise of bringing Albania into the European Union while the country still faces major problems of graft and corruption. LaCivita explained that calling out Soros' involvement was important "because it has an impact on Albania's future." He said that Berisha's campaign is "about the Albanian people," explaining that their "biggest desire is to be able to work, live, and raise a family and have a future and so any time that there are individuals or that there are organizations that want to create an atmosphere that make that difficult, to me they're the actual enemy and those are the people that we wage campaigns to actually defeat." Read On The Fox News App George and Alex Soros' Open Society Foundations has been very involved in the Balkans and has invested over $131 million in Albania in a period of 18 years. Requests sent to representatives of the Soros' Open Society were not returned by press time. When Fox News Digital spoke to Berisha in April about the impediments he faced in the May 11 elections, he named the sanctions placed against him by the Biden administration for allegations of corruption in 2021. "I'm not able to meet with Albanian Americans, which are so numerous, and in this election, for the first time, they have the right to vote for the party and candidate they prefer in their country of origin," Berisha explained. Albania Issues Yearlong Tiktok Ban Amid Youth Violence Concerns To date, there appears to be no movement on sanctions against Berisha. In April, the State Department did not respond to Fox News Digital's questions about whether it would consider lifting sanctions against Berisha, and whether the sanctions in place impeded free and fair elections in Albania. A spokesperson told Fox News Digital Thursday that "the Department has nothing to report on this designation at this time." Berisha's race has been fraught by other complications, including being stripped of his legal immunity in December 2023 and held under house arrest until November 2024. Berisha is currently awaiting trial on corruption charges. Berisha told Fox News Digital that the charges were the product of lawfare leveled against him by Rama and Soros. Berisha is not the only opposition candidate who has faced charges in the lead-up to elections. Former Albanian president Ilir Meta was also arrested on corruption allegations in October 2024. Albanians Rally By The Thousands Against Ruling Socialist Government Former Albanian Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations Agim Nesho told Fox News Digital that "May 11 elections are unfolding under intense pressure from the ruling Socialist Party, which has clung to power for over 12 years. The regime stands accused of jailing opposition leaders on fabricated charges, weaponizing state institutions, and silencing dissent in a country where citizens are increasingly afraid to speak freely." Nesho claimed that "the Albanian people are being denied the basic democratic rights to organize, vote, and oppose the government without fear. This system of repression, critics say, is supported—either tacitly or directly—by elements of the Biden administration and global actors like Alex Soros, who have worked to undercut the opposition and prevent free and fair elections, much like the political persecution seen in the United States against former President Donald Trump." Saying that the "election could mark a turning point," as "a true grassroots movement is rising—ready to challenge state corruption and restore Albania's path to freedom, development, and democratic self-determination," Nesho called "on the Trump administration to closely monitor these elections and send a clear message to Tirana: America is watching." Nesho said "the United States must stand firmly on the side of democracy and the rule of law. The Albanian people deserve free elections, not another manipulated outcome enforced through fear and political imprisonment." Politico reported that while Rama's Socialist Party appears to be ahead in polling, the impact Albanians who live abroad being allowed to vote for the first time, and a lack of reliability in polling data may still leave room for Berisha to secure victory and return to office as prime minister. Original article source: Former Trump advisors wage Balkan campaign as MAGA moves into Europe
