By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Order Podcast Song II
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 18 - In the Lev Parnas and Andrey Kukushkin jury trial, the first witnesses testified on the afternoon of October 13. Inner City Press live tweeted it here and here. Vlog here.
On the morning of October 15, before the jury came in, the defense successfully argued to have the jury instructed that the Times Square "street fight / racist" video shown the day before is not relevant and is excluded. Inner City Press live tweeted it here, podcast here.
After that, Adam Laxalt and exhibits fights, which Inner City Press live tweeted here and below. New song here.
On October 18 to 1 pm, there was more cross examiation of Van Rensburg, and the beginning on Caroline Booth. Inner City Press live tweeted here (podcast here)
During the afternoon of October 18, Bondy cross examined Rep Pete Sessions' (now Liz Cheney's) staffer Caroline Boothe, mortgage broker Ross and lawyer / notary Preminger. The question of Parnas testifying arose. Inner City Press live tweeted it here:
US v. Parnas & Kukushkin Monday afternoon opens with discussion if US will in fact call Ahearn of America First Action, with immunity. AUSA says Ahearn is in New York, up from Virginia, but has "personal" reasons to want to leave New York.
Judge Oetken: You'll know more at the next break? Let's get the jury.
Bondy: So what did you understand about oil in Venezuela and GEP?
AUSA: Objection! Beyond the scope! Bondy: OK, did you believe that GEP was a real company? Boothe: Yes. Bondy: Mr. Parnas met Rep Sessions about oil and gas? On the screen is CV-6, for ID only
Bondy: That's Rep. Session's TV monitor, no?
Boothe: Yes. Bondy: And that's Mr. Parnas pointing at a map? Booth: I wasn't in the meeting. Bondy: How did they meet?
Boothe: Through Roy Bailey. Bondy: Did Mr. Parnas dress appropriately? Booth: He dressed like Lev. Bondy: Gold chains? Like, Brooklyn?
Boothe: That's it. Bondy: Were there varying views on what could and could not be taken on a credit card? Booth: The fundraiser always has the last say.
Bondy: Nothing illegal about bundling per se? Boothe: As long as they fill out the forms.
Bondy: Rep. Sessions lent Mr. Parnas his baseball jersey did he not?
Boothe (laughs) Yes. Bondy: What is that? Boothe: The jersey. He's in the Trump hotel. Bondy: And does he have a gold chain? AUSA: Objection. Judge Oetken: Overruled.
Bondy: Why did the Congressman give Lev his jersey? Boothe: Congressman Session is a very friendly guy. Bondy: What about his ranch? AUSA: Relevance?
Judge Oetken: It's fine.
Bondy: What's this photo? Boothe: Lev in Pete's chair in the Rules Committee. Bondy: Hammer time, right? And this photo? Boothe: Me and Lev.
Now Lefcourt, for Kukushkin, crossing Boothe. Lefcourt: If a bank lends money to pay for the credit card, it's all the same to you, as it were from my rich uncle?
Boothe: Yes, it's the same. Lefcourt: Thank you.
AUSA Flodr (redirect) Did Lev Parnas ask if he could donate to Congressmember Sessions for a foreign national? Boothe: No. AUSA: No further questions. Judge Oetken: Mr Bondy anything further? Bondy: You said bundling is fine, right? Boothe: Not one 1 card
Bondy: But great minds can different. Others told you it could be done, right? Boothe: Yes, I had our fundraiser Tandy handle it. Bondy: And Matt Garcia, right? Boothe: Yes. That was his view point. Bondy: Nothing further. Judge Oetken: You may step down.
Next US witness is Neil Ross, a 51 year old mortgage broker and entrepreneur. AUSA: How did you meet Mr. Parnas? Ross: About a bridge financing loan, known as hard money... I dealt mostly with Dave Correia, then Lev, then Steve Fruman. AUSA: Not Igor? Ross: Steve.
AUSA: Do you see where Mr. Parnas says, Really need that wire today? Ross: Yes. They wanted to get the proceeds of the loan. AUSA: Who was the borrower on the loan? Ross: The corporation in which the condo vested.
Now cross examination of Ross by Parnas' Bondy. Bondy: Just a few questions for you. Borrowers frequently don't tell you what their loans are for, do they? Ross: They often give an explanation. Bondy: Do you speak Russian? Ross: No.
Judge Oetken declares another jury break. Now before jury comes back, AUSA says Ahearn will need to be subpoenaed in order to appear tomorrow. Bondy: I'd need to know what the US would be able to cross examination Mr. Parnas on if he were to testify. Judge Oetken We have Preminger, a short witness --
Bondy: Not that short Judge Oetken: 5'6"? 5'7"? (laughter, not uproarious) Friedman for Kukushkin: and the exhibits? Judge Oetken: Today after we let the jury go. Bring them in.
AUSA: Mr. Preminger, where did you work? Preminger: Greenberg Traurig. As an associate on government relations and campaign finance issues. AUSA: Were you also a notary? Preminger: Yes.
AUSA: Were you present when this document was signed? Preminger: Yes. And Lev Parnas was, I saw his driver's license. Now cross: Bondy: Did he have a translator? Preminger: No.
Bondy: There are redacted boxes --
AUSA: Objection! US has 30 to 35 minutes more with Espinoza, then two more witnesses. Judge Oetken: A1, government objects to lines 1 and 6... This is Galub's text messages with Kukushkin. Something for being on the guest list for a wine tasting.
AUSA: This exhibit has no relevance. Friedman: It shows there was not agreement. Judge Oetken: I don't see how it's relevant. It's excluded. Next, Correia refers to an Armenian group, "they are already aware via Lev privately." I have no idea what that's about.
AUSA: We need a rule on tomorrow's testimony about the search of Mr. Parnas' home Bondy: His mother. Judge Oetken: How is it relevant?
Bondy: It's part of the landscape. There was a minor there who was terrified.
AUSA: Mr. Bondy is refusing to proffer relevance. AUSA: There was a lot of money sloshing around it. Judge Oetken: It is irrelevant to trial. It might be relevant to the CJA application [for publicly funded travel & hotel] Bondy: It was long ago.
Friedman: The US is raising this 90% of the way through the trial.
Judge Oetken: Email it to me and I'll sign it. Have a good evening.
On October 11 Kukushkin asked to exclude a slew of Government Exhibits, full 8-page letter on Patreon here.
On October 5 Judge Oetken held the final pre-trial conference in advance of October 12 jury selection. Inner City Press live tweeted it here and below (podcast here)
Late on October 7 the US Attorney's Office has written to Judge Oetken seeking rulings in advance to admit exhibits including "The Inaugural Committee Articles, the FEC Complaint Article, the Time cover, and the Russian Roots Emails." Full letter on Patreon here. And now, song here.
On September 10, Igor "The Glue" Fruman pleaded guilty. Inner City Press live tweeted it here (with vlog; podcast here)
The case is US v. Parnas, et al., 19-cr-00725 (Oetken).
***
Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.
