SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Oct 14 - 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 October
14, Parnas' lawyer Joseph Bondy accused the
US Attorney's Office of racism, and AUSA
Hagen Scotten of threatening him with or
about a sidearm. Inner City Press live
tweeted it here
and below, podcast here
Parnas'
lawyer Bondy: How many years have
you represented cannabis clients
in Nevada, sir? A: Since 2014.
Bondy: You've had cannabis clients
since? A: There was a period I
worked as general counsel to the
governor. Bondy: Are you a member
of NORML? A: No.
Bondy: Is it common for a cannabis
license seeker to hire a lobbyist?
A: Yes, especially at the local
level. Bondy: And there's a social
equity component, correct? A:
Yes. Bondy: Then there was
the green rush- AUSA: Objection!
Judge Oetken: Sustained.
No cross by Kukushkin's
lawyer Lefcourt. Next US witness:
FBI Special Agent Anthony Tasola,
about the summary charts. Thread
will continue.
Still on the summary charts.
Judge Oekten: The clock says
10:15, which of course means
11:15. So I'll give you a 10
minute break, which means 15
minutes. then - Bondy: 918 of the
summary chart again. There is a
receipt of a $500,000 wire? A:
Yes.
Q: This is the first of the loans
from Mr. Muraviev, yes? A: I have
no personal knowledge. Q: 917, GX
43, Fruman to Kukushkin. The date?
A: Sept 17, 2018.
Q: Here was have Mr. Correia
WhatsApp-ing with Mr. Kukushkin,
right? Have you ever used
WhatsApp? A: Yes. I only use it
domestically. Q: Have you been
added to group chats? A: Not on
WhatsApp. Q: Do you use Signal? A:
Yes. Q: Nothing wrong with that,
right?
Q: Do you know if any of
these political contribution were
paid - Menendez, Pascrell, Latitia
James, Cuomo, Laxalt -- A: I have
no personal knowledge. Q: Does
anyone in the government have any
knowledge? Assistant US Attorney:
Objection! Judge Oetken:
Sustained.
Q: GX 1212, it involves a
person exposing their behind. Do
you know why the government chose
this? A: I only looks if the
exhibits were in the summary
chart. [Are any of these exhibits
going to be put on USAfx? Muraviev
mooning the Statue of Liberty?] Q:
Do you know that the First Step
Act is?
A: I do not. Q: Do you know that
-- AUSA: Objection to counsel
testifying. Q: We'll get back to
that. Do you know that there was a
movement to end mass
incarceration? A: I don't know.
Judge Oetken: Mr. Bondy,
continue with your cross
examination. Bondy: Mr. Kukushkin
replies that $1 million had been
transferred to Mr. Parnas some
time ago. Fruman replies, What
kind of mushroom are you eating.
What did he mean? A: I don't know.
Bondy: Have you ever text
messages someone and ask if you
can just talk instead of text? A:
Yes. Bondy: Anything wrong with
that? A: Not in and of itself.
Bondy: How many FBI agents
are here? AUSA: Objection. Judge
Oetken: Sustained. Bondy: Why is
an agent with knowledge not
sitting in your chair? AUSA:
Objection. Sustained. Lefcourt for
Kukushkin: No questions (again).
AUSA: I'll pass.
Next US witness: Hartsock of FEC.
Assistant US Attorney: Who filed
this report? Hartsock: Pete
Sessions for Congress. AUSA:
What's this page? Hartsock:
Schedule A. It says Parnas,
Lev, Mister. $2700, the maximum
amount in that year.
Judge Oetken: I'm going to let the
jury go for the day. AUSA: I went
out to the bathroom and when I
came back Mr. Bondy appeared
angry. I spoke with CSOs and he
looked very angrier. He may not
have said anything. He confronted
me, it felt like he was calling me
out
AUSA: So I joked, I think we're
going to have a duel. He is trying
to misuse it. Bondy: The Agent
accused me of calling the US
Attorney's Office racist. I said,
putting in that video was racist.
I'm going to continue to cross
examination. I went to the
restroom
Bondy: I went to another bathroom,
to avoid Mr. Scott. He's former
military. He said, "Does anyone
have a sidearm? And give me a
bullet. It is inappropriate for
the US Attorney's Office
attempting to chill my advocacy by
threatening to have me shot with
his bullet
Bondy: It was a mean
spirited thing said to others
about shooting me. Judge Oetken:
In the heat of battle things get
personal. I'm just going to say
I'm glad the jury wasn't here. I
let lawyers try their case. But be
cordial and professional.
Context:
"Hagan Scotten spent nine years in
the U.S. Army and served three
tours in Iraq as a Special Forces
officer"
Brondy: I think I deserve an
apology from Mr. Scotten or
really, his supervisor. Now back
to the Times Square assault video.
Bondy: I think playing the video
was racist. I have three children
of color.
Bondy: We have in this case
the "Russian Roots" email and all
sorts of xenophobic material.
Judge Oetken: It's in evidence and
I don't think I have to resolve
it. Be cordial. Bondy: I love to
come here. Why is Mr. Scotten
laughing? It is inappropriate.
Judge Oetken: Enough. AUSA:
Tomorrow Hartsock, Mr. Laxalt...
We'll tell you more tomorrow.
Adjourned.
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
Root 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).
***
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