I just left the Alexandria courthouse, where the prosecution and defense gave their opening statements in Paul Manafort’s trial on financial charges.

— Chris Megerian (@ChrisMegerian) July 31, 2018

Prosecutors are already being asked to call their first witness. The judge is pushing this case forward.

Prosecutors intend to show that Manafort engaged in financial crimes to profit and defraud the government and surrounded himself with like minded people.

Manafort’s defense is: Gates did it all; he’s the one to blame for the problems. Manafort is an upstanding citizen who likes to make a lot of money advising people.