Andrew Weissmann

On August 29, 2018, the United States filed a motion to extend the date for notice whether to retry or dismiss remaining hung counts of the superseding indictment (Doc. 291). The signature block is “/s/ Andrew Weissmann, Greg D. Andres, Brandon L. Van Grack, Special Counsel’s Office,” plus Uzo Asonye, AUSA. On July 13, 2018, the government’s venue memorandum (Doc. 127) likewise carries “/s/ Andrew Weissmann” (with Andres, Van Grack, Asonye, and Adam C. Jed). Those are signature blocks on SCO filings in the Eastern District tax-and-bank case against Paul Manafort. They are not a Flynn conspiracy and not a finding that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia.

Official acts: counsel of record on named EDVA papers. Separate from the D.C. Manafort FARA/witness-tampering docket. Companion Van Grack signature: brandonvangrack.com.

EDVA jury convicted on eight counts and hung on ten (per Doc. 291’s own recital). Later sentencing/disposition is on the docket — not re-litigated here as a Russia-collusion verdict.

On the D.C. Manafort docket, a superseding indictment PDF lists ANDREW WEISSMANN among counsel for the United States (with Greg D. Andres and Kyle R. Freeny). NYU Law’s faculty biography states he served as a lead prosecutor in Robert S. Mueller III’s Special Counsel’s Office from 2017 to 2019. The redacted charging theory included FARA and related financial/false-statement counts tied to Ukraine work — not a jury verdict that the Trump campaign conspired with the Russian government. The Mueller Report stated the investigation “did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.”

Counsel caption on the superseding indictment lists Andrew Weissmann for the United States. Mueller Report Vol. I (public DOJ PDF): no established Trump-campaign/Russia conspiracy as quoted above.

Official act: named SCO counsel on the Manafort D.C. charging paper. Manafort’s later plea/conviction history is separate from inventing a “collusion” conviction against Donald Trump.

D.C. case proceeded on FARA/financial/witness-related theories. Mueller Report limit on conspiracy is part of the same public record.

After the June 15, 2002, Andersen verdict, Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson’s DOJ release thanked “Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Weissmann, Sam Buell, Matt Friedrich and Lisa Monaco” on the trial team. DOJ’s March 1, 2004, release naming Weissmann Enron Task Force Director said he “served as lead counsel in the Andersen prosecution.” DOJ’s July 18, 2005, step-down release said he “served as the lead prosecutor in the trial of Arthur Andersen in the spring of 2002.” On May 31, 2005, the Supreme Court unanimously reversed Andersen’s §1512(b) conviction because the jury instructions failed to convey the elements of “corruptly persuades.” The opinion is a holding about instructions and statutory elements — not a finding that Weissmann personally committed a crime.

Official role: trial counsel / lead counsel per DOJ. Official result: firm conviction vacated by SCOTUS. Headcount/job-loss figures in commentary (Byrne, RedState, etc.) are not court findings — Claims.

Reversed. 544 U.S. 696. Fifth Circuit affirmance did not stand.

DOJ’s July 18, 2005, release said Weissmann “led the investigations into Andrew and Lea Fastow, Ben Glisan, David Duncan, and the five defendants convicted after trial in the Enron-Merrill Lynch ‘Nigerian Barge’ parking scheme.” On August 1, 2006, the Fifth Circuit reversed the conspiracy and wire-fraud convictions of Brown, Bayly, Furst, and Fuhs; vacated Fuhs for insufficient evidence; and affirmed Brown’s perjury and obstruction convictions. Weissmann had already left the Task Force when the Fifth Circuit ruled. The role DOJ assigned him is the 2005 press statement.

DOJ (Jul 18, 2005): led the barge-scheme trial investigations/convictions as quoted above. Fifth Circuit opinion: fraud theory/counts reversed in part as held in 459 F.3d 509.

Official DOJ attribution of lead role + appellate holding on fraud counts. Not a finding that every Enron count was fantasy. Not a personal-crime finding against Weissmann.

Fraud convictions reversed in part; Brown perjury/obstruction affirmed.

DOJ named Weissmann Enron Task Force Director on March 1, 2004 (from deputy). He stepped down July 18, 2005. DOJ’s January 9, 2015, release selected him as Chief of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, noting prior service as FBI general counsel under Director Mueller and earlier Enron Task Force director. NYU’s bio lists SCO lead prosecutor 2017–2019 overlapping the Fraud Section title as NYU phrases it.

Office/selection acts from DOJ PRs and NYU bio. These are roles — not judicial chambers.

N/A as appointments. Substantive case outcomes are in the Andersen / barge / Manafort packets.

In September 2020, Judicial Watch published a write-up of DOJ records from Judicial Watch, Inc. v. DOJ, No. 1:19-cv-02693, describing a Special Counsel’s Office phone-review log. Preferred-outlet reporting of those records (The Federalist; Washington Examiner; Washington Times; New York Post; Just the News) quotes March 2018 language that Weissmann “entered password too many times and wiped his phone,” and a September 2018 entry that he “accidentally wiped cell phone — data lost.” Those are descriptions of what the released log entries say about devices. They are not a criminal conviction for obstruction. Senators Grassley and Johnson wrote DOJ/IG asking questions — inquiry ≠ published IG finding on this page that he destroyed evidence to impede a probe.

Documented: FOIA release + quoted log language in reporting. Not documented here as a crime finding against Weissmann. His later Melber denial (backup claim) is his denial — Claims/Words, not IG clearance on this page.

No criminal judgment on wipe conduct located for this file.