Paul Manafort's lawyers tried to redact a court filing but it didn't work. Oops.

A big mistake!
 By 
Marcus Gilmer
 on 
Paul Manafort's lawyers tried to redact a court filing but it didn't work. Oops.
Can you redact that suit jacket, though? Credit: Getty Images

Paul Manafort's defense shot itself in the foot a bit when, in filing Manafort's response to claims made by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, it didn't properly redact sections of the submission -- meaning anyone with the document can copy and paste the text underneath the black boxes.

For instance, on page 9 of the document, using the copy and paste trick, you can see that several blacked out lines actually read:

The first alleged misstatement identified in the Special Counsel’s submission (regarding a text exchange on May 26, 2018) related to a text message from a third-party asking permission to use Mr. Manafort’s name as an introduction in the event the third-party met the President. This does not constitute outreach by Mr. Manafort to the President. The second example identified by the Special Counsel is hearsay purportedly offered by an undisclosed third party and the defense has not been provided with the statement (or any witness statements that form the basis for alleging intentional falsehoods).

Whoops, not great! Twitter sleuths were already collecting all of the not-really-redacted parts to spread across Twitter.

Those revealed parts show Mueller claims Manafort lied about sharing 2016 polling data with Konstantin Kilimnik, who is alleged to have Russian operative ties and has been a main Mueller target, and also discussed a peace plan for Ukraine with Kilimink.

Pundits and reporters are still trying to untangle everything from the document and what the impact of making this information public will be as it's a rare glimpse into specifics of Mueller's investigations.

And, of course, there were jokes at Manafort's and his attorneys' expense.

It's only a matter of time until those fake Craigslist job listings to be Manafort's new attorney crop up, so we might as well revel in this ongoing fever dream of incompetence.

Topics Politics

Mashable Image
Marcus Gilmer

Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney has the internet in a chokehold
Paul McCartney on September 9, 1963

Jimmy Kimmel reacts to Jake Paul speaking at a Trump rally
A man in a suit stands on a talk show stage looking unimpressed. The caption at the bottom reads, "Trump got a visit from a celebrity..."

I tried the Even Realities G2, the most subtle pair of smart glasses you can buy in 2026
portrait of even realities g2 smart classes held in hand at ces 2026

Is Jake Paul running for political office?
Jake Paul speaks at a rally with President Trump

Supreme Court strikes down Trump tariffs 6-3. Tech stocks rally, but will prices drop?
President Trump Holds a poster showing tariff rates during the 'Make America Wealthy Again Event' at White House Rose Garden

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!