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The Mueller team was later rebuffed again by Ellis when they [sic] tried to introduce photos that eventually would become public of Manafort's closets filled with suits and high-end clothing.
"Enough is enough. We don't convict people because they have a lot of money and throw it around," he said.
The judge said the photos would seem "unnecessary, irrelevant" and potentially "prejudicial." Further, he reminded the lawyers that Manafort "is not on trial for having a lavish lifestyle, but for not reporting income on his taxes."
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's prosecutors were lectured by a federal judge on Wednesday for the language they've used in the courtroom and more, as the trial of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort entered its second day.
U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III specifically told prosecutors to stop using the word "oligarch" to describe wealthy Ukrainians, whose dealings with Manafort are at the heart of the fraud charges he faces in northern Virginia federal court.
The judge said the term has a "pejorative" meaning and is not relevant in this case. Further, he cautioned that using it could suggest Manafort is associated with bad people – and guilty by association.
"It's not the American way," the judge said. He noted that wealthy donors like George Soros or the Koch brothers also could be considered oligarchs.
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