Interesting, so the play may have been to just give Donnie a bullshit excuse to write his pardon after all. The redhats having not followed the facts, will love him for it.
Oh I don't think the President will wait until January. I imagine he will pardon as soon as it becomes clear that the judge has gone rogue.
Trump can pardon them all and likely will.The Manhattan DA might go after Manafort on state charges though. Trump himself is looking at charges if he losses in November