involved in the special counsel's investigation. before today, this guy who just pled guilty in federal court, he was not on any of these lists. nobody knew he was coming. his name is sam patten, a republican activist and political consultant. he was arraigned and pled guilty before the same judge who is hearing the paul manafort trial next month. the hearing took less than an hour and it was a very formal hearing. the prosecutors were asked by the judge in open court to explain the felony to which sam patten would plead guilty is that the prosecutors did explain it at some length. they commit legalese. they just read the document they had fwild the court. a very formal proceeding. but still, the defendant was