Attorney Shanlon Wu, who represents Rick Gates, leaves the courthouse after a hearing Wednesday. He and Gates' two other defense attorneys have asked to be removed from the case. | Mark Wilson/Getty Images Judge holds hearing on Gates' lawyers request to exit case Defense attorneys cite 'irreconcilable differences' with client

The judge assigned to the criminal case against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his ex-deputy Rick Gates held a closed-door hearing Wednesday on a request by three of Gates' attorneys to quit the case.

Gates and his three defense attorneys — Shanlon Wu, Walter Mack and AnneMarie McAvoy — arrived just before 10:30 a.m. in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson.


Two prosecutors from special counsel Robert Mueller's office also appeared to be on hand for the session, but the public, reporters and clerks for other judges were barred from the courtroom with shutters placed over the windows in the courtroom doors.

The comings and goings shed little public light on the dispute, but Jackson unsealed a court filing Wednesday in which the defense attorneys said they were at odds with Gates.

"Undersigned counsel wish to inform the Court that irreconcilable differences have developed with the client which make our effective representation of the client impossible," Wu, Mack and McAvoy wrote. The pleading provided no further details, citing a need to maintain attorney-client confidences.

The lawyers' motion to seal that filing said its disclosure "would potentially be prejudicial to the Defendant as well as embarrassing."

Jackson appears to have disagreed, since she ordered those papers released. However, she is maintaining another filing under seal that may include a more detailed explanation.

There was no sign at Wednesday's hearing of a lawyer Gates reportedly added to his team in recent weeks, Thomas Green, a high-powered D.C. defense attorneys known for negotiating plea bargain deals with prosecutors. He has not filed a formal appearance in the case, which is the typical procedure when changing counsel.

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After about an hour and 15 minutes, Wu, Mack and McAvoy emerged from the courtroom but said little to shed light on the largely sealed motion they filed last week asking to be excused from further work on the case.

"We can't say anything," Wu told reporters. "We're still under the gag order," he said, referring to a directive Jackson issued in November limiting public comment about the case by the parties and their attorneys.

An entry posted to the court's docket Wednesday afternoon said Jackson had taken the lawyers' request under advisement, but the court gave no indication about the nature of the apparent disagreement between Gates and his legal team.

Manafort and Gates were indicted in October on charges including money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents in connection with work they did related to Ukraine. Both men entered not guilty pleas.

Manafort and his attorneys were not present for the hearing Wednesday.