Paul Manafort, a former campaign manager for President Donald Trump, and his onetime business partner became the first people charged in the broad investigation into Russian meddling with the U.S. election.
The charges against Manafort and Rick Gates indicate that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe is intensifying and could pose a danger to the White House. Investigators are likely to pressure the pair to cooperate with prosecutors in a bid for leniency and to disclose everything that they know about Trump’s campaign.
Manafort and Gates face money laundering, conspiracy and tax charges in a 12-count indictment.
Trump has repeatedly dismissed the probe as “the single greatest witch hunt in American political history.” The White House appeared rattled over the weekend, and on Sunday administration officials were uncertain who would be arrested, with the president tweeting that investigators should focus instead on Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party.
Early Monday, prosecutors told Manafort and Gates to surrender. Mueller’s demand caught both men by surprise, with their allies confident that they were safe for now.
Manafort, wearing a suit and tie, drove past a crowd of photographers and cameramen in a black SUV as he left his Alexandria, Virginia, home around 8 a.m., according to photos and videos posted on Twitter. Gates lives in Richmond, Virginia.
The federal charges put the prospect of a presidential pardon front and center, a potential wild card for Mueller’s investigation. Trump has said on Twitter that the president has “complete power” to pardon. But doing so could deepen the legal trouble of those in Trump’s circle because prosecutors could then try to compel pardoned individuals to testify since they lose some Fifth Amendment protections.
Manafort is also under investigation by authorities in New York state, where the president wouldn’t have authority to issue a pardon.
Trump’s reaction to the charges — which could also include messages to witnesses to stay quiet — should be watched carefully, former U.S. attorney Preet Bharara said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Manafort, 68, has been under investigation by Mueller for months for work before he joined the Trump campaign. A top Republican strategist who also worked extensively for foreign politicians, he left the presidential campaign after only a few months in 2016 when information surfaced about his earlier work in Ukraine for a pro-Russian party, which intensified scrutiny of his past business dealings.
Gates worked with Manafort on Trump’s campaign and political campaigns in Ukraine. After Manafort left the campaign, he stayed on and later joined the president-elect’s inaugural committee. He was said to be working with Thomas Barrack, a wealthy Los Angeles investor and Trump confidant, and the two often visited the White House together.
The charges were filed in federal court in Washington. Calls to representatives for the two men weren’t immediately returned.
Manafort joined Trump’s campaign in March 2016 and managed it from June to August, when he resigned amid questions about his work for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine. He has said he knows nothing of Russian interference. Mueller is also investigating possible obstruction of justice by Trump and other crimes by his associates.
Mueller’s office was especially aggressive in its pursuit of Manafort, scrutinizing whether he laundered money from Eastern Europe into New York properties, complied with the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and paid taxes on international clients he advised, particularly in Ukraine.
Don’t Miss: The Deep State Now Has The Upper Hand Against Donald Trump
The camel’s head is now in the tent. This “investigation” is going to go on for the duration of Trump’s presidency.
“The camel’s head is now in the tent” – The Predatory Female?
That’s the “Camel’s Toe” you’re thinking about.
On the contrary.
I believe Mueller is just grasping at straws, especially after the Uranium1 and the discredited dossier scandals broke. He had to indict someone quickly to shift attention from his own impending troubles. Sooner than later, he will be compelled to resign.
I will support Trump no matter what through this thing and hope he is reelected. Can you imagine the alternative? The U.S./CIA has been interfering in other countries’ political affairs forever, including via Boris Yeltsin not too long ago and including violently deposing/assassinating foreign heads of state. The hypocrisy here is truly stunning.
Especially since Trump didn’t do anything. Bunch of bullshit. Who knows, they will probably find some tax form that was filled out wrong and somehow connect that to Russia stealing the election for Trump.
Hello to every single one, it’s truly a nice for me to go to see this website, it contains valuable Information.
What nonsense. Trump isn’t hoing anywhere. This clown car investigation has produced nothing connected to the president. Obama, Clinton and the rest WILL go to jail if Sessions gets off his ass.
Bloomberg is delusional. Nothing new here.
Except Trump is not mentioned in the indictment. All charges stem from 2005-2013 money laundering
Camoany A and Company B can only be the Podesta Group and Mercury. Notice that Tony Podesta resigned today and lawyered up.
We’ll see what happens.
I never seen a dude get out of so much shit when the walls were closing in like Trump has.
He’s actually fighting two parties here, though.
No, this will end Podesta
https://heartiste.wordpress.com/2017/10/30/the-manafort-indictment-will-boomerang-on-the-cnt-cabal/
this indictment is Highly ILLEGAL and CRIMINAL!
They are not even investigating about the campaign,
they are investigating his activities from 2006-2015!
Before he had anything to do with the Trump Campaign
and Before there even was any Trump Campaign!!
They want to make his life as uncomfortable as possible
until he lies and says anything they want against Trump.
Meanwhile Mueller is the one who should be investigated.
As I see it, Trump won’t last through the winter. The compromised
Deep State traitors intend to oust him by this winter. They would
rather do it “legally” if they can. It wouldn’t look good to remove BOTH
Trump and Pence by violent means. The next indictment goes higher
up the chain and Trump is bummed rushed out of the White House.
The media cheers the “triumpth of justice” all the way. Trump goes
back to making “The Apprentice.” And Pence is taken out by a “lone
nut.”
If there should be any unrest John McCain, or some other bastard RINO assumes power, and calls out the military.
Next spring Hilary assumes the Presidency that was stolen from her,
and the white, male “deplorables” are genocided. The white woman
(If she is a “6” or above) goes into sexual slavery.
Predictions: If (and that’s a remote IF) anyone makes a move against Trump like how you’re saying–and besides the fact that they will piss us off to the degree that a guerrilla civil war is inevitable–Pence will rev up.
Trump is the shitposter, who fucks with people to get a rise out of them and reveal their flaws.
Pence is the silent guardian. You can’t get a dime between him and his wife. His son is an Officer of Marines. Everything about him says he means business.
Deep State, you do not want to fuck with a man like Pence at this time in history. The man has Conviction and inspires Loyalty, two things the modern Left cannot marshal.
Manafort has done business with Podestas who are molesta’s. That’s where the meat is in this non issue with Trump.
Trump is clean. They have NOTHING on him. Hopefully there’ll be some new developments in the Hillary uranium scandal.
Mueller found such strong evidence of trump colluding with Russia that he decided to chase down a couple of tax evaders from a decade ago instead.
Trump fanboys have to be some of the most delusional retards on Eerth they are only slightly above Hillbot femboys. You’re kidding yourself if you think this investigation is even close to being over.
LOL another Bernie ass-sniffer trespasser. This blog is not for you. Go back to reading Cosmo.
I know the Bolshevik rats are excited but wouldn’t impeachment proceedings already be started if they had something?
Also Manafort’s constitutional rights were violated as evidence was obtained that wasn’t specified in the search warrant from the obama appointee judge.
Simmer down Bolshevik rats, burning down the country won’t happen overnight and Comey’s butt buddy Mueller won’t be the one doing it.
Trump supporters
the nightmare scenario for Pelosi and Schumer: Manafort pleads guilty to one minor charge, and demands his legal right to a “speedy trial” on all the others. IE – call Mueller’s bluff.
whatever the end result of such a trial, it would come to late too help the Dems in 2018…. and be old forgotten stuff by 2020.
Even fucking Jimmy Carter says Trump is getting a raw deal. The longer he lives, the more respect I have for Jimmy Carter the man. As a president he was pretty bad (maybe not as bad as BO) but wow, he keeps on helping Habitat for Humanity. He is ok in my book!