Paul Manafort will be jailed after being accused of witness tampering while awaiting trial on federal conspiracy and money laundering charges
Trump’s “unannounced” set-up interview on the White House lawn failed to distract from Manafort’s jailing, including a return to Trump’s spin on his own involvement with Manafort (actual contact with Trump was nearly daily throughout the campaign and through to the Inaugural). And then there’s Manafort’s historical links to Trump activities.
Nine significant pieces of information in public record point to conspiracy with Russians and violations of federal campaign finance law
1. Manafort proposes to Putin-linked, Russian oligarch a plan to “greatly benefit Putin,” and they get to work (2005-)
2. Manafort joins Trump Campaign and stays in frequent contact with a Kiev-based operative with active ties to Russian military intelligence (March 2016-)
3. Manafort remains an unregistered foreign agent of Kremlin-linked Ukraine political forces
4. Trump Campaign is told Russia has damaging information against Clinton in the form of “thousands of emails,” and Manafort and Campaign then continue to try to set up meeting with Campaign representatives and senior Russian officials (April 2016 -)
5. Manafort and two senior Campaign officials meet with Russian government emissaries offering damaging information on Clinton (June 2016)
6. Manafort offers “private briefings” on the campaign to Putin-linked Russian oligarch (July 2016)
7. Manafort oversees Campaign when it intervenes to defeat a call for Republican Party platform to include a provision for arming Ukraine to defend itself against Russian incursions
8. Russian operatives reportedly discuss Russia’s efforts to coordinate with Manafort on the election and Manafort’s encouraging help from the Kremlin
9. Manafort officially resigns from the campaign, but reportedly continues to be involved up through the transition (August 2016-).
President Donald Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen has indicated to family and friends he is willing to cooperate with federal investigators to alleviate the pressure on himself and his family, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Cohen has expressed anger with the treatment he has gotten from the President, who has minimized his relationship with Cohen, and comments from the President's lawyer Rudy Giuliani, the source said. The treatment has left him feeling isolated and more open to cooperating, the source said.