Lawyers for Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, went out of their way to send one specific message to anyone listening, specifically to Manafort’s former boss: There was no proven evidence of collusion in the charges Manafort faced. Former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, for example, received one of Trump’s first pardons, with Trump going on to effuse about Arpaio’s character. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. announced that Manafort would be indicted on 16 state counts related to alleged fraudulent activity related to mortgages Manafort held. And, if Manafort is convicted, there’s nothing Trump can do for his former campaign chief. All of the back and forth over Manafort and his lies to Mueller’s investigators and his convictions in Virginia would be rendered moot.

Source: Washington Post March 13, 2019 17:24 UTC