Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, appeared in court on Friday for a hearing about the terms of his bond agreement. After evidence was found that he allegedly attempted to coordinate with witnesses and influence their testimonies, he faced the revocation of his home incarceration status.
Ex-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort ordered to jail over witness-tampering charges while awaiting trial in Mueller probe – The Washington Post https://t.co/pNjLUt5zyh
— V.Gramrosa (@VGramrosa) June 15, 2018
Instead of waiting out his trial at home, Manafort now begins a long wait in jail for his day in court. Endless delays by his attorneys and their attempts to stall the legal justice system from doing its job is sure to end now that Manafort can’t sit at home interfering with witnesses and obstructing justice.
JUST IN: Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort arrives for court hearing on alleged witness tampering. pic.twitter.com/3ld3USA1oP
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 15, 2018
Trump has, at various times, insisted that Manafort did nothing wrong, downplayed his role in the presidential campaign he managed, and called the investigation into his corrupt dealings and dishonesty with the FBI just more “witch hunts” by Democrats determined to derail the Trump presidency.
Trump lies of Manafort: "Paul Manafort worked for me for a very short period of time…He worked for me, what, for 49 days or something?"
He worked for Trump for 144 days, from March 29, 2016 to August 19, 2016.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 15, 2018
He’s also blamed the FBI for not informing him that his campaign manager was under criminal investigation, something that law enforcement does not do during an active probe.
As only one of two people left who could become President, why wouldn’t the FBI or Department of “Justice” have told me that they were secretly investigating Paul Manafort (on charges that were 10 years old and had been previously dropped) during my campaign? Should have told me!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2018
Just like every other news story that reveals the corruption within the Trump campaign, the lies and deflection began as soon as the public learned of it. Asked repeatedly whether he would consider pardoning Manafort if convicted, Trump has refused to deny that he would do so for either Manafort, his associate Rick Gates, or Trump’s own personal attorney, Michael Cohen, all of whom face legal troubles of their own.
No matter how many times Trump insists his campaign team did nothing wrong, the guilty pleas, indictments, and cooperating witnesses continue to prove him wrong.