Paul Manafort breaks

“IT DOESN'T involve me”, said Donald Trump, after his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was convicted by a court in Virginia on eight counts of financial fraud last month. “This had absolutely nothing to do with the president,” said his spokeswoman, Sarah Sanders, on September 14th, after Mr Manafort unexpectedly pleaded guilty in Washington, DC to two additional charges. As that turned out to be part of a newly-minted cooperation agreement with Robert Mueller, the special counsel, we may soon know whether Mr Trump and Ms Sanders are right. 

Assuredly, none of the crimes Mr Manafort has been convicted of or admitted to is directly related to the president. The 69-year-old political operative was convicted last month on eight of a possible 18 charges of tax and bank fraud, and of failing to disclose foreign bank accounts. These related to Mr Manafort’s consulting work on behalf of pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine in the early 2000s, for which he earned around $60m. He also hatched a scheme to borrow $20m fraudulently from American banks. Most of these crimes were committed before he played any part in Mr Trump’s election campaign, and there is no suggestion that the president was involved in any of them.

Mr Manafort was due to stand a second trial, in Washington next week, on seven additional charges. These included money laundering, tax fraud, lying to the justice department, failing to register as a foreign agent and obstructing justice by attempting to influence a potential witness against him. Again, there was nothing in those allegations directly related to Mr Trump. The president has known Mr Manafort for decades. But he is not alleged to have played any part in the crimes Mr Mueller charged him with.

Yet Mr Manafort appears to know something that Mr Mueller, who is investigating possible collusion between Mr Trump’s campaign and Russian election hackers, among other things, wants to know. Hence the cooperation deal the two parties have now struck. 

In return for leniency from Mr Mueller, Mr Manafort has committed to assist the government with “any and all” matters. That may involve turning over any documents or other evidence demanded of him, or appearing as a witness for the government, as requested. It will also involve providing an account of “his participation in and knowledge of all criminal activities”.