Manafort has not been cooperating. He has been caught in a cavalcade of lies after promising the FBI that he would fully cooperate in return for a lenient sentence following his conviction before a jury of his peers on eight criminal charges.
What do we make of this?
Manafort obviously didn't know what Mueller knows, and did not know that Mueller was fully aware of when he was lying and when he was not. This is good - Mueller still has a leg up in terms of the evidence base that he has to work with.
Manafort also obviously never intended to cooperate. He was either promised a pardon by Trump, or more disconcerting, he has been the key actor is a filthy charade designed to draw out the investigation as long as possible, to allow its opponents to work to destroy it....or both.
It seems that Manafort is still Trump's man, and that is very bad for the investigation as it no longer has its key witness.
As noted here repeatedly, Mueller needs one of the insiders to flip in order to fully prosecute any crimes coming out of the meeting between Manafort, Kushner and Trump Jr., and the Russians in June, 2016. Right now, he appears to have no one.
Other than some charges and convictions of those who obstructed justice and of some Russians who worked to influence the last presidential election, this investigation may be over.
Again - where is Hope Hicks in all this?
This is 100% about Russian influence on this hall of power in the USA. Based on his last meeting with Putin, it is clear that Trump is deeply compromised. Putin is now making some very aggressive moves in Ukraine. Has he been assured that the USA won't lift a finger?
How deep is the rot here?
I sense a tragedy unfolding.
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