The name of Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign manager, has resurfaced in the ongoing investigations into Russian ties to the president's 2016 campaign, The Hill reported Saturday.
On Wednesday, The New York Times reported U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted conversations between Russian officials who strategized last year how they might influence Trump through his aides with the chief focus on Manafort. The agencies turned the information over to FBI investigators.
Manafort has been central to the Russian investigations because of his deep and longstanding ties to Russian politicians and businessmen. Last week he voluntarily produced documents to investigators in the Senate and has offered to testify to intelligence committees in both the Senate and the House.
Contacts Manafort had with pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine ultimately led to his ouster as campaign manager for Trump last August, and Ukrainian officials report they have been contacted by investigators with the probe. There were also documents indicating possible under-the-table payments made to Manafort, and a subpoena has been issued for mortgage records on a $3.5 million home he owns in the Hamptons.
"Although Mr. Manafort's focus was always domestic Ukrainian politics, that work did make a difference and helped move the Ukraine towards a Western orbit and further from a Russian orbit," Jason Maloni, a spokesman for Manafort, told Bloomberg this week.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said it was "insane" to imply Manafort's old business contacts wielded any influence with Trump.
"There is no suggestion that (Manafort) did anything improper. But, to suggest that the President knew who his clients were from a decade ago is a bit insane," Spicer told reporters at a recent press briefing.
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