Paul Manafort’s friends have established a legal fund to defend the former chairman of President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign against charges of money laundering and bank fraud that resulted from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
"Long time friends of Paul Manafort have established this Legal Defense Trust Fund to assist Paul and his family in meeting the tremendous legal costs resulting from the proceedings commenced against him by the Office of Special Counsel," reads the fund’s website.
"The Defense Fund is urging anyone who values civil liberties and wishes to show the ‘Deep State’ that they cannot exert their will on ordinary citizens, to join them in supporting the Manafort family as they grapple against the Special Counsel to clear their name," the website continues, according to The Daily Caller.
Manafort was indicted in October on charges unrelated to his work on the Trump campaign, as was his former business partner, Rick Gates. The charges were connected to Manafort’s work for Ukraine’s pro-Russia political party, the Party of Regions, which was led by former President Viktor Yanukovych.
According to the fund’s website, any money not used for Manafort’s defense after the fees are paid will be donated to the American Civil Liberties Union or The Brain Trauma Foundation.
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