As jury selection is set to get underway on Monday in the second trial of President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, talks are underway regarding a possible plea deal, The Washington Post is reporting.
The Post attributed its information to two people with knowledge of the discussions between Manafort and special counsel Robert Mueller’s team. But they cautioned the negotiations might not necessarily result in a deal with the special counsel’s office, which is prosecuting Manafort for alleged money laundering and lobbying violations.
It is not the first time a plea deal in the case has been floated in recent days.
Bloomberg News reported last week that Manafort was weighing a plea deal to avoid a new criminal trial. It said negotiations centered on which charges Manafort might admit and the length of the sentence to be recommend by prosecutors.
Details regarding the talks between the two sides are unclear, the Post said. And it is not known whether he would have to provide any information about Trump, the newspaper noted.
The Post reported that earlier this summer, Kevin Downing, an attorney for Manafort, ruled out the possibility that his client would cooperate with prosecutors.
Manafort was convicted last month on eight counts of bank and tax fraud. He has yet to be sentenced in that case.
While jury selection for his second trial is set to begin next week, opening statements are scheduled for Sept. 24.
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