It’s all happening! Early last month, Donald Trump likened Paul Manafort to a put-upon Al Capone:
Looking back on history, who was treated worse, Alfonse Capone, legendary mob boss, killer and “Public Enemy Number One,” or Paul Manafort, political operative & Reagan/Dole darling, now serving solitary confinement – although convicted of nothing? Where is the Russian Collusion?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
And now, Manafort’s entered into a “cooperation agreement” with the DOJ:
#Breaking: Paul Manafort has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department. Prosecutor Andrew Weissmann told the judge his plea agreement is a "cooperation agreement," and the other charges they will drop at sentencing at "or at the agreement of successful cooperation."
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) September 14, 2018
BREAKING: Prosecutors say Paul Manafort's plea deal includes 17 page cooperation agreement.
— justin jouvenal (@jjouvenal) September 14, 2018
Paul Manafort plea deal:
• Will serve no more than 10 years in prison
• Will forfeit $46 million in assets (Mueller investigation has cost roughly $20 million to date)
• Will cooperate with federal prosecutorshttps://t.co/xlVvV7vHSr
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) September 14, 2018
For what it’s worth:
Statement from @PressSec on Paul Manafort’s plea deal and cooperation agreement: “This had absolutely nothing to do with the President or his victorious 2016 Presidential campaign. It is totally unrelated.”
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) September 14, 2018
OK then.
How quickly does the narrative go from, "That Mueller is so mean to Paul Manafort!" to "Paul Manafort is such a RAT!"
— Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) September 14, 2018
Stay tuned!
***
Update:
Paul Manafort's cooperation agreement with the special counsel does not include matters involving the Trump campaign, according to a person familiar with the case, @johnson_carrie reports
— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) September 14, 2018
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