Trump Campaign Manager Is At Center Of Russia Probe: Reports

WASHINGTON, DC — Within minutes of each other, The New York Times and CNN both dropped bombshell reports Monday night casting light on the central role one-time Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort is playing in the Russia investigation.

CNN reported that both before and after the election, federal investigators tapped Manafort's phone — after receiving a special court-approved warrant — because of suspicions around his ties to foreign powers. President Trump himself may have been picked up on the recordings in conversation with Manafort, but the CNN report is not clear on this front. The news suggests the FBI had a long-standing interest in Manafort even before it began looking into connections between Trump and Russia. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

The Times reported in extensive detail about a previously disclosed raid on Manafort's home conducted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team. According to the report, the investigators had a warrant to pick Manafort's lock, allowing them to surprise him — potentially preventing him from preemptively destroying any evidence. Even more significantly, the report says that investigators threatened to indict Manafort, though it's not yet clear if this was mere tough talk or a credible threat.

CNN: Former Trump Adviser Paul Manafort Was Wiretapped By FBI

Read more at CNN and The New York Times>>

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