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| FBI used search warrant to raid ex-Trump chair Paul Manafort's home | FBI used search warrant to raid ex-Trump chair Paul Manafort's home |
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| The FBI used a search warrant to raid former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s home late last month, a spokesman confirmed on Wednesday, using the warrant to seize documents related to the investigation into Russian interference in the US election. | The FBI used a search warrant to raid former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s home late last month, a spokesman confirmed on Wednesday, using the warrant to seize documents related to the investigation into Russian interference in the US election. |
| The Washington Post first reported on the raid, which occurred in the predawn hours of 26 July without prior warning. According to the report, FBI agents working with special counsel Robert Mueller seized “various records” from Manafort’s Virginia home under a wide-ranging search warrant. | The Washington Post first reported on the raid, which occurred in the predawn hours of 26 July without prior warning. According to the report, FBI agents working with special counsel Robert Mueller seized “various records” from Manafort’s Virginia home under a wide-ranging search warrant. |
| Manafort’s spokesman, Jason Maloni, confirmed the raid in a statement to the Guardian: “FBI agents executed a search warrant at one of Mr Manafort’s residences. Mr Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well.” | Manafort’s spokesman, Jason Maloni, confirmed the raid in a statement to the Guardian: “FBI agents executed a search warrant at one of Mr Manafort’s residences. Mr Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well.” |
| A spokesman for Mueller would neither comment on nor confirm the raid. | A spokesman for Mueller would neither comment on nor confirm the raid. |
| The raid came one day after Manafort met privately with staffers on the Senate intelligence committee, which is conducting its own inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Manafort voluntarily agreed to appear before the panel and has also turned over roughly 400 pages of documents, including those pertaining to his work as a foreign agent on behalf of Ukraine. | |
| The decision by FBI agents to obtain a search warrant nonetheless indicates they likely had probable cause to believe Manafort might not comply with a subpoena request to hand over all relevant records. Such a warrant is typically obtained from a federal judge. | The decision by FBI agents to obtain a search warrant nonetheless indicates they likely had probable cause to believe Manafort might not comply with a subpoena request to hand over all relevant records. Such a warrant is typically obtained from a federal judge. |
| Manafort is a key witness in the federal investigation into Russian interference in the election and potential collusion between Donald Trump’s campaign and Moscow. | Manafort is a key witness in the federal investigation into Russian interference in the election and potential collusion between Donald Trump’s campaign and Moscow. |
| Although he served as Trump’s campaign chairman for just three months, Manafort was a participant in the now infamous June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower that included Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Manafort resigned from the campaign last August while facing increased scrutiny over his previous lobbying work for pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarchs. | Although he served as Trump’s campaign chairman for just three months, Manafort was a participant in the now infamous June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower that included Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr, son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner and Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Manafort resigned from the campaign last August while facing increased scrutiny over his previous lobbying work for pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarchs. |
| The raid of Manafort’s home is the latest indication that Mueller’s investigation is intensifying. Last week, Mueller impaneled a grand jury in Washington that reportedly subpoenaed both documents and testimony from those involved in the Trump Jr meeting. | The raid of Manafort’s home is the latest indication that Mueller’s investigation is intensifying. Last week, Mueller impaneled a grand jury in Washington that reportedly subpoenaed both documents and testimony from those involved in the Trump Jr meeting. |
| The meeting came under intense scrutiny when it was first revealed last month and forced Trump Jr to publicly release emails leading up to the encounter. | The meeting came under intense scrutiny when it was first revealed last month and forced Trump Jr to publicly release emails leading up to the encounter. |
| In the email exchange, Trump Jr was offered “highly sensitive” information that would incriminate Hillary Clinton and was explicitly told of an effort by the Russian government to aid his father’s campaign. The elder Trump son responded: “If it’s what you say I love it.” | In the email exchange, Trump Jr was offered “highly sensitive” information that would incriminate Hillary Clinton and was explicitly told of an effort by the Russian government to aid his father’s campaign. The elder Trump son responded: “If it’s what you say I love it.” |
| Manafort and Kushner were also copied in on the email chain. | Manafort and Kushner were also copied in on the email chain. |
| Additional reporting by Julian Borger | Additional reporting by Julian Borger |