The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said President Trump’s suggestion that a pardon for Paul Manafort remains a possibility adds to evidence that he is “engaged in obstructing justice.”
“The president continues to dangle a pardon for Paul Manafort, which only adds to the growing body of evidence that the president is engaged in obstructing justice,” Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told ABC’s “This Week” during an interview Sunday.
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team revealed in court filings last week that Manafort, former chairman of the Trump campaign, breached the terms of his plea agreement by lying to the FBI and the special counsel’s office.
Federal prosecutors said they are considering new charges for Manafort as a result of the broken plea deal.
Trump told The New York Post in an interview last week that while he hadn’t discussed a pardon for Manafort, it was not “off the table.”
Schiff told ABC News that Manafort was “double dealing” by “going through the pretense” of cooperating with Mueller’s team while giving information to members of Trump’s legal team, and urged Mueller to “throw the book” at Manafort.
“You cannot have people who are essentially in discussions with you flaunt that process, deceive you, if you want to telegraph to other witnesses that you darn well better be true when you say you’re going to cooperate with us,” Schiff said.
