The top Department of Justice official overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation authorized the investigation of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort’s work for the Ukrainian government and possible collusion with Russia, according to new court filings.
The filings late Monday night included a classified Aug. 2 memo from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that allowed Mueller to probe whether Manafort “committed a crime or crimes by colluding with Russian government officials with respect to the Russian government’s effort to interfere with the 2016 election.”
The Rosenstein memo also specifically authorized Mueller to look into payments Manafort received for his work in Ukraine, and any crimes “arising out of payments he received from the Ukrainian government before and during the tenure of President Viktor Yanukovych.”
Manafort, who was on Trump’s campaign team from March to August 2016, has alleged in both a civil suit and motion to dismiss that the charges brought against him are outside the special counsel’s authorization. But the memo shows Rosenstein allowed that line of inquiry.
Rosenstein has told Congress he at times has approved extensions of Mueller’s effort. Rosenstein appointed Mueller special counsel in May 2017 following Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recusal.
The memo made public Monday night shows how that public order was specifically worded so it would not confirm “specific investigations involving specific individuals.”
“An investigation of possible ‘links and/or coordination’ between the Russian government in its political-interference campaign and ‘individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump ’ would naturally cover ties that a former Trump campaign manager had to Russian associated political operatives, Russian-backed politicians, and Russian oligarchs,” the Monday court filing read, citing Rosenstein’s original public order.
Mueller’s prosecutors added, “Every key step in this case — including the investigative path and the Indictment itself — has been authorized by the Acting Attorney General through ongoing consultation.”
Manafort has pleaded not guilty to an October indictment against him in Washington that included charges such as conspiring against the U.S., conspiring to commit money laundering and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. He has also pleaded not guilty to a subsequent indictment brought against him in February in Alexandria, Va., Those charges include bank and tax fraud.
The Virginia trial is slated to begin July 10, and then he will go to trial in Washington on Sept. 17.
