President Trump applauded his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort for not turning on him, as his former longtime attorney Michael Cohen did, a day after he was found guilty on eight of the 18 charges brought against him by special counsel Robert Mueller.
The Justice Department “took a 12 year old tax case, among other things, applied tremendous pressure on him and, unlike Michael Cohen, he refused to ‘break’ – make up stories in order to get a ‘deal,’” Trump tweeted Wednesday.
“Such respect for a brave man!” the tweet continued.
Trump also said he feels “badly” for Manafort and his “wonderful family.”
I feel very badly for Paul Manafort and his wonderful family. “Justice” took a 12 year old tax case, among other things, applied tremendous pressure on him and, unlike Michael Cohen, he refused to “break” – make up stories in order to get a “deal.” Such respect for a brave man!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2018
A jury found Manafort guilty on all five tax fraud counts and that he filed false income tax returns from 2010 through 2014. He was also found guilty of one count of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts in 2012.
A mistrial was declared on 10 other charges Manafort faced relating to bank fraud and failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts, as the jury failed to reach a consensus on the counts.
“A large number of counts, ten, could not even be decided in the Paul Manafort case. Witch Hunt!” Trump added in another tweet.
A large number of counts, ten, could not even be decided in the Paul Manafort case. Witch Hunt!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2018
Manafort was the first Trump associate to face trial in Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The charges did not relate to his time on the Trump campaign.
