Manafort Indictment Reaction

Legal experts greeted the indictment of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and a business associate with studied interest, saying that it was far too early to predict the final outcome of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.

“It doesn’t reflect well, but it doesn’t impugn the [Trump] campaign, either,” said Scott Greenfield, a New York-based criminal defense attorney who told Fox News his reaction to the indictment was “a huge yawn.”

“For anyone who thought Mueller’s opening salvo would bring down Trump, the indictment is a huge disappointment,” Greenfield added.

Manafort and Rick Gates face 12 felony counts, including money laundering, conspiracy and acting as unregistered foreign agents. According to the indictment, which was unsealed Monday, the pair engaged in covert lobbying work for pro-Russian interests in Ukraine.

Andrew McCarthy, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney best known for prosecuting the 1993 World Trade Center bombing case, wrote on National Review Online Monday that the indictment was “much ado about nothing … except as a vehicle to squeeze Manafort.” In an addendum to his original article published Wednesday, McCarthy noted that the indictment does not accuse Manafort or Gates of tax law felonies or fraud. (Read more from “Manafort Indictment Reaction” HERE)

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