Judge Finds Former Trump Campaign Chair Lied To Investigators

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort

Big trouble for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

From The Washington Post:

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort lied to prosecutors with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III about matters close to the heart of their investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

The judge’s finding that Manafort, 69, breached his cooperation deal with prosecutors by lying after his guilty plea could add years to his prison sentence and came after a set of sealed court hearings.

Manafort had denied intentionally lying after his plea deal, but U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the District found he lied in three of five areas alleged by prosecutors. She said she would factor in his deception on other topics at sentencing March 13.

The special counsel’s office “has established by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant intentionally made multiple false statements to the FBI, [Mueller’s office] and the grand jury concerning matters that were material to the investigation,” Jackson wrote.

This means any leniency for Manafort is out the window as Judge Jackson will take these lies into account when considering sentencing.

CNN's Jeffrey Toobin said last night 70-year-old Manafort could expect to get 10 years in prison.