Readers React to Charges Against Paul Manafort

I am waiting for the Feds to come and arrest Crooked Kushner. Like father, like father-in-law, like son.

I don’t mind a court placing a high bail on Manafort, but taking away all his passports, particularly the ones issued in the names of other people, seems a bit harsh to me.

It seems pretty obvious to me that the reason Manafort spent so much on suits and rugs is that he was getting cash kickbacks from all of his vendors. Follow the money!

Special Counselor Mueller, III, has substantially helped President Trump's coming Asian trip. Both friends and foes of the US constitutional democracy will be alerted that the US tradition has been the US pride and foundation. No one is above the law, even though sometimes Money's Talk may be the supreme power. We hope to hear the opinions of the leaders of both parties about this 2017 Halloween Infamy.

I'm not happy to read about this because what this says is that American politicians are willing to work with enemy foreign nations in order to bring down their political opponents. They only cared about winning. They didn't care about us or America.

Russian officials alerted the campaign, through an intermediary in April 2016, that they possessed thousands of Democratic emails and other “dirt” on Mrs. Clinton. (NYT article) Trump called on Russia to hack Hillary's emails during the debate in July. How much did he know back then? https://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/trump-putin-no-relationship-226282

The evidence on Manafort relates to his personal conduct and tax evasion or failure to report financial activities. The other party was a "nobody" trying to work up the food chain to Trump and was indicted for lying in terms of some false timeline. The Manafort story is tempest in a teapot and appears to be a deflection away from the narrative (politically timed) on Uranium One and the Russian Dossier. Now it appears a Islamic Brotherhood leader was appointed to lead the Committee on Foreign Investments (appointed by Obama) and approved the sale of 20% of our uranium stock. Clinton's DNA is all over this deal as noted by NY Times article April 2014. This seems to indicate neither party can be trusted. Russia and the Islamic "terrorist" groups are hauled out and propped up as the "enemy" when the narrative fits. Both parties are wheeling and dealing, while trust for our government plummets.

'Russia, if you're listening, please give us the missing emails!" That debate was something else. Comrade Trump was very desperate. Wonder how he feels today?

Hmm. The one name missing in the run down of Trump associates under suspicion is that of Pence. Are we led to believe he didn’t know anything? He, who is owned by the Koch brothers surely has skin in this game, too.

For the starter indictments these show forethought and long tentacles. Most of the nation can exhale that the investigation is moving quickly and on-target. And if Fox/WH/Breitbart/Nunes want to investigate uranium they should, after finishing the proper investigation begun with IC Mueller. This isn't about which party, it's about our country and what level of corruption is finally just too much. Trump has exposed much. As he might say there are not so fine people on both sides.

The reason that we don't hear any meaningful statements on these rotten behaviors from 99% of the GOP is that the members of the GOP are morally weak. I am not name calling, I an trying to state an observable fact. These people have been willing to get into office via super pacs funded by oligarchs, and they view these oligarchs as their employers, and they want to satisfy their 'bosses'. This is not a dramatic revelation, it is a simple statement of fact. As citizens, we need to realize their basic natures, and replace them if we don't like what we see.

When Trump at last resigns, will he say, "I AM a crook"? Doubtful. He'll no doubt move on to a new TV show and a fat book deal (written by someone else, of course).

The night is still very green.

No one should be celebrating. This is a time of national peril. Let Mr. Mueller do what he was selected to do. Let the law work the way it was intended to work. Then let us be prepared to pick up the pieces from the wreckage that often occurs in this experiment we call democracy.

To me collusion implies planning in advance, doesn't it? This is how I see the events unfolding (perhaps I need a reminder of the timeline of events): (1) Russians hack the Democratic party servers, get Clinton emails, word is leaked to some Russians with American connections; so far only Russians have broken American law, but this we've known for a while, only the timing here is unclear (to me) (2) Manafort or underling is contacted by said Russian(s) to organize a meeting and pass "the dirt" (3) ensuing meetings (involving key Trump campaign staff) don't pan out, according to Trump staff (4) Russians leak emails. Why is this not the end of the story? I can see potential criminal behavior if (1) Trump staff meant to use the information, which would be criminal, by colluding in timing its release, or (2) Trump staff had sufficient information to know the Russians obtained their information in the USA, illegaly, and should (by law) have reported that said information was obtained illegally, when and if they found out as much. However, the source of "the dirt" may not have been clear to the Trump staff until late in the game, if ever, and the Russians may have timed the leak without collusion. Did they discuss the ideal timing of the leak? Can they be accused of not disclosing illegal behavior by the Russians? What if they only suspected and never saw proof of Russian theft? Is meeting with foreigners to discuss "dirt" enough to get you indicted?

I think the Hillary Clinton thing has gone far enough. When I hear it over and over I feel bored. It has run its course. I prefer that people think for themselves and not regurgitate the words they are fed. It seems unbelievable that anyone could behave like Mr. Manafort and his associates, but I accept he is innocent until proven guilty. I only hope there is not one rule for the rich and another for the poor. I hope Mr. Mueller does not compromise. As for Trump, methinks he protests too much.

My personal favorites are the people who are going with Trump's Hillary-Uranium angle. Next, Trump will be blaming Hillary for colluding with the Russians to help him beat her in the election (without his knowledge, of course) while selling illegal ice-cubes to communist Eskimos. Unfortunately, I think the Always-Trump base would believe it.

This is what happens when some people are addicted to tweets and end up chomping on poisoned tricks. Happy Halloween!

I find it hard to believe that the Trump supporters making comments here in the NYT are not actual subscribing readers, but planted trolls causing disruption and spreading disinformation...just saying. It seems obvious under the circumstances. I don't think Trump is in charge of anything, he is being used by "other forces" and he is in way over his head. Even the Trump children are trying to extricate themselves so they can go back to their former happy lives but I suspect those options are over now too. Trump is no leader and has no plan...other then how to get out of this mess but he will have to face the consequences of his choices eventually, sooner rather then later I hope.

The noose is tightening. We may not be able to restore democracy, but perhaps we can oust DT and the destructive, greedy, cabinet. Good luck to us all

Your Roundup email says Manafort "made his fortune outside of electoral politics in lobbying"--shouldn't that be INSIDE??

I'm not sure how this country came to the point where our leaders felt free and justified using Russia to their personal and political advantage, but it seems it has. Donald Trump speaks repeatedly to his intelligence, so it's hard to believe he knew nothing about any connections these individuals had with Russia that could be useful to his election -and I don't care how far back they go. And, the same is true of Hillary Clinton. Any unlawful actions from any candidate, or elected official, should be prosecuted and I don't care which party it is.

Eight comments out of 2200! Surely the times can publish at least a few hundred. Publish at least 50 of the same thread if available. I receive just at much info from the comments as I do from the article since NYTimes readers are well informed. Glad that you fact check ...like the one who said Trump fired Manafort when he actually resigned. Thank you I had forgotten.

drumpfski deliberately hired a campaign manager that heretofore had worked as a political operative of the (Putin puppet) president of the Ukraine.....so why would he do that? Could it be that he desired to have someone in his campaign that could collude with Russia? Hhhhmmmm? Also, who changed the Repblican manifesto in the summer of 2016 (just after manafort joined the drumpfski campaign)? All very odd, don't you think? Honestly, the people in drumpfski's orbit are operating at a kindergarten level. Mueller is just having a field day.

This explains a lot about the bizarre press conference suddenly resuscitating the phony Clinton uranium story lead by Rep. Nunes, Goudy, (et al.); the weird editorial in the WSJ; the news stories on baby kittens on Fox News today; and the POTUS meltdown on Twitter! I suddenly wonder...which House members might also be compromised? Dana Rohrbacher? Devon Nunes? Many of them, along with Carter Page, were white-as-sheets last week desperately flailing (or fainting). Is anyone monitoring the airports?

The commenters that identify themselves as Trump supporters take the position that the charges against Manafort somehow exonerate Trump. That, of course, is the line being peddled by the White House. If that's the best they've got - it's demonstrably weak. First off - how do you evaluate the decision-making skills of someone who chooses a scoundrel like Paul Manafort? The buck on that one (the choice of a campaign manager) stops with the Decision-Maker-in-Chief. Or are we to accept an explanation of... "oops" when it comes to Manafort's serious alleged crimes? That excuse could be ostensibly be used for a whole range of unsavory characters. People that let Trump off the hook at this point are blinded by confirmation bias, a lot of Kool-Aid, and not much more. Second - prosecutors typically begin with charges against lower level defendants for the purpose of eliciting their cooperation. Trump can only offer a presidential pardon in the instance of Federal crimes. State charges are another thing and it appears that Manafort is the potential object of both State and Federal charges. His relationship with Trump does not give him a get-out-of-jail-free card. Talk about a house of cards. The problem is that the governance of the most powerful nation on earth is at stake. Each day brings new and unwelcome surprises. We know that Congress is currently divided. I wonder how the Pentagon feels. They are trained to function on the basis of the world as it is - not some fantasy.

everyone should curb enthusiasm. recall that trump survived access hollywood without even breaking a sweat. this presidency will put to shame the entire teen slasher movie franchise as far as unkillable monsters go.

This is just the beginning. I hope/expect that after several more indictments, plea deals, Mueller will subpoena Trump's tax returns & more, and Trump will then resign rather than comply & make an exit speech declaring that he wanted to make America Great Again but that the establishment denied his "noble" attempts.

There may be no smoking gun tied directly to Trump yet. But man, there sure are a lot of hot bullet casings in the vicinity...