President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort appeared Friday morning in a federal courthouse in Washington to address allegations that he lied to investigators after agreeing to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of Russian election meddling.
Update 12:45 p.m. EST Jan. 25: U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled the next hearing on whether Manafort lied to investigators after agreeing to work with them for Feb. 4, according to BuzzFeed News.
Original report: Manafort's attorneys said in a court filing earlier this month that their client didn't mean to mislead authorities.
“Often (after being shown or told about relevant documents or other evidence) [Manafort] corrected himself or clarified his responses,” his attorneys said, a fact that they argued “does not support a determination that he intentionally lied.”
Manafort agreed in September to cooperate with investigator while pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy against the United States and conspiracy to obstruct justice through witness tampering. However, Mueller’s team said in a court filing last month that despite the agreement, Manafort told “multiple discernible lies” about his contact with Trump administration officials and with a Russian associate.
Manafort’s attorneys have denied any wrongdoing. Officials said he’s turned over access to his electronic devices and email accounts as part of his cooperation.
Earlier this month, defense attorneys said Manafort has been kept in solitary confinement for his own safety. He’s had severe gout for several months of his incarceration, according to his attorneys, and it’s sometimes been severe enough to require that he use a wheelchair.
“He also suffers from depression and anxiety and, due to the facilities visitation regulations, has had very little contact with his family,” his attorneys said.
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