Live rounds and tear gas have been fired sporadically in Uganda’s capital Kampala and other areas as military units and anti-riot police try to disperse demonstrations.

Protesters are unhappy about the arrests and alleged beatings of detained opposition legislators critical of President Yoweri Museveni.

Video footage showed demonstrators setting bonfires and barricades on Kampala’s streets on Monday, and police and soldiers trying to remove the roadblocks.

Among those demonstrating were supporters of Robert Kyagulanyi, a pop star turned opposition parliamentarian, who goes by the stage name Bobi Wine. Kyagulanyi was arrested in the northwestern town of Arua last week.

Tensions have simmered in Uganda since Kyagulanyi and his colleagues were detained.

He was taken into custody on suspicion of taking part in the pelting of the presidential convoy with stones. The incident, which occurred during a parliamentary by-election campaign, left car windows smashed.

Museveni posted a statement on his Facebook page on Tuesday to justify the detention of the opposition politicians and their supporters.

“The problem in Arua was caused by Bobi Wine’s group together with Kassiano Wadri, who attacked me, a useless action because I am protected and I can defend myself,” Museveni said.

“The more serious issue is these chronically indisciplined people attacking women and children, destroying people’s property, etc. Who is Bobi Wine or anybody to beat our people and for what?”

Rising opposition

Kyagulanyi is seen by many as the new face of the opposition, barely a year after his entry into politics.

He has built a large youth following through his often biting criticism of Museveni’s government, which he sometimes expresses through his music.

Kyagulanyi, 36, was elected to parliament last year and has since emerged as a powerful voice with his calls for young people to “stand up” and take over the East African country from what he calls the government’s failed leadership.

Officials see his appeal as a threat to Museveni’s hold on power, which is waning because of public anger over deteriorating public services, corruption, and rights abuses.

Many Ugandans have expressed concern for Kyagulanyi’s safety after the country’s deputy prime minister told legislators he had been hospitalised while in custody, without giving further details.

He has not been seen in public since he was detained, and the absence of news has spurred social media campaigns calling for his release.

Only a few members of his family and a handful of colleagues have been able to see him in custody. His brother Eddy Yawe told Al Jazeera the opposition politician is in bad health.

“When I met my brother, he could not walk, he was lifted up by two guys. He could not stand. He could barely breathe. He could not sit on his own,” Yawe said.

“He had pain everywhere… He had lots of complications from [the] pains he was having in his stomach. He told me that they used an iron bar to hit his head, which made him fall down.

“He said as one man was breaking his finger, one was breaking a toe, another one was trying to extract his lips manually, one was pulling his ears and another one was holding his private parts and squeezing them to death.

“He collapsed and when he regained consciousness, he found himself locked up in some kind of container, chained up… He was all bloody and helpless.”

The government has denied allegations of torture.

Trumped-up charges?

The Ugandan government has been accused of stifling dissent through intimidation, beatings, detentions and prosecutions on trumped-up charges.

Kyagulanyi, who is being held at a military prison near Kampala, will appear in court on Thursday.

He, several MPs, and dozens of others have been charged with treason and illegal possession of firearms over their alleged role in the stoning of the president’s convoy.

Medard Sseggona, a lawyer for the defendants, told Al Jazeera the politicians are innocent.

“The charges are not only laughable but ridiculous,” Sseggona said.

Another 68 suspects arrested during two days of demonstrations across the country are also expected to appear in court, with the government not backing down on plans to proceed with prosecutions.

Museveni said the trial “should send a warning to those who are in the habit of miscalculating”. 

Repression

Opposition supporters see the alleged mistreatment of the detained as part of a pattern of repression by Museveni’s security forces, an allegation the government denies.

A man was shot dead and five others wounded in anti-government protests in the town of Mityana.

“The police can use live bullets if they are not equipped with anti-riot equipment and the rioters are on the verge of killing innocent people. That is also possible,” Museveni said.

But Kyagulanyi and his supporters are not giving up.

“He remains unshaken. He remains very strong in spirit, but weak in body. The body is definitely weak because he was really tortured but his spirit and will remain unshaken,” Sseggona said.

“When you know that you are fighting corruption, you are fighting maladministration in your own country, you want to set the country free. It is quite a painful experience to be tortured for what you believe in,” he added.

President for life

Museveni seized power in 1986 and has since been elected five times. The last vote in 2016 was marred by allegations of fraud.

Critics say he is set to rule Uganda for life after parliament passed legislation last year removing a clause in the constitution that had prevented anyone over 75 from holding the presidency.

Museveni, 73, is now able to seek re-election in 2021. His supporters say he has held power for so long because of genuine mass support.

Although Museveni campaigned on his record of establishing peace and stability, some worry that is being eroded the longer he stays in power.

Previous attempts by an opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, to remove him from power were unsuccessful.

Museveni said any attempt by the opposition to cause further unrest will be stopped.

“Those who pretend to support the opposition are misleading them by failing to advise them to stop intimidating and attacking Ugandans. The Ugandans, led by us, will resist them,” he said.

While Kyagulanyi has not made a public statement about his alleged abuse, his brother is convinced his position has not changed.

“He has already paid the cost of freedom. He told me he can die for this country,” Yawe said.

Leeds United fought back to preserve their unbeaten start to the season with an exhilarating draw at Swansea City.

Oli McBurnie finished a fine team move to give the vibrant hosts a deserved lead but Kemar Roofe tapped in to level before half-time.

McBurnie restored Swansea’s lead with a superb arcing header.

But Leeds substitute Patrick Bamford set up former Swan Pablo Hernandez to sweep in a low equaliser, taking his side to the top of the Championship.

The draw also maintains Swansea’s unbeaten record and lifts them to third in the table.

And while their effervescent performance will have encouraged manager Graham Potter, the result will be tinged with the disappointment that the Swans were unable to turn their dominance into victory.

As it was, ending Leeds’ perfect start to the season was a commendable achievement in itself, given the Yorkshire club’s form before this fixture.

Leeds had won all three of their previous matches with a swagger, scoring nine goals and playing with the high-octane intensity which has defined the career of their world-renowned manager Marcelo Bielsa.

Swansea, however, had ground their way to two victories and a draw, an impressive feat under Potter considering his limited resources after a summer of stunted transfer activity which prompted strong criticism of the club’s owners.

The Swans continued to confound their off-field concerns with a strident display here, forcing Leeds into mistakes and keeping possession with quick, crisp passing.

Both those qualities were evident for the opening goal, sparked by Leroy Fer – starting for the first time since an Achilles injury in February.

The Dutch midfielder dispossessed Kalvin Phillips before initiating a flowing move, which included passes from Barrie McKay and Bersant Celina and ended with a prodded finish from McBurnie.

Phillips, already booked, was then substituted for Lewis Barker after just 27 minutes as Bielsa readjusted his rattled side.

The bold move was effective, as Leeds settled and equalised against the run of play as Jamie Shackleton’s low cross was converted by Roofe from close range.

The Liberty Stadium was momentarily silenced but, once Swansea started the second half with the same adventure with which they had approached the first, the atmosphere crackled once more.

McBurnie, a tall and rangy nuisance of a striker, led the attack brilliantly.

The Scotland international’s endeavour was rewarded when he stretched backwards to meet Martin Olsson’s excellent cross and loop his header over Bailey Peacock-Farrell and into the far corner.

The 22-year-old was close to a hat-trick against the city of his birth but was thwarted by Peacock-Farrell’s fingertip save – and it was to prove crucial.

When the ball later spun loose on the left wing, Leeds substitute Bamford beat Mike van der Hoorn and raced into the penalty area before crossing for Hernandez, who finished smartly but showed little sign of celebration against his former side.

Swansea still had time for a late chance to win but the electric Bersant Celina saw his shot well saved by Peacock-Farrell.

Swansea City manager Graham Potter said:

“In football you take what you get. For us we focus on the overall performance of the team, what we brought in terms of our character, our attitude and also our quality and courage. We played against a good team and we showed a really good level.

“I’m proud of the players, proud of what they did and proud of the environment we created here. I thought it was a great atmosphere, which contributed to a really good game.

“We had a good intensity to our play. We had a good idea of what we wanted to do and we also had courage as well. Overall, really proud of the players and happy we’ve taken a step forward.”

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa said:

“We didn’t defend very well and this did not allow us to dominate the game with regularity. In the first half Swansea dominated the game.

“It took us almost 25 minutes to get into the game. After their second goal we had greater stability. After we scored again at 2-2 we dominated the game.

“We have won this game and we have lost it too. It was a nice game to watch. There are some important aspects we have to correct.”

Michael D. Cohen, President Trump’s former fixer, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to campaign finance and other charges.

He made the extraordinary admission that he paid a pornographic actress “at the direction of the candidate,” referring to Mr. Trump, to secure her silence about an affair she said she had with Mr. Trump.

Deputy U.S. Attorney Robert Khuzami told reporters on Tuesday after Cohen’s guilty plea that he submitted invoices to the candidate’s company to obtain reimbursement for the unlawful campaign contributions.

 

“Today, as you heard, Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight felony charges. Five of those dealt with tax evasion for the years 2012 through 2016, through which he failed to report approximately $4.1 million in reported income. Approxmiately 2.5 of that money was from interest payments from a personal loan that he failed to report. Approximately $1.3 million of that money was from the operation of his taxi medalion business. Approximately $100,000 of that money was from brokerage commissions and over $200,000 was from consulting fees. That’s over $4.3 mllion over a five-year period, which tranlates into a loss for the United States Treasury of approximately $1.3 million. “ 

 

Khuzami said Cohen decided, as a lawyer, that he was above the law and would pay a “very, very serious price” for his actions.

“These are very serious charges and reflect a pattern of lies and dishonesty over an extended period of time,” Khuzami said. 

Cohen pleaded guilty to charges including campaign finance fraud stemming from hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal.

The 51-year-old Cohen said in federal court in New York on Tuesday that he made the payments in coordination with Trump, who wasn’t named, to influence the election. Both women claimed Trump had affairs with them, which he denies.

The other charges Cohen pleaded guilty to involve bank fraud and income tax evasion.

As part of his plea agreement, Cohen agreed not to challenge any sentence from 46 to 63 months.

Cohen’s plea follows months of scrutiny from federal investigations and a falling out with the president, whom he previously said he’d “take a bullet” for.

FBI raids in April sought bank records, communications with Trump’s campaign and information on payments to Daniels and McDougal.

Both women claimed Trump had affairs with them, which he denies.

The deal comes after reports that federal investigators were looking into whether Cohen committed bank and tax fraud worth more than $20 million, according to a media report. The New York Times, citing anonymous sources, said authorities were focusing on loans obtained for taxi businesses owned by Cohen and his family. 

Investigators were also considering whether Cohen had violated campaign finance and other laws when he made financial arrangements to pay women to stay silent about alleged affairs with then-candidate Trump back in 2016.

Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, was paid $130,000 by Cohen. She has since filed a civil lawsuit to be released from a “hush” agreement over her affair.

Daniels’ attorney, Michael Avenatti, said Tuesday’s developments “will permit us to have the stay lifted in the civil case & should also permit us to proceed with an expedited deposition of Trump under oath about what he knew, when he knew it, and what he did about it.”

Avenatti also seemed to taunt Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

“Buckle Up Buttercup,” he wrote. “You and your client completely misplayed this..”

Cohen was also involved in an agreement to pay McDougal to remain quiet about her own affair with Trump. Last month, an audio recording of a conversation reportedly betweenTrump andCohen, about a payment to a former Playboy model was released.

Prosecutors had reportedly considered filing charges against Cohen by the end of August.

Cohen, who long served as Trump’s fixer, has been under investigation for months. In April, federal investigators for the Southern District of New York seized roughly 4 million files from Cohen’s home, business office and hotel room. 

The investigation has strained the once close relationship between Trump and Cohen.

More: Report: Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen investigated for bank and tax fraud of more than $20 million

More: Feds win access to records seized from ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen

More: Michael Cohen tapes: Here’s what we know about the secret recordings

Contributing: Associated Press

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Image: NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Remember when Donald Trump, our sitting president, called Omarosa “that dog” after news broke that she’d recorded with him and others during her time at the White House? It was both racist and sexist — and definitely was not said from a place of love. 

But if you ask Washington Times‘ editor Charlie Hurt, Trump’s “dog” comment was totally fine. During a segment on Fox News on Tuesday, Hurt suggested that Trump meant “dog” as a compliment. 

Fox News commentator Marie Harf first brought up the comment as an example of “offensive things” Trump’s said on Twitter. 

“Young voters are fired up like we haven’t seen them over guns, over immigration — and look, Donald Trump says incredibly offensive things on Twitter,” she said. “Suddenly, we want standards for everybody else but not the president, who calls women dogs and says terrible things about people?” 

That’s when Hurt jumped into suggest that calling someone “dog” was a compliment. Perhaps he was thinking of “my dawg,” the colloquial term of endearment…? 

Thankfully, an anchor shut that shit down. 

“No, no, that’s not a compliment Charlie,” said an anchor — presumably Eric Shawn, per Daily Beast reports. But enough was said to rile people up:

Considering the context of Trump’s original tweet, it obviously wasn’t a compliment. Whether or not Hurt knows the definition of the word “compliment” is the question we should all be asking.

[H/T: The Daily Beast]

Prague, Czech Republic – Fifty years ago Soviet tanks rolled into Czechoslovakia to violently quash the democratic reform movement against communism known as the Prague Spring.

Led by Alexander Dubcek, then-newly elected Communist Party leader, Czechoslovakia in the spring of 1968 initiated a process of liberalising a communist regime that had seized power 20 years earlier.

Offering more press freedom, freedom of movement and economic openness, Dubcek served up what was famously coined “socialism with a human face”.

In Moscow, the reforms were viewed as a threat to the Soviet Union’s iron grip on the eastern bloc of satellite states firmly in their control.

On the night of August 20, 1968, thousands of tanks accompanied by 200,000 Warsaw Pact soldiers from Russia, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany and Poland invaded Czechoslovakia.

By the next morning, scores of Czechoslovakians had been killed and the Soviets had occupied the country.

“The Prague Spring was probably the only genuine attempt of liberalisation of the Soviet-style socialism before Mikhail Gorbachev’s Perestroika,” said Matej Bily, a researcher with the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes in Prague.

“The fact that the reform process began in one of the Soviet satellites, and not in Moscow, is also very important.”

At the same time, the invasion served as a turning point for Slavic attitudes towards Russia that has endured ever since.

“Fifty years later, many Czechs are extremely suspicious about Russia and the anti-Russian moods are widespread,” said Bily.

Today, the Prague Spring stands as one of the defining moments in contemporary Czech history.

Still, while Czechs reflect on what transpired 50 years ago, many are worried their fallen oppressor may be back to haunt them as a resurgent communist political party has found its way back into the political mainstream.

After winning October’s parliamentary elections, populist billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis was forced to seek the approval of the Communist Party in order to establish a government after most other parties refused to back him.

“Fifty years later, many Czechs are extremely suspicious about Russia and the anti-Russian moods are widespread.”

Matej Bily, a researcher with the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes in Prague

The move brought the communists, who remained only in the shadows of national politics since their rule ended, back to power.

“Very important days and anniversaries like this are full of purpose and reminds us how fragile our democracy really is,” said Ivan Bartos, chairman of the upstart Czech Pirate Party.

“Andrej Babis was the one who introduced them back to power. [The communists] requested positions in state-controlled companies in exchange for their support so now you are paying with something that is not yours for political support,” he said.

“We voted against it and now we have to fight every day.”

Making matters worse, the prime minister has been dogged by a long-running dispute with Slovakia over his registration as an agent of the StB, Czechoslovakia’s communist-era police.

Earlier this year, a Slovak court rejected a demand by Babis to be cleared of his alleged cooperation with the organisation.

Jeering protesters

Delivering a speech on Tuesday to commemorate the occasion of the invasion, Babis was greeted by dozens of jeering protesters.

Blowing whistles and holding placards, demonstrators chanted “shame” as the prime minister struggled to deliver his address.

“It is very ironic and in fact it is dangerous as well. He is trying to capture even more powers in next elections pretending that he is not dangerous for democracy,” said Michal Majzner, a political activist.

“But he already has almost everything – huge fortunes, [control of the] media, intelligence, politics powers … and he has no problems to be supported by extremists.”

But Babis was not the only one to draw criticism as Czech President Milos Zeman, an ardent supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, refused to make a speech on what for many Czechs is the most important day in modern Czech history.

The move underscores a growing discord between traditional democratic institutions and illiberal factions looking to move away from progressive Western politics.

“We are lucky that the dissidents who wrote our constitution after 1989 were very wise and established an upper chamber of parliament. The upper chamber can effectively block any changes of constitution towards illiberal democracy,” said Majzner.

“That is our big advantage and we need to use it.”

Still, while many opponents are quick to criticise Babis and his allies for elevating the communists in 2018, other analysts warn it is dangerous to compare the situation with what occurred in 1968 while the Czech Republic today maintains a strong rule of law as well as functional democratic institutions.

“It is visible that the communists are growing their political power and have an agreement with the government, but this is not something that is the same as 1968,” said Lubomir Kopecek, a professor of political sciences at Masaryk University in Brno.

Travis Scott had one of the most explosive, electric, and entertaining performances at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards. The “Sicko Mode” rapper brought his vision of Astroworld to Radio City Music Hall with a rollercoaster car, a giant golden inflatable head, and pyrotechnics. Before the ceremony, Scott briefly discussed how Houston hip-hop influenced the ultimate goal of Astroworld.

“That’s like one of the most major points I wanted to do for the album was just, like, bring that sound to Houston and make it go worldwide,” Scott said. “Everybody from Houston, from Paul Wall to Mike Jones to Lil Flip to Lil Keke to E.S.G. to the whole S.U.C., all these people. Bun B, Pimp C — all these people created a culture and a sound for Houston and made it worldwide. I just want to continue what they started, you know? Make sure people don’t ever forget the name Houston.”

Another significant aspect of Travis Scott’s third studio album is the real-world theme park — Six Flags AstroWorld – that influenced the project’s aesthetic. The park opened on June 1, 1968, and is fondly remembered by generations of Houstonians. Unfortunately, it was closed down on October 30, 2005. In a Houston Chronicle article from that period, Jim Dannhauser, the chief financial officer of Oklahoma City-based Six Flags, succinctly described the reasoning behind the park’s closing: “While attendance has gone down, the value of the land has gone up substantially.”

AstroWorld’s demise didn’t hit Travis until he was older and realized he could no longer go back.

“At first it didn’t really set in stone what they was actually doing to the city until I was older,” he shared. “I was like, ‘Woah, we actually don’t have this place,’ when I wanted to go back when I was like 18 or something. It’s like, wow we don’t have it. That’s when it hit me. “

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury has found Paul Manafort guilty on eight of 18 counts in the financial fraud trial of a man who just two years ago helped President Donald Trump secure the Republican nomination for the White House.

Manafort was found guilty on five counts of submitting false tax returns, one count of failing to report foreign bank and financial accounts, and two counts of bank fraud.

He faces a maximum of 80 years in prison.

U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III declared a mistrial on the other 10 counts. The judge gave prosecutors a week to decide whether they would seek a retrial on those counts.

During the reading of the verdicts, Manafort faced the jury expressionless as some of the jurors looked directly at him. Manafort’s wife, Kathleen Manafort, sat directly behind him in the gallery, grim-faced.

Ellis called Manafort to the podium briefly where he told the former political operative that he would not set an immediate sentencing date.

Ellis then turned to prosecutors and defense attorneys, complimenting them for their efforts. “I think the government and Mr. Manafort received very effective and zealous reputation from both sides,” Ellis said, standing at the bench. “Unfortunately, I can’t make that statement all of the time.”

Before he excused the jurors, Ellis said he would keep their identities under seal after jurors unanimously requested he take the action.

After the jury was dismissed, Ellis talked about the criticism he has received during the trial. He said he had spoken with one of his family members who referred to the “brickbats” that have been hurled in his direction for Ellis’ management of the case. 

Ellis has been ridiculed by some for his open questioning of prosecutors’ tactics during the case.

He then chuckled and said, “In my Rome, I am far less superior than Caesar.”

Kathleen Manafort left the courthouse without commenting, shielded by two of her husband’s attorneys.

The verdict marked a victory for special counsel Robert Mueller, whose case against Manafort represented the first contested prosecution brought from the ongoing investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.

Though the Manafort prosecution is not related to Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s election meddling, the case has been seen as an important initial test for Mueller, whose legitimacy has been repeatedly questioned by Trump and his Republican allies.

Over the course of the trial, prosecutors painted Manafort as a liar in pursuit of a lavish lifestyle that was fueled by millions of dollars in unreported income stashed in foreign bank accounts and fraudulently obtained bank loans.

More than two dozen witnesses were called to testify and nearly 400 government exhibits were submitted by prosecutors during 10 days of testimony. 

In their final appeal to the jury of six men and six women on Wednesday, prosecutors guided panelists through hours of government testimony, highlighting the alleged tax and loan fraud, the foundation of 18 criminal counts lodged against Manafort. 

“Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it,” prosecutor Greg Andres said in the government’s closing argument Wednesday. “And he lied to get more money when he didn’t.”

Manafort’s attorneys, meanwhile, took direct aim at the government’s star witness, Rick Gates, who served as a trusted business partner to Manafort for a decade.

Gates, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy and lying to the FBI as part of a deal to offer evidence against his former associate, acknowledged during hours of testimony that he embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort.

Defense attorneys also told jurors that it was Gates – not Manafort – who had complete access to his to the foreign bank accounts, which took in $60 million from their political consulting work for Viktor Yanukovych, the former president of Ukraine.

Last Tuesday, Manfort declined to testify on his own behalf and his lawyers told a federal judge that they would offer no witnesses for the defense. Manafort attorney Kevin Downing later told reporters that the defense made the move because the government had “not met its burden of proof” in the financial fraud case.

More: Paul Manafort trial: Prosecutors say evidence of crimes is ‘overwhelming,’ ask jury for guilty verdict

More: Paul Manafort trial: Key takeaways as the prosecution prepares to rest

More: Paul Manafort trial: High stakes for Robert Mueller in first test of 14-month inquiry

Early in the case, prosecutors elicited testimony from custom clothiers, construction contractors, landscape designers, a realtor and a luxury car dealer who outlined Manafort’s prodigious spending habits, much of it supported by more than $15 million in unreported income that allegedly moved to the U.S. through offshore accounts in Cyprus, the Grenadines and the United Kingdom.

When they submitted bills to Manafort, the vendors said that cash – routed to them on wire transfers from unfamiliar international entities – ultimately landed in their accounts.

Bills for suits, sport jackets, shirts, an ostrich jacket and other attire amounted to about $1 million.

The trial attracted packed galleries to the federal courthouse each day, including for closing arguments, where a line to get inside wrapped around the block. 

Those crowds and the rows of cameras outside the Albert V. Bryan Courthouse were the result of the looming shadow of both Trump’s connection to Manafort and his harsh criticism of the Russia investigation. 

The fate of the case will no doubt have meaning for Trump, who has long sought to undermine the legitimacy of Mueller’s inquiry.

“This case is incredibly important to the integrity of the special counsel’s investigation going forward,” said Jimmy Gurule, a University of Notre Dame law professor and former federal prosecutor. “The focus of the Manafort trial may not be about Trump or whether the president sought to obstruct Mueller’s Russia investigation, but it speaks to the overall credibility of the Russia investigation.”

The verdict here does not mark the end of Manafort’s legal troubles.

The 69-year-old longtime Republican operative faces a second trial next month in the District of Columbia on related charges of money laundering.

 

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Paul Manafort, US President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, has been found guilty of eight financial crimes in the first trial victory of the special counsel investigation into the president’s associates. 

A judge declared a mistrial on 10 other counts the jury could not agree on. 

The jury returned the decision on Tuesday after deliberating four days on the charges of tax evasion and bank fraud against the former Trump campaign chairman. 

The outcome almost certainly guarantees years of prison for Manafort and established the ability of special counsel Robert Mueller’s team to persuade a jury of average citizens despite months of partisan attacks – including from Trump – on the investigation’s integrity.

The charges against Manafort were among the first resulting from the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. 

Tuesday’s verdict raised immediate questions of whether the president would seek to pardon Manafort, the lone American charged by Mueller to opt for trial instead of cooperate. The president has not revealed his thinking but spoke sympathetically throughout the trial of his onetime aide.

Trump and his campaign were only a small part of Manafort’s trial, as jurors instead heard days of testimony about Manafort’s finances and what prosecutors say was a years-long tax-evasion and fraud scheme.

Manafort decided not to put on any witnesses or testify himself in the trial. His attorneys said he made the decision because he didn’t believe the government had met its burden of proof.

More soon…