FBI agents searched former Trump campaign chair's home

<p>A spokesman for President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, says that FBI agents served a search warrant at one of his homes.</p>

News 12 Staff

Aug 9, 2017, 3:17 PM

Updated 2,458 days ago

Share:

By CHAD DAY and ERIC TUCKER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - FBI agents have searched one of the homes of President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, whose past foreign political work has been swept into the investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election. A Manafort spokesman confirmed the search Wednesday.
Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni said in a statement that FBI agents had obtained a warrant and searched one of Manafort's homes, but he would not say when the search occurred. The Washington Post, which first reported the raid, said agents working with Special Counsel Robert Mueller conducted the search the morning of July 26 at Manafort's home in Alexandria, Va.
"Mr. Manafort has consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," Maloni said.
Manafort has been a subject of a longstanding FBI investigation into his dealings in Ukraine and work for the country's former president, Viktor Yanukovych. That investigation has been incorporated into the probe led by Mueller, who is also scrutinizing Manafort's role in the Trump campaign as he looks into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and any possible collusion with Trump associates.
Manafort, who led the Trump campaign for several months, has denied any wrongdoing. He also spoke behind closed doors to Senate investigators for an interview just one day before the search of his home.
The use of a search warrant shows law enforcement officials have convinced a judge there is probable cause to believe a crime may have been committed.
Word of the raid is the latest revelation about Mueller's investigation, which had been operating in relative secrecy compared with numerous congressional probes looking at the election. In recent days, it's become clear the former FBI director is using a grand jury in Washington in addition to one in the Eastern District of Virginia, where investigators also have been looking into former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Also, FBI agents have been asking witnesses since the spring about $530,000 worth of lobbying and investigative work carried out by Flynn's firm, Flynn Intel Group, according to a person familiar with the investigation. That work sought the extradition of an exiled Turkish cleric living in the U.S. Through his attorney, Flynn has declined to comment on the investigation.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive details of the investigation, said FBI agents have also been asking about Flynn's business partner, Bijan Kian, who served on the Trump presidential transition . Kian has not responded to multiple attempts to contact him over several months.
In recent months, Flynn and Manafort have turned over documents to congressional committees investigating the election interference.
One focus of the multiple probes is a June 2016 meeting Manafort attended with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump Jr. That meeting, held at Trump Tower in New York, was described to Trump Jr. in emails as part of a Russian government effort to help the Trump campaign by passing along information that could be used against Democrat Hillary Clinton.
During his Senate intelligence committee interview , Manafort provided his recollection of the Trump Tower meeting and turned over contemporaneous notes he took during the gathering. The interview was confined to that meeting.
Manafort has also turned over other documents to the Senate intelligence committee as well as about 400 pages of records to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Meanwhile, the Judiciary Committee said Wednesday it has also received about 250 pages of documents from Trump Jr. and about 20,000 pages from the Trump campaign.
The content of the documents was not immediately clear. The committee said it received the Manafort and Trump campaign documents on Aug. 2 and the records from Trump Jr. on Aug. 4.
Judiciary committee leaders have also been in talks with Trump Jr. and Manafort about private interviews. The committee initially called for them to testify publicly, but lawmakers have since said they were negotiating the terms of their appearances.
___
Follow Chad Day and Eric Tucker on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChadSDay and https://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


More from News 12
2:17
Some Rutgers students concerned over student protests, uncertain how they’re going to finish school year

Some Rutgers students concerned over student protests, uncertain how they’re going to finish school year

2:09
Summer feeling today in New Jersey with temps in the 80s; cooler weather arrives Friday

Summer feeling today in New Jersey with temps in the 80s; cooler weather arrives Friday

0:46
Car crashes into Hasbrouck Heights apartment building; residents evacuate

Car crashes into Hasbrouck Heights apartment building; residents evacuate

1:47
News 12 beats the heat today at Long Branch beach

News 12 beats the heat today at Long Branch beach

Biden says 'order must prevail' during campus protests over Gaza

Biden says 'order must prevail' during campus protests over Gaza

2:13
Police: Explosion, fire at Old Bridge business kills 73-year-old woman, severely injures 4 others

Police: Explosion, fire at Old Bridge business kills 73-year-old woman, severely injures 4 others

0:47
Learn to make candles at Urban Glo in Union

Learn to make candles at Urban Glo in Union

3:19
Fire officials: Large tractor-trailer fire closes I-95 between exits 15 and 14

Fire officials: Large tractor-trailer fire closes I-95 between exits 15 and 14

0:35
Prosecutors: NJ couple pleads guilty to starting illegal marijuana service and employing their son

Prosecutors: NJ couple pleads guilty to starting illegal marijuana service and employing their son

0:24
Should former inmates be allowed to serve on juries in New Jersey? Gov. Murphy says yes

Should former inmates be allowed to serve on juries in New Jersey? Gov. Murphy says yes

0:29
Unruly passenger ordered to pay over $20,000 for interfering with flight from London to Newark

Unruly passenger ordered to pay over $20,000 for interfering with flight from London to Newark

0:20
Authorities: 2 women, 1 man stabbed in altercation at Newark McDonald's

Authorities: 2 women, 1 man stabbed in altercation at Newark McDonald's

0:19
FBI offering $5,000 reward for info on Paterson bank robbery suspect

FBI offering $5,000 reward for info on Paterson bank robbery suspect

0:24
Cape May County lifeguards file lawsuit against Avalon to get pension

Cape May County lifeguards file lawsuit against Avalon to get pension

2:06
Nutley school uses virtual reality to help children with neurodiversity succeed in the real world

Nutley school uses virtual reality to help children with neurodiversity succeed in the real world

2:22
Do you constantly reuse the same username and password? 6 steps to help safeguard your online accounts

Do you constantly reuse the same username and password? 6 steps to help safeguard your online accounts

1:39
Teacher testifies on second day of trial of father accused of fatally abusing son

Teacher testifies on second day of trial of father accused of fatally abusing son

0:30
Police: Boys bring loaded gun to indoor trampoline park, firearm accidentally discharged

Police: Boys bring loaded gun to indoor trampoline park, firearm accidentally discharged

0:43
Jersey Proud: Girl Scouts deliver cookies to 2 NJ veterans hospitals

Jersey Proud: Girl Scouts deliver cookies to 2 NJ veterans hospitals

2:21
Lacey Township officials address residents’ concerns about water quality issues

Lacey Township officials address residents’ concerns about water quality issues