Thread by @rgoodlaw

I just published: “Paul Manafort = Evidence of Collusion”

Bottom line up front: Nine significant pieces of info in public record point to conspiracy with Russians and violations of federal campaign finance law...

<THREAD>
justsecurity.org/57863/paul-man…

1. Manafort proposes to Putin-linked, Russian oligarch a plan to “greatly benefit Putin,” and they get to work (2005-)

Original Scoop for this story is @AssociatedPress story by @JeffHorwitz @ChadSDay:

apnews.com/122ae0b5848345…

2. Manafort joins Trump Campaign and stays in frequent contact with a Kiev-based operative who has active ties to Russian military intelligence (March 2016-)

(WaPo got their emails @thamburger @PostRoz @CarolLeonnig @adamentous)
washingtonpost.com/politics/manaf…

3. Manafort remains an unregistered foreign agent of Kremlin-linked Ukraine political forces

To understand how deeply Manafort’s Ukrainian principals are connected with, and infiltrated by, Kremlin intelligence, read @violagienger:
justsecurity.org/57770/whats-uk…

4. Trump Campaign is told Russia has damaging info against Clinton in form of “thousands of emails,” and Manafort and Campaign then continue to set up meeting with Campaign reps and senior Russian officials (April 2016 -)

Note references to Manafort in Papadopoulos guilty plea

5. Manafort and two senior Campaign officials meet with Russian gov't emissaries offering damaging info on Clinton (June 2016)

Two members of the Russian delegation are now thought to be Russian spies.

One of the Russians at the June 9 meeting “apparently has ties to Russian intelligence” and “allegedly specializes in ‘active measures campaigns’” such as subversive political operations involving disinformation and propaganda.

Who said that?

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley:

Guess who else says two Russians at the June 9 Trump Tower meeting with Manafort were likely Russian spies:

In testimony before House Intel Committee, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher “acknowledged that [Akhmetshin and Veselnitskaya] were probably spies” based on his own knowledge of them.

But did Manafort know what the meeting would be about?

According to the House Intelligence Committee’s MAJORITY report, Manafort, Trump Jr., Kushner attended the meeting “where they expected to receive…derogatory information on candidate Clinton from Russian sources.”

6. Manafort offers “private briefings” on the campaign to Putin-linked Russian oligarch (July 2016)

7. Manafort oversees Campaign when it intervenes to defeat a call for Republican Party platform to include a provision for arming Ukraine to defend itself against Russian incursions

Important admissions reported by @NatashaBertrand:
businessinsider.com/jd-gordon-trum…

On @MeetThePress, Manafort adamantly and categorically denies that the Trump Campaign played any role in the platform discussions.

The same day on @ThisWeekABC, candidate Trump essentially admits his Campaign “softened” the platform language on Ukraine.

This is one of the biggest bombshells of all:

8. Russian operatives reportedly discuss (a) Russia’s efforts to coordinate with Manafort on the election and (b) Manafort’s encouraging help from the Kremlin

(CNN's @evanperez @PamelaBrownCNN @ShimonPro
cnn.com/2017/08/03/pol…

US intercepts of Russians in #8 are consistent with #SteeleDossier:

Steele Dossier: the "well-developed conspiracy of co-operation between [Trump campaign] and the Russian leadership…was managed on the TRUMP side by the Republican candidate’s campaign manager, Paul MANAFORT.”

9. Manafort officially resigns from the campaign, BUT reportedly continues to be involved up through the transition (August 2016-).

(reporting by @politicoalex @EliStokols @ShaneGoldmacher @kenvogel)
politico.com/magazine/story…

In sum, the public record on Manafort, on its own, is fairly damning on the question of alleged collusion with Russia.

Now just think of what Mueller knows.

Anyone who says there is no evidence of collusion is misleading you.

<end>

P.S.

Suspected Russian spy (Akhmetshin) at Trump Tower told reporters "he was a longtime acquaintance” of Manafort!

He then told Senate: he'd never met Manafort before in his life.

Another testified: "Akhmetshin approached Mr Manafort and suggested that they’ve met previously"