Thread by @SykesCharlie

Important: @benjaminwittes notes Mueller’s report suggests strongly that Trump did, in fact, successfully obstruct the investigation by dangling pardons to potential witness, most notably former campaign chairman Paul Manafort
thebulwark.com/did-trumps-att…

“Trump got what he wanted in this case. Manafort did not end up cooperating to Mueller’s satisfaction.” Manafort ultimately breached his plea deal after prosecutors concluded that he had failed to cooperate and was lying to them.

So the reality here may well be that the president’s obstructive conduct actually did, in fact, obstruct the investigation.,” writes Wittes.

Wittes notes that if Trump had offered Manafort a pardon in return for cash, “there would be no question he had committed bribery. The allegation here is very similar; that he publicly hinted that he would grant a pardon in exchange for something he wanted Manafort’s silence.”