NEW: There's one name stalking the impeachment proceedings, underpinning everything Trump and Giuliani tried to do in Ukraine: Paul Manafort. newrepublic.com/article/155738…
At this point, it's clear the efforts in Ukraine weren't to just smear Biden—but to absolve Manafort of his crimes, potentially laying the groundwork for a pardon down the line. newrepublic.com/article/155738… 
Manafort's name keeps popping up time and again whenever new details of Giuliani's efforts in Ukraine spill out.
And it's already had an effect: Giuliani's smears keep costing leading anti-corruption voices in Ukraine their jobs, including those who unearthed Manafort's crimes.
And it's already had an effect: Giuliani's smears keep costing leading anti-corruption voices in Ukraine their jobs, including those who unearthed Manafort's crimes.
And there's this: Giuliani bringing up Manafort to me via text (even though we weren't talking about him), grammatical challenges and all. newrepublic.com/article/155738…
We actually caught a glimpse of the Manafort connect yesterday, when GOP counsel asked Taylor about the provenance of the “black ledger.”
Don’t be surprised if that keeps popping up—and keep in mind what it’s pointing to.
Don’t be surprised if that keeps popping up—and keep in mind what it’s pointing to.
This @IgnatiusPost piece gets to the heart of the new questions about why Ukraine squelched investigations surrounding Manafort's previous work in Ukraine: washingtonpost.com/opinions/did-t…
'Nunes echoed the idea that Ukraine meddled in the election in his questioning, calling the “black ledger” that revealed cash payments to Manafort “disputed” in a nod to unsubstantiated allegations that the ledger was a fabrication.' thedailybeast.com/devin-nunes-pu…
Just got props from my dad for this piece calling Manafort both a “well-coiffed, silver-tongued devil” and “greasy run-off.” cc @dceiver
@IgnatiusPost One other add: Manafort does have a previous business relationship with... Dmitro Firtash: nbcnews.com/politics/congr… (Another partner in the failed Manafort-Firtash project: Fred Trump's former exclusive broker.)
ICYMI
This line of questioning from Castor—that Trump apparently thought the publishing of the "black ledger" meant "there are elements of the Ukrainian establishment that are advocating against him"—gives away the game on the Manafort connection.
And when Castor says that "some have questioned" whether the "black ledger" information was doctored, he's referring to conspiracy theorists, crooked figures, and Manafort himself.
This is conspiracy, designed to absolve Manafort, and unwind Mueller's findings.
This is conspiracy, designed to absolve Manafort, and unwind Mueller's findings.
Yovanovitch handled this well: the "black ledger" was factual journalism, unearthing all kind of malfeasance relating to Manafort, and not some grand conspiracy to target the Trump campaign. Just abysmal to watch the GOP counsel push this line of questioning.
(That emphasis on the "black ledger" and the Manafort connection also points to the thread linking the Russia investigation and the Ukraine impeachment saga—two sides of the same coin.)
