In new sanctions on Russia, Treasury bars U.S. banks from lending to key Russian gov institutions. That's a response to actions Russia took while facing (narrower) sanctions. Seems certain US will need better diplomacy too to change Kremlin's behavior. home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…
In designating Konstantin Kilimnik, to whom Paul Manafort gave polling data in 2016, Treasury says that "Kilimnik provided the Russian Intelligence Services with sensitive information on polling and campaign strategy" during that campaign. talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/new-…
While receiving polling data, which OFAC says he gave to Russian intelligence, Kilimnik sought something in return: Trump's support for creating a semi-autonomous pro-Russian Eastern Ukraine. Manafort entertained that idea. motherjones.com/politics/2019/…
Manafort and Kilimnik sniffed around a deal would have been exactly the kind of coordination Trump backers claim Mueller ruled out. He didn't. How far this deal went is one of the questions Mueller never answered, partly because Manafort, with Trump dangling a pardon, lied.
Andrew Weissmann, the Mueller aide who oversaw the Manafort prosecution, called Trump’s possible backing of the Ukraine plan Kilimnik presented “a ‘quo’ for all the elaborate ‘quid’” that Russia had provided Trump in 2016. motherjones.com/politics/2020/…
Manafort told Mueller prosecutors that he rejected Kilmnik's Ukraine proposal outright. But they found that was a lie. Manafort continued to talk to Kilmnik about the plan, even after the election. So what was he hiding?
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