Folks focusing on how Gates helps Mueller get Manafort are missing the forest for the trees. Gates was in a lot of meetings, stayed on as liasion to campaign and RNC after Manafort was fired, worked on inaugural committee. He knows a lot about a lot.
Based on the indictment, it doesn't look like Mueller needs a lot more to get Manafort.
Gates was not a decision-maker or figure in the final two months of the campaign. But he was around and had proximity to key people. Bannon chose to keep him on to avoid more negative stories and they were starved for staff. Others on campaign disagreed w decision
