Mueller authorized by DOJ to investigate alleged Manafort collusion with Russian government

Source: CNN | April 3, 2018 | Katelyn Polantz

(CNN) – Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told special counsel Robert Mueller in a classified August 2, 2017, memo that he should investigate allegations that President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was “colluding with Russian government officials” to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, prosecutors in the Russia probe revealed late Monday night.

Mueller was also empowered by Rosenstein to investigate Manafort’s payments from Ukrainian politicians, a cornerstone of the Trump adviser’s decades-long lobbying career that has resulted in several financial criminal charges so far.

The revelation of the August 2 memo comes amid a broader court filing from Mueller’s prosecutors that offers a full-throated defense of their investigative powers and indictments thus far. In the filing, the special counsel’s office argues that a federal judge should not throw out Manafort’s case. Manafort has sought to have the case dismissed, arguing that the charges against him are outside of Mueller’s authority.

The filing Monday night crystallizes the extent to which Rosenstein, who has come under fire by President Donald Trump and others, has backed the investigation’s actions. (Rosenstein oversees Mueller’s investigation following Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recusal.)

The memo, attached to Monday night’s court argument and not previously disclosed even to Manafort, describes how Rosenstein’s public order that appointed Mueller in May left out some details so it didn’t confirm “specific investigations involving specific individuals.”

Most of the investigations and individuals that Rosenstein named in that memo are now redacted — amounting to almost a full page of withheld information.

But one section isn’t redacted: The investigation Mueller could pursue against Manafort, with the Department of Justice’s backing.

The special counsel’s office was able to investigate two avenues of alleged crimes Manafort committed — working with Russians to influence the election in violation of US law, and for crimes that arose from payments Manafort received from former Ukrainian politicians.

The Ukrainian connections and payments form the basis of the federal criminal charges Manafort currently faces.

The investigation into Manafort’s alleged collusion with Russians has not resulted in publicly known charges.

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