SUBPOENAS BY Mueller’s team to banks seek Manafort’s transactions.
Transaction records sought for D. C. grand jury, sources say
NEW YORK — The U. S. special counsel’s team of investigators looking into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election has sent subpoenas from a Washington grand jury to global banks for account information and records of transactions involving Paul Manafort, the president’s campaign chairman, according to people familiar with the matter.
The subpoenas, sent in recent weeks, also seek such information as it pertains to some of Manafort’s companies and a longtime business partner, Rick Gates, the people said. Additionally, special counsel Robert Mueller has reached out to other business associates, including Manafort’s son- in- law and a Ukrainian oligarch, according to one of the people.
Manafort’s spokesman had earlier confirmed that FBI agents raided the political consultant’s home in Virginia two weeks ago to secure documents related to the investigation. That raid was initially reported Wednesday by The Washington Post.
Trump on Thursday shared his reaction to the raid, saying he “thought it was a very, very strong signal, or whatever” by prosecutors and that he was surprised they took such a step because it is something they “very seldom” do.
Investigators serving the search warrant sought tax documents and foreign banking records from Manafort, who is also the subject of scrutiny over his attendance at a meeting between campaign officials and Russians and whether his work for the Ukrainian government violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Obtaining and executing a search warrant is considered an aggressive step for authorities, who are required to demonstrate they have probable cause to believe they will find evidence of a crime.
Trump, speaking to reporters at his golf course in Bedminster, N. J., said he had not spoken to Manafort “for a long time” but that he has “always found Paul Manafort to be a very decent man.”
“He’s like a lot of other people,” Trump said. “Probably makes consultant fees from all over the place, who knows, I don’t know, but I thought it was pretty tough stuff to wake him up, perhaps his family was there. I think that’s pretty tough stuff.”
Manafort, whose lawyer had been Reginald Brown of the law firm WilmerHale, announced separately Thursday that he was returning to previous representation, the Miller & Chevalier law firm, a spokesman for Manafort said in a statement.
Trump also insisted Thursday that he has not considered firing Mueller. He made the statements in a wide- ranging briefing with reporters at his golf club in Bedminster, N. J.
“I haven’t given it any thought,” Trump said. “Well, I’ve been reading about it from you people. You say, ‘ Oh, I’m going to dismiss him.’ No, I’m not dismissing anybody. I mean, I want them to get on with the task.”
“We’re working with him,” he added.
But the statements on Mueller stood in contrast to what Trump has privately told at least one person close to him in recent months. In June, one of Trump’s longtime friends, Christopher Ruddy, said in a television interview that Trump was considering firing Mueller.
Also Thursday, Trump brushed off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to expel hundreds of U. S. diplomatic employees from Russia, instead thanking Putin and insisting it would save the U. S. significant cash.
Putin said last month that the U. S. would have to cut 755 of its embassy and consular staff in Russia — a response to President Barack Obama’s order to expel 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two Russian recreational retreats in the U. S.
Obama took action after allegations of Russian meddling in the election.
Trump, speaking to reporters, dismissed Putin’s move, saying he “greatly” appreciated Putin’s help cutting down the payroll at the U. S. State Department.
“I want to thank him because we’re trying to cut down on payroll,” Trump said, adding, “As far as I am concerned, I’m very thankful that he let go of a large number of people because now we have a smaller payroll. There’s no real reason for them to go back. So, I greatly appreciate the fact that they’ve been able to cut our payroll for the United States. We’ll save a lot of money.”
It was unclear whether the president was joking. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the president’s remarks.
Information for this article was contributed by Christian Berthelsen and Greg Farrell of Bloomberg News; by Michael S. Schmidt of
The New York Times; and by Josh Lederman, Jonathan Lemire and Jill Colvin of The Associated Press.
Trump, speaking to reporters at his golf course in Bedminster, N. J., said he had not spoken to Manafort “for a long time” but that he has “always found Paul Manafort to be a very decent man.”