Only in America: Trump tweets “collusion is not a crime” – as former campaign manager faces tax evasion and bank fraud charges
Paul Manafort is being tried on 18 charges over $US60 million ($AU81 million) he allegedly earned working for a pro-Russia politician in Ukraine and hid across more than 30 foreign bank accounts. If convicted, he could face up to 300 years in prison.
The trial is the first to result from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible links between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia, and a conviction would give added momentum to Mueller who has already indicted or secured guilty pleas from 32 people and three companies.
Little surprise than that the US President is now pushing a new legal defence.
“There is No Collusion! The Robert Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt, headed now by 17 (increased from 13, including an Obama White House lawyer) Angry Democrats, was started by a fraudulent Dossier, paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC. Therefore, the Witch Hunt is an illegal Scam!” he tweeted.
Others had a different opinion.
[Collusion is a crime, it’s called conspiracy. And it’s already been established by your son, who admitted to secretly conspiring with Russian government representatives for election help. On that count alone, you should be removed from office.]
Yes, Mr Trump – collusion is not a crime. But ‘conspiracy to defraud the United States’ is.
https://www.justice.gov/usam/criminal-resource-manual-923-18-usc-371-conspiracy-defraud-us