LEGAL/PAUL MANAFORT/ROBERT MUELLER/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Jurors are set to begin deliberating Thursday [8-16-28] morning whether to convict President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort of bank fraud and tax evasion. The high-stakes prosecution of Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller’s team reached its conclusion with Wednesday’s closing arguments — with prosecutors accusing Manafort of ‘lies’ and defense lawyers questioning the credibility of key witnesses…The case played out while Trump and the political world watched. Personal revelations about Manafort — such as his ownership of a $15,000 ostrich jacket — provided sparks over the course of the 12-day trial. As the trial reached its end — with Manafort’s defense team deciding not to call any witnesses and arguing that prosecutors hadn’t met their burden of proof — Trump and his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, watched, continuing to question the credibility of the special counsel’s investigation from afar. A win for Mueller’s team would send shock waves through Trump’s orbit of aides, friends and outside advisers and would heighten anticipation for Mueller’s next moves. A loss would increase the chorus of calls for Mueller’s investigation to end. Manafort’s defense attorneys suggested Wednesday [8-15-18] that the entire prosecution was politically motivated.”
–Katelyn Polantz, Eric Bradner, Marshall Cohen, Liz Stark and Kara Scannell, “Jury set to begin deliberations in Paul Manafort trial,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, August 15, 2018 8:01 pm