At least one member of the Senate Judiciary Committee believes that two high-ranking members of President Donald Trump’s administration and 2016 campaign will face criminal charges as a result of the ongoing Russia probe. The Senate Judiciary Committee is one of several groups investigating Russian interference in the election.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told Politico that he thinks former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort will be charged as part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s sprawling Russia investigation.
“I’m about 99 percent sure there will be some criminal charges from this investigation,” Blumenthal told Politico. Blumenthal called Manafort and Flynn the “most prominent” parties involved in the investigation.
As for Trump facing charges as part of the investigation–including whether or not he obstructed justice by firing former FBI Director James Comey–Blumenthal was less sure. Blumenthal said he expected charges for Flynn and Manafort, but added “there may be others.”
Manafort has been at the center of the investigation since its inception earlier this year. Last week, CNN reported that the former campaign chairman was wiretapped before and after the election.
The CNN’s report led many right-wing websites and Trump supporters to falsely claim that Trump was “vindicated” for his unsubstantiated claims that former President Barack Obama had Trump’s “wires tapped.”
In August the FBI raided Manafort’s home and seized documents and materials. At the time, it was reported that Mueller may be attempting to build a separate legal case against Manafort in an attempt to have him provide information against Trump and other campaign staffers in exchange for lessening his “legal exposure.”
During the raid, Manafort was reportedly told to expect an indictment.
Meanwhile, Flynn was the subject of controversy early in Trump’s administration after he was let go amid indications that he could be subject to Russian blackmail.
In May, former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates testified before Congress that she informed the White House that Flynn had lied to Vice President Mike Pence about discussing U.S. sanctions on Russia with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.
“To state the obvious, you don’t want your national security adviser compromised with the Russians,” Yates testified.
Flynn also worked as a foreign policy adviser on Trump’s campaign.
You can read all of Politico’s report here.
