Manafort attorney calls Russia collusion allegations ridiculous

Paul Manafort’s attorney downplayed charges filed against President Trump’s former campaign chairman Monday, calling claims that Manafort illegally concealed millions from the United States government “ridiculous.”

Manafort was charged earlier in the day in a 12-count indictment stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller’s ongoing probe into possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

{mosads}“There is no evidence that Mr. Manafort or the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government,” attorney Kevin Downing told reporters after Manafort’s court appearance. “Mr. Manafort represented pro-European Union campaigns for the Ukrainians. And in that, he was seeking to further democracy, and to help the Ukraine come closer to the United States and the EU.”

Downing is a former top prosecutor in the Justice Department, and while there led the U.S. effort going after Swiss and other foreign banks for helping Americans dodge taxes. 

“The claim that maintaining offshore accounts to bring all your funds into the United States is a scheme to conceal from the United States government is ridiculous,” he continued.

Downing called Mueller’s prosecution of Manafort using the Foreign Agents Registration Act “a very novel theory,” arguing the U.S. government has only used the offense six times since 1966.

Manafort retained Downing in August.  

Manafort and Richard Gates, a former associate of Manafort’s, both pleaded not guilty Monday to the charges, which are related to work done by both men on behalf of a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine.

Mueller alleges they were paid tens of millions of dollars for the work, and then laundered the money to hide “Ukraine payments” from the United States government. 

The White House on Monday downplayed the indictment, saying the charges had nothing to do with the president or his campaign.