& I'm not too ashamed to admit it, because the majority of Americans are probably going through the same thing.
Every time a pundit from a news TV shows starts to talk about #TrumpRussia, I try to keep up but sometimes I can't help but tune it all out.
Nevertheless, it is an interesting topic.
I especially like Rachel Maddow's delivery of any news related to #TrumpRussia, because it makes it seem like we (as an audience) are always on the brink of witnessing the whole scheme unraveling. However, nothing seems to change day-to-day. Most likely, because Mueller's operation is sealed, & therefore no pertinent info is ever leaked for reporters to find out what's really going on.
But one name I keep hearing about in the news recently, is former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
One day; the news is about the FBI raiding Manafort's house:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/details-paul-manafort-alexandria-raid-charged-financial-tax-crimes
"Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his wife were asleep in their Alexandria, Virginia apartment early on the morning of July 26 when a team of armed FBI agents burst through the door with a search warrant focusing on possible crimes committed as far back as 2006."
Another day; the news is about the Justice department looking into Manafort's work with the Russia-aligned president of Ukraine:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/21/us/politics/law-firm-faces-questions-for-ukraine-work-with-manafort.html
"The Justice Department, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation, recently asked the firm, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, for information and documents related to its work on behalf of Mr. Yanukovych’s government, which crumbled after he fled to Russia under pressure.
The request comes at a time when Mr. Manafort, his work for Mr. Yanukovych’s party and for Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs as well as thehandling of payments for that work have become focal points in the investigation of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, and connections between Russia, Mr. Trump and his associates."
On another day; there are reports the FBI was wiretapping Manafort:http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fbi-was-wiretapping-ex-trump-campaign-chairman-manafort-as-late-as-this-year-report-2017-09-18
"Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was secretly wiretapped by the FBI before and after the presidential election, CNN reported late Monday. The report said the surveillance continued until early this year, a time period when Manafort and President Donald Trump were still communicating, though it was not immediately clear if his conversations with Trump had been captured. CNN said special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative team has been given details of Manafort's intercepted communications. While sources told CNN the evidence may not be not conclusive, FBI investigators were reportedly concerned that Manafort was encouraging Russian meddling in the election."
Today, Republicans are blaming the FBI for Trump's dealings with Manafort:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/21/politics/chuck-grassley-fbi-letter/index.html
"Sen. Chuck Grassley is asking the FBI if it warned Donald Trump that Paul Manafort, whom he brought in as campaign chairman in 2016, was being watched by the agency because of his dealings with pro-Kremlin figures. And if there was no such FBI warning, Grassley says he wants to know why.
The chairman of the Senate judiciary committee made the request in a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday.
The FBI declined to comment.
"I write to inquire about whether the FBI ever provided the Trump campaign with a defensive briefing or other warning regarding attempts to infiltrate the campaign by people connected with, or compromised by, Russian intelligence," Grassley wrote."
What's going on with Manafort in relation to the #TrumpRussia investigation? Nobody knows for sure except for Mueller's team. But "the Atlantic" does have an informative article about why Mueller may be targeting Manafort so aggressively compared to others in the "sprawling Russia investigation":
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/09/five-questions-about-the-manafort-investigation/540270/
"Compared to other members of the Trump inner circle, Mueller had a head-start on investigating Manafort. The special counsel’s team inherited a federal investigation into his foreign business dealings that dated back to 2014. Until then, Manafort worked as a lobbyist and consultant for pro-Kremlin political parties in Ukraine, including the party of then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, a close ally of Moscow. Mueller’s primary responsibility is to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, but he hasbroad latitude to pursue “any matters” he discovers during the course of his inquiry.
Taking over the long-running investigation could give Mueller leverage over Manafort in the overall Russia investigation."
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