What Mueller’s Manafort Case Means for the Trump Battle to Come
The special prosecutor can’t bring up the president, Russia, or collusion. Even so, the political implications are huge.
After more than a year of intense scrutiny and political intrigue, the first trial stemming from the Russia investigation began with a bang on July 31 in a federal courtroom in Alexandria, Va. But rather than focus on Russian election meddling or questions of potential collusion with the Trump campaign, the opening shots of the trial included details of the lavish lifestyle led by defendant and former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, as well as venom directed at his former business partner Rick Gates, who pleaded guilty to tax fraud in February and is expected to be the government’s star witness.
The trial is the first chance to see special counsel Robert Mueller’s team of prosecutors in action and will be a test of their courtroom skills. And for Mueller, there’s more on the line than just winning a conviction. “What’s significant about this trial is what it represents beyond the legal result,” says Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor. “It’s the new phase of the Mueller investigation, it’s the first trial for the man who’s being vilified by the president, and Mueller represents an existential threat for the president.”