You have the intelligence of a turnip. Do you EVER

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Among the Americans charged so far by Mr. Mueller’s prosecutors, Mr. Manafort not only held the highest position in Mr. Trump’s campaign, but he also arguably has the deepest connections to Russia-aligned politicians and political forces .

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Manafort’s Trial Isn’t About Russia, but It Will Be in the Air

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/30/us/politic...trial.html

WASHINGTON — When they present their evidence in the financial fraud trial of Paul Manafort beginning this week, federal prosecutors have promised the judge, no government witness will even utter the word Russia.

Russia inevitably looms over the entire proceeding anyway.

Mr. Manafort, who was chairman of President Trump’s campaign, faces 18 charges of bank and tax fraud, largely stemming from his work as a political consultant in Ukraine and predating the campaign. The trial, scheduled to get underway on Tuesday morning with jury selection in federal court in Alexandria, Va., will not be about collusion or Russian disinformation, even if a stray reference to the country inevitably creeps in.

But the subtext — whether Mr. Manafort knew about Russian efforts to influence the election, and whether the threat of conviction could lead him to cooperate with the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III — weighs not just on the prosecution and defense, but on the White House as well.

Among the Americans charged so far by Mr. Mueller’s prosecutors, Mr. Manafort not only held the highest position in Mr. Trump’s campaign, but he also arguably has the deepest connections to Russia-aligned politicians and political forces.

Mr. Manafort has given no indication that he wants to help the government or has information that would do so; his friends say he believes he is innocent and will be acquitted.

But if he does know something of interest to Mr. Mueller and chooses to enter a plea agreement, his cooperation could help prosecutors put together a clearer picture of how Russian actors intervened in the presidential election and how the Trump campaign, wittingly or unwittingly, interacted with them.

A number of events and relationships that have come up in Mr. Mueller’s inquiry touch on Mr. Manafort’s association with the Trump campaign and help explain why he is still seen as a potentially pivotal figure in the Russia inquiry even if his trial is limited to charges unrelated to the president.

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Look up the meaning of 'Pro-Russian too. LMAO!