FBI agents raided the Alexandria home of President Trump’s former campaign chairman late last month, using a search warrant to seize documents and other materials, according to people familiar with the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
Federal agents appeared at Paul Manafort’s home without advance warning in the predawn hours of July 26, the day after he met voluntarily with the staff for the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The search warrant was wide-ranging and FBI agents working with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III departed the home with various records. [snip]
Manafort has been voluntarily producing documents to congressional committees investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. The search warrant indicates investigators may have argued to a federal judge they had reason to believe Manafort could not be trusted to turn over all records in response to a grand jury subpoena.The FBI's "reason to believe" Manafort was withholding records likely speaks to the fact that they have other sources who have evidence Manafort is not cooperating fully. The fact that the raid happened two weeks ago speaks to the tight ship being run by Special Counsel Mueller (our bet is that this news was leaked by someone on Manafort's team).
Mueller's investigation has Trumpworld rattled to its core, to the extent Trump mouthpiece John Dowd is telling anyone who'll listen that Trump has told Mueller he "appreciates" what Mueller is doing (after months of disparagement, of course). If you believe that's Trump's honest opinion, we have some real estate in the Everglades we'd like to talk to you about. More likely it's to soften the very real appearance of obstruction of Mueller's investigation (too late!).
In any event, the investigation continues to grow and deepen.
UPDATE: Looks like Trump associates in the tabloid media are smearing Manafort. Coincidence? Opinions vary.
UPDATE II: Like we said,
Yes, use of a search warrant is significant. Also, this happened last month - Mueller team is quiet, professional, methodical & thorough. https://t.co/PwiN1ScAya— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) August 9, 2017
