MANAFORT STEPS DOWN

But it's only temporary

Paul Manafort, Trump’s 2016 campaign manager who received a seven-and-a-half year sentence for financial crimes, but, after being imprisoned for a couple of years, was pardoned by Trump before leaving office. Manafort has just now stepped down from advising the Republican National Committee for its upcoming 2024 convention, saying his continuance would be a distraction. Of course, with Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar and others to contend with, the RNC already has plenty of distractions to engage with.

Still. It’s interesting that Paul Manafort was even involved with the RNC at all. Didn’t the Committee already regard him as toxic due to his past history as a felon? Manafort was charged and found guilty of five tax fraud charges, one charge of hiding foreign bank accounts and two counts of bank fraud. He faced a maximum of 80 years in prison but was only sentenced to seven-and-a – half years. The charges arose from Manafort's consulting work for a pro-Russian government in Ukraine. Trump pardoned Manafort just before leaving office after Manafort had served only two years in prison after a nefarious career serving dictators of various stripes. His U.S. patriotism (that Trump claims he values so highly) didn’t matter a bit. But back into the Trump fold he managed to get – until his presence proved embarrassing and he has taken a temporary leave – pending his appointment (if Trump wins) as Secretary of Homeland Security (or maybe State).