Paul Manafort, Trump campaign chief was wiretapped by FBI
In a shocking revelation, US media reported that the FBI wiretapped former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort to probe into his potential Russia connections. The wiretapping, authorized through a court order, was carried out both before and after the 2016 elections. While the conversations may pave way for Manafort's indictment, it is not clear whether there is any incriminating evidence against President Donald Trump.
FBI raids ex-Trump campaign chief's house over Russia probe
On August 10, FBI confirmed that they had raided Manafort's residence as part of the Russia investigation. FBI agents reportedly seized "documents and other materials" from his residential premises. Manafort had quit the Trump campaign after questions were raised over his foreign ties. The FBI was acting on a search warrant from independent special prosecutor Robert Mueller, who is leading the investigation.
Multiple agencies investigating the Trump campaign's ties with Russia
US intelligence agencies believe that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election to help Trump win. The Justice Department, FBI and other congressional committees are now investigating these Russia connections. In a testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, former FBI director James Comey accused Trump of firing him to undermine the Russia investigation. Trump and Manafort have repeatedly denied the campaign's links to Russia.
Why did the FBI wiretap Manafort?
The court warrant to wiretap Manafort was made under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). According to CNN, the FISA warrant was first authorized in 2014, under an FBI investigation into Washington-based consulting firms which work with Ukraine. After the initial warrant concluded, FBI renewed the same to investigate the Trump campaign's connections to Moscow.
Manafort's spokesperson urges justice department to investigate the leak
Stating that it's a felony to reveal the existence of a FISA warrant, Manafort's spokesman Jason Maloni urged the Justice Department to commence a probe "to examine the motivations behind a previous Administration's effort to surveil a political opponent."
Did Trump know about the wiretapping earlier?
What does this mean for the investigation?
Although not conclusive, investigators believe that Manafort encouraged the Russians to help with the campaign. In March 2017, Trump had accused Obama of wiretapping him before his electoral victory. The revelation on FBI listening in on Manafort vindicates Trump and increases his credibility, in a certain sense. It is also possible that the FBI has access to certain conversations that may incriminate Trump.
