The FBI's raid of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort shows "clear evidence" connecting him to "some criminal wrongdoing," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Wednesday.
"This highly significant step reaffirms the reasons that I first urged the appointment of a Special Counsel with the power to execute such investigative measures and bring criminal charges and redoubles my determination to protect this investigation from political interference," Blumenthal said in a statement.
The FBI on July 26 raided Manafort's home in Alexandria, Va., in connection with the Russia probe and seized documents and other materials according to a report in the Washington Post published Wednesday. Special Counsel Robert Mueller ordered the raid, which came a day after Manafort met with the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Manafort's spokesman told the New York Times he has "consistently cooperated with law enforcement and other serious inquiries and did so on this occasion as well," but Blumenthal called that claim into question.
"This kind of raid — in the early morning hours with no advance notice — shows an astonishing and alarming distrust for the president's former campaign chairman. It seems to decimate his claim that he is cooperating with law enforcement," Blumenthal said, according to Politico.
Duke Law School professor and former federal prosecutor Samuel Buell said the FBI showing up with a search warrant "confirms, beyond doubt, serious, criminal investigative focus on Manafort."
Manafort is only one focus of the Russia probe as Mueller has a team of 16 attorneys working on the investigation according to Politico.
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