Former federal prosecutor Larry Klayman on Wednesday made a double-barreled prediction about how the tax evasion and bank fraud trial of Paul Manafort will end.
Klayman, founder of the government watchdog Freedom Watch, told Newsmax TV's "The Brett Winterble Show" he believes President Donald Trump's former campaign chair will beat the rap – but even if he does not, Manafort will likely be pardoned by the commander in chief.
"I think the jury probably in the end will acquit him,'" Klayman said.
But should he be convicted, "Manafort knows that in the end that he will probably get a pardon from President Trump, and he should get a pardon, because this is an unfair prosecution. There was no authority to do it."
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Klayman added: "Even before that pardon is considered, it's likely that a higher court on appeal will throw this whole thing out . . . Regardless of what Manafort may or may not have done, [special counsel Robert] Mueller did not have the authority under the mandate given to him . . . to indict to Manafort under that investigation."
The trial, which kicked off Tuesday in Virginia, is the first of two for Manafort, who is accused of not paying taxes on millions of dollars he made from work for a Ukrainian political party.