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Manafort allegedly lied about sharing 2016 polling data with Russian operative

Paul Manafort. Photo: Mark Wilson via Getty Images

Special counsel Robert Mueller has accused President Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort of lying about sharing polling data related to the 2016 presidential campaign and discussing a secret Ukrainian peace plan with suspected Russian intelligence operative Konstantin Kilimnik, according to a new court filing.

The big picture: The filing by Manafort's defense attorneys is in response to Mueller's allegation in November that Manafort violated the terms of his plea deal by lying to investigators. However, Manafort's attorneys failed to properly redact some information in the document, revealing some specifics regarding Mueller's allegations against Manafort.

Details:

  • After being shown documents in a meeting with investigators, "Manafort 'conceded' that he discussed or may have discussed a Ukraine peace plan with Mr. Kilimnik on more than one occasion." He acknowledged that he met with Kilimnik in Madrid.
  • Mueller alleges Manafort lied about sharing polling data with Kilimnik related to the 2016 presidential campaign. Manafort's attorneys explain that he "was unable to recall specific details prior to having his recollection refreshed."
  • Manafort's attorneys dispute that he intentionally lied to investigators, but have not requested a hearing on whether he breached his plea deal.

Go deeper

Axios
Updated 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

  1. Health: CDC director defends agency's response to pandemic — CDC warns highly transmissible coronavirus variant could become dominant in U.S. in March.
  2. Politics: Biden readies massive shifts in policy for his first days in office.
  3. Vaccine: Fauci: 100 million doses in 100 days is "absolutely" doable.
  4. Economy: Unemployment filings explode again.
  5. Tech: Kids' screen time sees a big increase.
  6. World: WHO team arrives in China to investigate pandemic origins.
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Dave Lawler, author of World
4 hours ago - World

Alexey Navalny detained after landing back in Moscow

Navalny and his wife shortly before he was detained. Photo: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty

Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was detained upon his return to Moscow on Sunday, which came five months after he was poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok. He returned despite being warned that he would be arrested.

The latest: Navalny was stopped at a customs checkpoint and led away alone by officers. He appeared to hug his wife goodbye, and his spokesman reports that his lawyer was not allowed to accompany him.

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Mike Allen, author of AM
6 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Biden's "overwhelming force" doctrine

President-elect Biden arrives to introduce his science team in Wilmington yesterday. Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

President-elect Biden has ordered up a shock-and-awe campaign for his first days in office to signal, as dramatically as possible, the radical shift coming to America and global affairs, his advisers tell us. 

The plan, Part 1 ... Biden, as detailed in a "First Ten Days" memo from incoming chief of staff Ron Klain, plans to unleash executive orders, federal powers and speeches to shift to a stark, national plan for "100 million shots" in three months.

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