Manafort meets with Mueller

Manafort meets with Mueller prosecutors

The sit-down stems from a guilty plea that requires the former Trump campaign chairman to cooperate with the special counsel's probe.

By DARREN SAMUELSOHN

Paul Manafort met Monday with special counsel Robert Mueller’s office as part of his cooperation agreement in the special counsel’s investigation into Russia interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The sit-down at the special counsel’s downtown Washington D.C. office stems from Manafort’s guilty plea last month, which requires the former Trump campaign chairman to cooperate “fully, truthfully, completely, and forthrightly…in any and all matters as to which the government deems the cooperation relevant.”

Spokesmen for Manafort and Mueller declined comment on the meeting.

POLITICO spotted two attorneys for Manafort — Richard Westling and Tom Zehnle — outside Mueller’s office early Monday afternoon speaking with one of the special counsel’s lead prosecutors, Andrew Weissmann. The men parted ways to buy lunch and then were seen returning with their food to the secure building where the special counsel’s team is headquartered.

Manafort pleaded guilty last month in a federal court in Washington to conspiracy against the U.S. and conspiring to obstruct justice. As part of the plea, Mueller’s team dropped charges against Manafort including money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent for his work on behalf of Ukrainian political parties. They also agreed to dismiss deadlocked bank- and tax-fraud charges from a Virginia trial with the condition Manafort would conclude a “successful cooperation” with the special counsel.

Sentencing for the longtime GOP operative is not scheduled to occur until after the November midterms, with a joint written report from the special counsel and Manafort’s lawyers due Nov. 16.

As Trump’s campaign chair, Manafort played a leading role during several pivotal moments now at the center of the Russia probe.

The longtime GOP operative exchanged emails with other campaign aides about then-foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulous’ efforts to arrange a meeting between Trump and Russian officials. He also attended the 2016 Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised dirt on Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Trump, his lawyers and allies have nonetheless downplayed the guilty plea, saying the information Manafort is providing to the special counsel has no bearing on the president.

“I believe that he will tell the truth. And if he tells the truth, no problem,” the president told reporters last month.