Bloomberg reports that New York prosecutors are compiling a case against Paul Manafort that can be filed promptly should the former Trump campaign chairman be granted a presidential pardon by his former boss. This would ensure Manafort would face prison time on state charges even if President Trump were to pardon him for his federal charges.
According to sources familiar with the case, Cyrus Vance Jr, New York County District Attorney, has identified charges his office believes will avoid New York’s strong double jeopardy protections. Sources close to the investigation say, while Manafort’s defense team will likely challenge the charges on double jeopardy grounds, Vance’s office is confident the state charges will prevail, according to the New York Times.
An investigation in New York into loans Manafort received by two banks began in 2017. That investigation was deferred so as to not interfere with the special counsel’s probe, the loans being the subject of some of the charges brought against Manafort by Mueller’s office.
However, the New York Times reports that investigation was taken up again and a grand jury will soon wrap up its work and vote on charges. The District Attorney’s office is expected to file charges regardless of a presidential pardon being offered. Per Bloomberg, the charges may include tax evasion and violations of state laws requiring accurate books and records be kept by companies.
If convicted of criminal charges in New York, Manafort would face prison time in the state’s famously harsh prisons.
Manafort was found guilty of eight charges in Virginia, pleaded guilty to two more in Washington DC before his plea agreement was voided earlier this month for lying to prosecutors and the grand jury during his cooperation sessions. He faces sentencing in Virginia on March 8 and in DC on March 13. He faces 19 -24 years on the charges in Virginia. Mueller’s office is expected to submit sentencing guidelines to Judge Amy Berman Jackson before midnight tonight.
President Trump has publicly sympathized with Manafort’s plight, calling him a “brave man”, and said in November that he had not taken the possibility of pardoning Manafort off the table.
