But questions have arisen over whether double jeopardy issues could arise.
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s former campaign leader Paul Manafort was indicted Wednesday by a state grand jury in New York on charges of residential mortgage fraud – the announcement coming just minutes after Manafort was sentenced in federal court in Washington to more than seven years in prison.
The charges filed against Manafort may stand as a kind of prosecutorial insurance policy against a possible presidential pardon – a scenario Trump has refused to discuss as Manafort’s case worked its way through the federal court system. The president has called Manafort brave for fighting his case against special counsel Robert Mueller, whose team is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“No one is beyond the law in New York,” Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said in a statement announcing the indictment. “Following an investigation commenced by our office in March 2017, a Manhattan grand jury has charged Mr. Manafort with state criminal violations which strike at the heart of New York’s sovereign interests, including the integrity of our residential mortgage market.”
A spokesman for Manafort did not immediately comment on the new charges.
Asked Wednesday whether he intends to pardon Manafort, Trump said: “I have not given it even a thought, as of this moment. It’s not something that’s right now on my mind. I do feel badly for Paul Manafort, that I can tell you.”
The president also said he was unaware of the Manhattan district attorney’s indictment.
Under the Constitution, presidents have wide authority to pardon, but that power applies only to federal convictions, not state cases.
