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Paul: Manafort Indictment Has Nothing to Do With Russia

Lisa Autry, WKYU

U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is downplaying the indictment of President Trump’s former campaign manager. Paul Manafort and an aide are the first to be criminally charged in the investigation into possible Russian influence in U.S. politics. 

Senator Paul says the charges have nothing to do with collusion with Russia and instead accuse Manafort of money laundering and not paying taxes before ever joining the Trump campaign.

"This shows you what happens when you get a special prosecutor going.  They said he'd look into Russia and he found tax evasion six years ago," Paul told WKU Public Radio.  "I'm concerned that we give so much power to prosecutors that they just go sifting through everything from the past decade.  They find something and latch on to it, but it had nothing to do with why they were instituted."

The indictment of Manafort focused on his work advising a Russia-friendly political party in Ukraine. 

Senator Paul spoke with reporters Monday following a tour of the Bilstein Cold Rolled Steel manufacturing plant in Warren County. 

The Bowling Green Republican also talked about the long-anticipated GOP tax reform plan that will be unveiled this week.  Senator Paul said he supports the plan to cut the corporate tax rate from 35 to 20 percent, but doesn’t want the tax cuts paid for by increasing taxes on the middle class.

© 2017 WKU Public Radio

Lisa is a Scottsville native and WKU alum. She has worked in radio as a news reporter and anchor for 18 years. Prior to joining WKU Public Radio, she most recently worked at WHAS in Louisville and WLAC in Nashville. She has received numerous awards from the Associated Press, including Best Reporter in Kentucky. Many of her stories have been heard on NPR.
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