Trump election campaign chief jailed, following 'witness tampering' charges

Trump election campaign chief jailed, following 'witness tampering' charges
US President Donald Trump's campaign manager has been detained on judge's orders, as part of a probe into alleged Russian interference in the election.
2 min read
17 June, 2018
Manafort was charged last week with witness tampering [Getty]

President Donald Trump's campaign chief Paul Manafort has been sent to jail pending trial, for alleged witness tampering, as an investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 US election continues.

Manafort was charged last week with witness tampering and pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday.

He has been confined to his home and required to wear an electronic monitoring device after being indicted on other charges, including money laundering, which he also denies.

US District Judge Amy Berman on Saturday revoked his bail and had him detained until trial.

"I have no appetite for this... But in the end, I cannot turn a blind eye. You've abused the trust placed in you," she said.
Manafort is being investigated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller in his probe into possible Russian interference in the 2016 election.

It ended with Trump's surprise win in his presidential race against Democrat rival Hillary Clinton.

Manafort's legal defence fund said on Twitter: "Why is he the target of a partisan investigation?"

Donald Trump also backed his former campaign aide.

"Wow, what a tough sentence for Paul Manafort," he tweeted. "Very unfair!"

Mueller's probe is looking at whether Trump's campaign team colluded with Russia during the election and if the current president tried to obstruct investigators in their work.

None of the charges relate to the alleged Russian collusion in the campaign and pre-date Trump's election bid, but it is believed that pressure is being applied by investigators for Manafort to cut a deal with Mueller.

Manafort does reportedly have ties with a pro-Russian party in Ukraine and key Kremlin-linked figures.