With charges ranging from leading anti-NATO rallies that encouraged Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, to illegally funneling millions of overseas dollars into to US lobbying firms, to taking more than $12 million in under-the-table payments, Trump’s campaign manager Paul Manafort has brought an extra dimension to Trump’s fascination with all things Russia.

It was clear that this week’s campaign remodel was intended to do more than just complete the merger of Trump and Breitbart.com. An even more important task was to push Manafort out of the limelight.

And as attention on Manafort intensifies, Trump has given him another shove.

Manafort may be out of the campaign, but the connection between Trump and Putin is still in place. Will Manafort, like Corey Lewandowski, continue to be paid by the Trump campaign to ensure his support of Trump?