Mueller’s team is bringing the case against Manafort, but attorneys want to focus the jury on Manafort’s reported excesses, his alleged ties to Ukrainian government officials, and the crimes for which Manafort was really indicted — tax evasion and bank fraud — and not his campaign activities, ABC News reports.

Prosecutors also fear that potential jurors might be prejudiced by Manafort’s Trump affiliations. The trial is taking place in a heavily Democratic district, and attorneys don’t want Manafort claiming that he was denied a fair trial because jurors see their vote as a way to “resist” President Donald Trump through Paul Manafort.

“The defense doesn’t want to be prejudiced by association with Trump,” one expert told ABC News. “With a northern Virginia jury, they know they may not be kindly disposed to the president.” – READ MORE

NBC correspondent Ken Dilanian argued on Monday that the “only reason” Paul Manafort is in jail is because the former political adviser worked for the Trump campaign.

“The Justice Department took a look at conduct a few years ago and took a pass,” Dilanian said. “They didn’t prosecute him.”

“The only reason he’s wearing a green prison jumpsuit right now is because he went to work for Donald Trump,” he added. – READ MORE