The top Democrats on the Senate and House Intelligence committees were among those saying the Tuesday conviction of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort Paul John ManafortOur Constitution is under attack by Attorney General William Barr Bannon trial date set in alleged border wall scam Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE proves the seriousness of special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE's Russia probe.

Manafort was found guilty of eight counts of bank and tax fraud in the first criminal trial to come out of Mueller's investigation. Multiple other subjects have already pleaded guilty to charges brought by Mueller's team.

“Today’s guilty verdict makes it absolutely clear that the Mueller probe is a serious investigation that is rooting out corruption and Russian influence on our political system at the highest levels,” Senate Intelligence Committee ranking Democrat Mark Warner Mark Robert WarnerFBI director casts doubt on concerns over mail-in voting fraud Democrats call for declassifying election threats after briefing by Trump officials It's time to upgrade benefits MORE (Va.) tweeted Tuesday.

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Warner continued

, “The President’s campaign manager was just convicted of serious federal crimes by a jury of his peers, despite the President’s continued attempts to undermine the investigation which has brought Mr. Manafort to justice.”





“Any attempt by the President to pardon Mr. Manfort or interfere in the investigation into his campaign would be a gross abuse of power and require immediate action by Congress,” he concluded.

Manafort was convicted in Northern Virginia of five charges of filing false income tax returns, one count of failing to report foreign bank accounts and two counts of bank fraud, with the jury deadlocked over 10 other charges.

“Donald Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE brought a culture of corruption from his campaign to the White House,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez Thomas Edward PerezClinton’s top five vice presidential picks Government social programs: Triumph of hope over evidence Labor’s 'wasteful spending and mismanagement” at Workers’ Comp MORE said in a statement. “The special counsel’s investigation has never been a ‘witch hunt,’ and today’s verdict proves it. Paul Manafort wasn’t just Trump’s campaign chair, he was one of his most trusted advisors; the two have known each other for nearly four decades and reportedly spoke to each other nearly 20 times a day.”

Almost simultaneous with Manafort’s conviction, Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty in New York to breaking campaign finance law, saying he did so at the behest of the president.

House Intelligence panel ranking member Adam Schiff Adam Bennett SchiffSchiff claims DHS is blocking whistleblower's access to records before testimony GOP lawmakers distance themselves from Trump comments on transfer of power Rubio on peaceful transfer of power: 'We will have a legitimate & fair election' MORE (D-Calif.) said in a statement Tuesday, “These convictions demonstrate that Mueller’s investigation is far from a ‘witch hunt,’ as the President falsely repeats as a mantra.”

“Instead, it shows that Mueller and prosecutors in New York are conducting a professional investigation, following the facts where they lead, and obtaining serious felony convictions,” Schiff continued.

Other Democrats took to Twitter to express similar views.

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) tweeted, "Manafort's conviction is just the latest evidence that Mueller is doing his job - and doing it pretty damn well."

Not a witch hunt. Not a hoax.



The President surrounded himself with convicted criminals.



Enough bluster and interference.



Just let the Special Counsel do his job. https://t.co/UEltkdxn2w — Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) August 21, 2018

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. Frank Joseph PallonePharma execs say FDA will not lower standards for coronavirus vaccine Dem chairmen urge CMS to prevent nursing homes from seizing stimulus payments Federal watchdog finds cybersecurity vulnerabilities in FCC systems MORE (D-N.J.) tweeted that Tuesday was a "shameful day for Trump world as its upending corruption continues to be exposed."

He continued, "This is just the beginning, we need to protect the Mueller investigation and ensure that Trump and his cronies are held accountable."