WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd August, 2018) US Senator Mark Warner said in a statement on Tuesday that any attempt by President Donald Trump to pardon his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort would be an abuse of power and will require immediate action by Congress.
"Any attempt by the President to pardon Mr. Manafort or interfere in the investigation into his campaign would be a gross abuse of power and require immediate action by Congress," Warner said in a Twitter message.
Earlier on Tuesday, a jury found Manafort guilty of eight out of 18 counts against him in his bank and tax fraud trial. The judge declared a mistrial on the other ten counts.
Warner said the guilty verdict shows that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a serious investigation, which is "rooting out corruption and Russian influence on our political system at the highest level."
Mueller's office filed the charges against Manafort for crimes uncovered as part of his investigation into the 2016 election, Russian interference into that election, and possible collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign.
Both Russia and Trump have denied all allegations of collusion, and the Kremlin has repeatedly denied any interference in the US presidential election.
Russian officials have said the allegations of meddling have been invented to excuse the election loss of a presidential candidate as well as to deflect public attention from actual instances of election fraud, corruption and other pressing issues.
