What We Know: Indictments, hearings in Russia probe
WASHINGTON — Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election jumped forward this week with a 12-count indictment against two former campaign advisers to President Donald Trump and a guilty plea from another adviser. Several congressional committees are also investigating the meddling, and whether there is any link to Trump’s campaign.
Here’s what we know now:
MUELLER’S MOVES
Mueller’s investigation moved into a new, more serious phase Monday as former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Manafort’s business associate Rick Gates, who also had a role in the campaign, were indicted on 12 counts. Those included conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, acting as an unregistered foreign agent, making false statements and several charges related to failing to report foreign bank and financial accounts. The indictment alleges they funneled payments through foreign companies and bank accounts as part of their private political work in Ukraine. They have both pleaded not guilty.