Something that just occurred to me

[RDANGELO]

Manefort does not appear to be an unintelligent person to me. Why is someone who is up to his eye balls in money laundering, putting himself in the spotlight by taking the job as Trump's campaign manager. Perhaps the Russians pushed him into it. Now Trump, I could believe he might do it anyway.

[dalton99a]

1. "Paul Manafort owed as much as $17 million in debt to pro-Russia interests"

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/342840-manafort-was-millions-in-debt-to-pro-russia-interests-before-joining

[bluepen]

2. That or just arrogance, feeling untouchable.

Edit: But you raise an excellent point. Maybe he had no choice. Now he does, though. He can spill it all.

[PJMcK]

3. Manafort said, "I really need to get to Trump."

This was how Manafort expressed himself to Trump's long-time friend, Tom Barrack. This was after Trump lost the Iowa caucus. Manafort was angling for a position within Trump's campaign. He became the campaign's manager and offered to work for free. Why would he do that? (My personal opinion is that he knew Trump would stiff him!) Actually, there were huge debts that Manafort owed to Russians and they may have wanted influence in Trump's campaign.

Could the involvement of Manafort be yet another tentacle of Russian interference in our elections?

Anyway, Keith Olbermann covers this subject in one of his recent Resistance essays:

https://www.gq.com/story/watch-the-closer-keith-olbermann

See Episode 136: Why Did Paul Manafort Need To Get To Trump?

[MaryMagdaline]

4. Do or die

Manafort knows more than anyone else what happens when you don't do as you are told by Putin

[Orsino]

5. He correctly recognized the campaign as one big grift, but believed Trump would lose.

There's ridiculously easy money to be made by anyone willing to do Trump's work for him.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. He and others have been doing it for almost 40 years

with no consequences.

But agree with post #5 that they (or at least some "players" ) didn't expect Drumpf to win. Folks like them are always on the lookout for $$$$ opportunity and "networking".

Also note that Manafort had replaced Lewandowski as campaign manager so that is something to factor in.

[Vinca]

7. That's what I was wondering. He put a target on his own back. It must have been orders from Vlad.