Manafort spokesman to testify before grand jury Friday

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico




Trump’s former campaign chairman has been drawn into the wide-ranging Russia probe as prosecutors examine his business dealings.

By JOSH DAWSEY 09/14/2017 05:18 PM EDT

Paul Manafort’s spokesman is expected to testify in front of a Washington federal grand jury Friday morning, according to people familiar with the matter.

The spokesman, Jason Maloni, has worked for Trump’s former campaign chairman since early 2017 and has wide visibility into Manafort’s dealings. Maloni previously worked for a PR firm but left to continue representing Manafort.

It’s unclear exactly what prosecutors want to know from Maloni. Asking a PR person to testify is an unusual step that raises some troubling questions, according to lawyers and others in the industry. Spokespeople are paid and generally enjoy confidential relationships with clients, often seeing private documents and other private matters. Also, having a spokesperson testify could expose relationships with members of the news media, these people say.

However, there is nothing that prevents prosecutors from asking a PR person to testify — and they often have valuable insight. The prosecutors have also asked Maloni for a wide array of records, according to people familiar with the matter.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/14/paul-manafort-jason-maloni-testify-grand-jury-242737

[Mr.Bill]

1. As someone who has sat on a Grand Jury, here's my take:

When they get down to interviewing lower level people, they are most likely trying to triangulate information they have already heard from one or two sources. It could be something simple, yet damning such as where a certain person was on a certain day at a certain time. This is what Grand Juries do, look for multiple sources for even the most seemingly mundane facts. Sometimes the butler or the driver knows as much about these kinds of things as anyone, because of the access they had. It's fly on the wall stuff.

I know Mueller isn't running a Grand Jury, but I would think the investigative techniques would be similar.