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The Latest On Mueller's Russia Investigation

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Special counsel Bob Mueller bears down on Paul Manafort, as the Trump-Russia investigation escalates. We’re on it.

In this photo taken July 17, 2016, Paul Manafort talks to reporters on the floor of the Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Lately, special prosecutor Robert Mueller has been ratcheting up pressure on Manafort. (Matt Rourke/AP)
In this photo taken July 17, 2016, Paul Manafort talks to reporters on the floor of the Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Lately, special prosecutor Robert Mueller has been ratcheting up pressure on Manafort. (Matt Rourke/AP)

From the NFL to North Korea to the UN to Lebron James, Donald Trump seems to have everybody in lather these days. Hair on fire.  Fired up. But behind all the uproar, there’s a quieter, maybe deeper drama unfolding.  Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign is heating up.  Potential consequences – huge. This hour, On Point:  The latest on the Mueller investigation.  And we’ll look at the uproar in the NFL. --Tom Ashbrook

Guests

Carol Leonnig, reporter at the Washington Post covering federal agencies with a focus on government accountability. (@CarolLeonnig)

Ryan Lizza, Washington correspondent for The New Yorker. (@RyanLizza)

Benjamin Wittes, editor-in-chief of Lawfare, and a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution. (@benjaminwittes)

From Tom's Reading List

The Washington Post: Manafort Offered To Give Russian Billionaire ‘Private Briefings’ On 2016 Campaign — "Investigators believe that the exchanges, which reflect Manafort’s willingness to profit from his prominent role alongside Trump, created a potential opening for Russian interests at the highest level of a U.S. presidential campaign, according to people familiar with the probe. Those people, like others interviewed for this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss matters under investigation."

The New Yorker: A Dizzying Week of Trump-Russia Revelations — "If Mueller or congressional investigators unearth proof that Manafort colluded with the Russians, it will fortify the narrative that the Trump campaign worked with a foreign nation to alter the outcome of an American Presidential election—an unprecedented event in the country’s history. Trump could dismiss the evidence, deny knowledge of the collusion, and dismiss the Mueller investigation as a “witch hunt.” But this week’s disclosures moved the theorizing about Trump and Russia one step closer to becoming a politically devastating blow to Trump’s Presidency."

Lawfare: The Latest Scoops from CNN and the New York Times: A Quick and Dirty Analysis — "The significance of this is that it means that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation has reached a critical stage—the point at which he may soon start making allegations in public. Those allegations may involve conduct unrelated to L’Affaire Russe—that is, alleged bad behavior by Manafort and maybe others that does not involve the Trump campaign—but which may nonetheless serve to pressure Manafort to cooperate on matters more central. Or they may involve conduct that involves his behavior with respect to the campaign itself. Note that if Manafort cooperates, we may not see anything public for a long time to come. Delay, that is, may be a sign of success. But in the absence of cooperation, the fireworks may be about to begin."

This program aired on September 25, 2017.

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