Investigations Snare Tony Podesta and Greg Craig

Posted by Tina

Tony Podesta, brother to Hillary Clinton friend and political ally John Podesta, has been named in connection with the Manafort case. Podesta’s lobbying firm worked closely with Paul Manafort according to the indictment. The Daily Caller:

Two lobbying firms, including one owned by Democratic superlobbyist Tony Podesta, knowingly worked with Paul Manafort at the direction of the Ukrainian government, according to an indictment released Friday by the special counsel’s office. …

… Working at Manafort’s direction, Mercury and Podesta Group lobbied dozens of members of Congress, their staffers, and White House and Department of State officials regarding a host of issues related to Ukraine, including the validity of its elections.

Manafort frequently briefed Yanukovych on Mercury and Podesta’s lobbying activities. He also tasked the companies to prepare reports that he could provide to Yanukovych.

Also under investigation and possible indictment is former Obama White House council Greg Craig. The Washington Examiner:

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are considering criminal charges against former White House counsel Greg Craig, who served during the first year of the Obama administration, as part of an investigation into former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, according to a new report.

Sources familiar with the matter told CNN that prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York are investigating whether Craig failed to register as a foreign agent. They’re also weighing action against law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where Craig was employed during the activity under investigation, the report said.

An attorney for Craig told CNN his client “was not required to register under the Foreign Agent Registration Act.”

The charges were referred to the U.S. Attorney’s office by special counsel Robert Mueller’s team.

All of this activity was going on during Obama’s presidency and Hillary Clinton’s term as Secretary of State. It is totally unrelated to the presidency of Donald Trump.