President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman has pleaded not guilty to state mortgage fraud charges in New York City. Paul Manafort entered the plea at an arraignment Thursday in Manhattan.
Manafort, seen with greyed hair, walked with a limp as court officers led him down a public hallway to the courtroom in handcuffs. He wore a blue jail uniform.
The state case could keep Manafort locked up in the event Trump pardons his federal convictions stemming from the Russian probe.
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Manafort’s lawyers are expected to challenge the state case on double jeopardy grounds. Prosecutors say their case is solid because it involves state, not federal crimes.
The 70-year-old waived his right to move back and forth between prisons and to appear at further hearings. The judge in Manafort’s case rejected a blanket appearance waiver and said it would occur on a case by case basis.
Outside the courthouse, Manafort’s attorney Todd Blanche argued that state laws do not apply to what prosecutors are trying to do with Manafort.
Manafort is currently serving a 7½-year prison sentence for misleading the U.S. government about foreign lobbying, encouraging witnesses to lie and tax fraud. He will remain in federal custody.
