Paul Manafort pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice and conspiracy against the United States on September 14th, 2018. He also agreed to cooperate with special counsel Robert Muller’s investigation into possible Russian interfernce in the 2016 election.

Manafort was President Trump’s former campaign advisor and a personal friend of the President. His close tie to the president has raised several questions on Trump’s involvement with Russian collusion and obstruction of justice. President Trump’s lead lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, has assured the American public that Manafort has no incriminating information on the presidency, nor his family.

Intially, this turn in Muller’s investigation seemed disasterous for President Trump’s reputation and the Repubican party, with the midterm election approaching, but many political analysists believe that this many actually be benefical for Trump. Legal expert, Johnathon Turley, stated “It is also a good thing for Trump, quite frankly. It would have been a bad thig to have the midterm elections coming, and have a daily account of this stuff coming out about Paul Manafort, about working for pro-Russian interests. So, in some ways, Trump comes out a little ahead with the plea bargin,”.

A presidential pardon was discussed by the Trump administration when Manafort first pleaded gulity, but as the investigation continues, it appears that the Trump presidency is doing all in their power to distance themselves from the investigation. Manafort’s contractional cooperation with the Muller investigation is a step forward into the Russian investigation.