*By Amanda Weston* As a jury deliberates the guilt of President Trump's former campaign chair for the third day, GOP strategist Rick Wilson said Paul Manafort's chances don't look good. "I think the judge in this case has been somewhat of a wildcard, but in the large picture here I think Manafort is facing something that federal prosecutors are pretty good at putting people behind bars for," Wilson, author of "Everything Trump Touches Dies," said Monday in an interview on Cheddar. Manafort [faces more than a dozen charges](https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/20/politics/paul-manafort-trial/index.html), including tax evasion and the concealment of foreign bank accounts. He has pleaded not guilty. Wilson said the real star of the proceedings is a "gigantic paper trail" that Manafort left behind. And it marks the first trial from Special Counsel Robert Mueller in the Russia investigation. "Manafort has always had a choice," said Wilson. "He can either flip and cooperate with Robert Mueller and cooperate with this investigation and do the right thing for his country, or he can die in prison. Right now, he's going to die in prison." President Trump has repeatedly slammed the Mueller probe on Twitter, calling it [a "Rigged Witch Hunt!"](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1031154974942810114) on Sunday morning. While Manafort's trial, the first in Mueller's investigation, may not be a defining moment for the overall probe, it's life-altering for the defendant. "I view this, as I think most people do, as a point of leverage for Paul Manafort to get a wake-up call and to understand that unless he cooperates, he's going to die in jail," said Wilson. "Because he's not a young man, and he's going to go to prison at some point, and they've got a whole separate case, by the way, they can bring after this one. So the pressure on Paul Manafort isn't over. This isn't a make or break for the Mueller investigation at all." For full interview [click here] ( https://cheddar.com/videos/manafort-jury-enters-third-day-of-deliberations).

Share:
More In Politics
'The Good Liars' Release New Mockumentary 'The Supporters'
'The Good Liars' are Jason Selvig and Davram Stiefler, a comedy duo that's been shaking up the political world for years. They're out with a new mockumentary, 'The Supporters,' following the 2020 election. Jason Selvig & Davram Stiefler, Stunt Comedians and creators of 'The Good Liars' joined Cheddar News to discuss.
Breaking Down Election Night
Julia Manchester, Reporter for The Hill, joined Cheddar to discuss the repercussions of republican victories on election night.
Former Georgia Police Chief on Portland Mayor's Policing Budget Plan
Clarence Cox III, a former police chief from Georgia, joined Cheddar to discuss Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler's plans to greatly increase the city's police budget. "I think his investments, as I read and understand, are in the right areas," Cox said. "Body-worn cameras are something that I'm a very big proponent of, and I think the mayor's going in the right direction with some of the initiatives."
Polar Bears International Calls on World Leaders to Take Real Steps on Climate Crisis
Alysa McCall, director of conservation outreach and staff scientist at Polar Bears International, joined Cheddar to discuss the ongoing fight to protect polar bears from extinction while world leaders gathered to discuss the climate crisis. McCall explained her organization's mission "to ensure the long term survival of polar bears by helping ensure their arctic sea ice habitat remains intact." McCall said she hopes actionable steps are taken after the UN climate summit to mitigate the crisis and not just more promises.
Load More