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Ex-Obama White House counsel caught in Mueller-probe dragnet
WASHINGTON, April 11, 2019 (AFP) – Lawyers for a White House counsel during
the presidency of Barack Obama said Wednesday they expected him to face
federal charges in coming days linked to jailed disgraced lobbyist Paul
Manafort, the Washington Post reported.
Gregory Craig faces federal charges in relation to legal work he did for
the Ukrainian government in 2012 after leaving the White House.
If charged, Craig would be the first prominent Democrat to be caught in
the dragnet cast by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russia interference
in the 2016 presidential campaign.
The Post and other media said Craig faces charges in relation to legal
work he did for Ukraine in 2012 after leaving the White House to join
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
Craig resigned in April 2018 amid a probe into whether the firm failed to
register as foreign lobbyists.
Skadden in January reached a settlement with the justice department,
admitting it should have registered, and agreed to turn over the fees it had
earned in exchange for facing no criminal charges.
In its settlement, Skadden said the firm had relied on “false and
misleading oral and written statements” made by Craig, the Post reported
sources close to the case as saying.
In their statement Wednesday, Craig’s attorneys said his work came “as an
independent expert on the rule of law, not as an advocate for the client” and
that he had refused requests to participate in Ukraine’sPaul Mannafort
lobbying.
“Mr Craig is not guilty of any charge,” they said.
The Ukrainian government reported Skadden was paid US$12,000 for their
services, but prosecutors say Manafort used an offshore account to help route
more than $4 million to the firm.
Manafort was sentenced in March to seven-and-a-half years in prison for
lobbying violations and financial crimes.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1232 hrs