Jayapal Responds to Indictment of Former Trump Campaign Chairman

SEATTLE – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement in response to charges brought against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his confidante Richard Gates.

“The indictments of Paul Manafort and Richard Gates may just be the tip of the iceberg. Conspiracy against the United States, money-laundering and false statements – the charges brought against President Trump’s former campaign chairman are egregious. The president demonstrates zero interest in rooting out corruption. Instead he is spreading misinformation on Twitter in an attempt to deflect from today’s indictments.

“The American people deserve a fair and open investigation. The integrity of Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller’s investigation must be safeguarded – and Congress should be playing its role through hearings in the committees of jurisdiction, which are increasingly threatened or, in the case of the House Judiciary Committee, have never happened. I believe that, given the president’s continuing refusal to acknowledge the challenges of the last election, we must also form an independent, bipartisan commission to examine Russian interference in the election.

“No matter who attempts to stand in the way of the truth, I take seriously my responsibility to ensure that justice prevails. I will do all I can to push for a transparent assessment of the facts.”

Issues: Government Reform & Ethics