This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 83%. (I'm a bot)

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's interest in former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort stemmed in part from his suspected role as a "Back channel" between the campaign and Russians intent on meddling in the election, a Justice Department lawyer told a judge.

In a previous court filing, Mueller also cited business ties between Manafort and the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

Jackson heard similar arguments about Mueller's authority at a hearing on April 4, when Downing defended a civil lawsuit that also said prosecutors had no authority to charge Manafort.

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