WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election (all times local):
7:55 p.m.
President Donald Trump says in a new interview that he is not concerned about being impeached by Democrats, saying, "I think that the people would revolt if that happened."
In a Reuters interview Tuesday, Trump spoke out for the first time about new documents filed by prosecutors detailing the alleged crimes of his former lawyer, Michael Cohen. Cohen has said he made hush payments to two women accusing Trump of infidelity in the waning days of the 2016 campaign.
Asked if he discussed campaign finance law with Cohen, Trump tells Reuters: "Michael Cohen is a lawyer. I assume he would know what he's doing."
He adds: "Number one, it wasn't a campaign contribution. If it were, it's only civil, and even if it's only civil, there was no violation based on what we did. OK?"
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3:50 p.m.
Attorneys for Paul Manafort say they're still deciding whether to dispute allegations that their client lied to investigators and breached his plea agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller.
Manafort attorney Richard Westling says it's possible the defense will reach an agreement with prosecutors to avoid a hearing on the matter.
The disclosure came as U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson gave the former Trump campaign chairman until Jan. 7 to respond to the allegations.
Manafort is accused of lying about his interactions with an associate who prosecutors say has ties to Russian intelligence and with Trump administration officials.
Jackson says if the two sides can't agree, she'll need more information than what was included in a government filing last week to determine whether Manafort violated his plea deal.
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12:50 p.m.
Two former Trump aides are pleading their case to judges in hopes of easing the punishment they could face for their crimes.
Lawyers for former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn will make a sentencing recommendation in a court filing due by the end of the day, while Paul Manafort's defense team is expected to argue that the ex-Trump campaign chairman never intentionally lied to prosecutors.
Both men could be a potential threat to President Donald Trump as Mueller examines whether Trump's campaign coordinated with the Kremlin during the 2016 campaign.
