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Trump Says Mueller 'Gone Rogue' as Mueller Team Makes Manafort Plea Deal Allegations

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WASHINGTON – Special counsel Robert Mueller is accusing former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort of failing to uphold his part of the plea deal in the Russia investigation.

Under the agreement, Manafort pledged to "cooperate fully, truthfully, completely, and forthrightly" with the special counsel "in any and all matters" prosecutors deemed necessary.

In addition to his activities with the Trump campaign, that would include his Ukrainian political work – something that's still being investigated by the US attorney for the Southern District of New York.

But a court filing Monday says that instead of full cooperation, Manafort "committed federal crimes" by lying to investigators "on a variety of subject matters" two months after he began working with the Mueller team.

The allegation could expose the former Trump campaign chief to a lengthier prison sentence and possibly additional criminal charges – including the 10 felony counts that were dropped when he entered into the agreement.

However, defense attorneys for Manafort are disputing Mueller's claims, insisting their client had been nothing less than truthful with prosecutors.

"After signing the plea agreement, Manafort met with the government on numerous occasions and answered the government's questions," they said in court documents. "Manafort has provided information to the government in an effort to live up to his cooperation obligations. He believes he has provided truthful information and does not agree with the government's characterization or that he has breached the agreement."

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump himself weighed in on the matter Tuesday morning, calling the Mueller team's allegations a "phony witch hunt."

"The Phony Witch Hunt continues, but Mueller and his gang of Angry Dems are only looking at one side, not the other," the president tweeted. "Wait until it comes out how horribly & viciously they are treating people, ruining lives for them refusing to lie. Mueller is a conflicted prosecutor gone rogue...."

Trump went on to suggest Mueller was a danger to the criminal justice process.

"The Fake News Media builds Bob Mueller up as a Saint, when in actuality he is the exact opposite," the president wrote. "He is doing TREMENDOUS damage to our Criminal Justice System, where he is only looking at one side and not the other. Heroes will come of this, and it won't be Mueller and his..."

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