Trump: Manafort pardon not \'off the table\'

President Trump has not ruled out pardoning Paul Manafort, his former campaign chairman who was found guilty of tax and bank fraud.

Speaking with the New York Post, Trump said that a pardon “was never discussed, but I wouldn’t take it off the table.

Why would I take it off the table?” Manafort stuck a deal with Mueller to plead guilty to additional charges and cooperate in the Russia probe for a reduced sentence… but the special counsel said this week that Manafort has routinely lied to investigators, which nullifies his plea agreement.

Prompting renewed speculation that Manafort is looking for a pardon.

The Democratic head of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Trump pardoning Manafort “would be a blatant and unacceptable abuse of power.” Trump's attacks against Mueller alarming some on Capitol Hill.

Outgoing Republican Senator Jeff Flake and Democratic colleagues Chris Coons and Cory Booker Wednesday tried to force a vote on a bill that would make it harder for Trump to undermine Mueller’s investigation.

That effort was blocked.

Majority leader Mitch McConnell has argued the bill is unnecessary because he says Trump won’t fire Mueller.

Flake tried the same maneuver earlier this month, and McConnell stopped the bill from advancing.

Flake responded by saying he would try to block judicial nominations pending in the Senate until McConnell lets the Mueller bill go to a floor vote.