World News: OnPolitics Today: All the president's men

Tuesday, August 21

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, leaves following a hearing at U.S. Federal Court in New York on Aug. 21, 2018.

President Donald Trump's ex-campaign chair and former personal lawyer are guilty of federal crimes and likely heading to prison. OnPolitics Tuesday.

The man who less than a year ago said he would "take a bullet" for President Donald Trump has now thrust the president into the center of a legal storm.

Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight felonies Tuesday. In the process, he made the extraordinary admission that he made six-figure payments to silence two women in advance of the 2016 election at Trump's direction.

"This is a real crime," said Larry Noble, a former Federal Election Commission. But a sitting president is unlikely to face criminal charges (although impeachment is another matter).

Manafort convicted on 8 of 18 counts; Trump calls it a 'disgrace'

A federal jury found Paul Manafort guilty Tuesday on eight of 18 counts in the financial fraud trial of a man who just two years ago helped Trump secure the Republican nomination. Manafort was found guilty on five counts of submitting false tax returns, one count of failing to report foreign bank and financial accounts, and two counts of bank fraud. He faces a maximum of 80 years in prison.

Though the Manafort prosecution is not related to Mueller's investigation into Russia's election meddling, the case has been seen as an important initial test for Mueller, whose legitimacy has been repeatedly questioned by Trump and his Republican allies.

As Trump landed in Charleston, West Virginia, for a rally Tuesday, he called Manafort "a good man" but said it "doesn't involve me."

And a sitting Republican congressman is indicted on federal corruption charges

Justice Department officials announced Tuesday Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and his wife, Margaret Hunter, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that they used more than $250,000 in campaign funds to pay for personal expenses like school tuition, dental work and family vacations. According to the indictment that includes a $14,000 Thanksgiving trip to Italy and a $6,500 jaunt to Hawaii. They spent more than $15,000 on plane tickets and hotel rooms for their children, relatives and friends - and a family pet.