detailed efforts to undermine Democrat Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid by several means, including allegedly buying ads intended to associate her with Islamic law.According to CNN 3023 44z Manafort argued that Rosenstein “exceed[ed] the scope [of his] authority to appoint special counsel” and gave Mueller too much power to investigate “anything he stumbles across while investigating, no matter how remote.” Manafort alsoclaimed 3023 44z Donald Trump then admitted that there are no tapes of his conversations with James Comey.June 22, 2017 3023 44z Hope Hicks announced that she would resign as White House communications director.February 28, 2018[The New York Times 3023 44z