The New York Daily News on Tuesday unveiled its latest cover, which features special counsel Robert Mueller “smashing” pumpkin heads of former Trump campaign aides with an FBI sledgehammer.
“Smashing Trumpkins!” reads the headline on the Oct. 31 edition. “Mueller probe gets two indicts, Don aide fesses Russia link.”
The cover comes a day after former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy, Richard Gates, were hit with a 12-count indictment.
{mosads}
Prosecutors charge that the two men knowingly evaded foreign lobbying disclosure laws by doing work for Moscow and then lying about it. Other charges include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, tax evasion and lying to federal authorities.
Manafort and Gates both pleaded not guilty to the charges in federal court Monday evening.
A third former Trump aide, George Papadopoulos, has pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents about his contacts with Russian officials.
Special counsel Robert Mueller is looking into the Kremlin’s interference in the 2016 election, as well as possible collusion by Trump campaign associates.
Trump on Tuesday took aim at the indictment of his former staffer, highlighting that the charges against Manafort relate to business dealings before he worked for on the candidate’s presidential campaign as well as distancing himself from Papadopoulos.
“The Fake News is working overtime. As Paul Manaforts lawyer said, there was ‘no collusion; and events mentioned took place long before he… came to the campaign. Few people knew the young, low level volunteer named George, who has already proven to be a liar. Check the DEMS!” Trump tweeted in two separate tweets.