Updated at 1:30 p.m. with more information with not guilty pleas and reaction from White House briefing.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election revealed its first targets Monday, with a former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump admitting he lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russians.
Separately, Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and a former Manafort business associate were indicted on felony charges of conspiracy against the United States and other counts.
The guilty plea by the former adviser, George Papadopoulos, marked the first criminal count that cites interactions between Trump campaign associates and Russian intermediaries during the campaign.
Court papers also revealed that Papadopoulos was told about the Russians possessing "dirt" on Democrat Hillary Clinton in the form of "thousands of emails" on April 26, 2016, well before it became public that the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's emails had been hacked.
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Papadopoulos has been cooperating with investigators, according to court papers, a potentially ominous sign for others in the Trump orbit who might be implicated by his statements.
President Donald Trump says alleged misdeeds by his former campaign chairman were "years ago" and insists there was "NO COLLUSION" between his 2016 campaign and Russia.
Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates were indicted Friday on money laundering and conspiracy charges. The indictment, announced Monday, says money laundering occurred through "at least 2016." Manafort and Gates pleaded not guilty at a short hearing Monday afternoon. Manafort was released on $10 million bond and Gates' bond was $5 million.
They were placed under house arrest and will not be allowed to leave their homes except for medical appointments, religious observances and meetings with their attorneys
Manafort's attorney said "no evidence" that his client or the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government.
Kevin Downing made the statement outside a federal courthouse in Washington where his client Paul Manafort had just pleaded not guilty to felony charges including conspiracy against the United States and several financial charges. Downing also says that charges related to his client's offshore money transfers are "ridiculous."
Trump reacted on Twitter on Monday. He says, "Sorry, but this is years ago, before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign. But why aren't Crooked Hillary & the Dems the focus?????"
He then added: "Also, there is NO COLLUSION!"
Sorry, but this is years ago, before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign. But why aren't Crooked Hillary & the Dems the focus?????
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2017
....Also, there is NO COLLUSION!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2017
The indictments are the first arising from Mueller's sprawling investigation into possible coordination between Russia and Trump's 2016 election effort.
Papadopoulos pleaded guilty Oct. 5 to one count of lying to FBI agents about the nature of his interactions with "foreign nationals" who he thought had close connections to senior Russian government officials. The plea was unsealed Monday.
Papadopoulos was a member of the campaign's foreign policy team. But Trump aides have said he played a limited role in the campaign and no access to Trump.
White House reaction
The White House is distancing itself from the indictments and guilty plea.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said most of the alleged activities for which Manafort and Gates have been indicted took place before the 2016 campaign.
Sanders says the alleged misdeeds have nothing to do with Trump.
But she says it "has everything to do" with Hillary Clinton's campaign and a research firm that produced the dossier of allegations about Trump's ties to the Kremlin.
Sanders was asked about the guilty plea by former campaign adviser George Papadopoulos. She says Papadopoulos was a "volunteer."
Sanders also said Trump is not planning "any changes" with special counsel Robert Mueller. There is "no intention or plan to make any changes in regards to special counsel," she said.
Sanders also said the White House expects the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election "to conclude soon."
Trump's campaign was telling supporters that he is "still standing" Monday, hours after two former top aides turned themselves in to federal authorities.
The fundraising email from Eric Trump, the president's son, warns: "There's new opposition against my father and this administration every day," and asked supporters to contribute to the re-election effort. The message adds: "as a loyal supporter of our movement, I know you know the truth."
Democrats want outside investigation
The top Democrat in the House is pressing for an "outside, fully independent investigation" to expose Russia's meddling in the election and the involvement of Trump officials.
In a statement Monday shortly after indictments were unsealed, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California said that even with the accelerating special counsel probe and congressional investigations, another inquiry was warranted.
Pelosi said that defending the integrity of the country's democracy "demands that Congress look forward to counter Russian aggression and prevent future meddling with our elections."
Investigation details
Manafort and and Rick Gates, his longtime business associate, were indicted on 12 counts that include conspiracy against the U.S. and money laundering. They surrendered to federal authorities Monday morning.
The indictment accuses the men of moving more than $75 million through offshore accounts. The indictment alleges that Manafort laundered more than $18 million. The indictment alleges the men moved money through hidden bank accounts in Cyprus, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Seychelles.
"Manafort used his hidden overseas wealth to enjoy a lavish lifestyle in the United States without paying taxes on that income," the indictment reads.
Manafort had reportedly been under investigation for violations of federal tax law, money laundering and whether he appropriately disclosed his foreign lobbying, The New York Times reported.
White House silent
The White House declined to comment on the charges Monday morning. A spokesman for Manafort did not immediately return calls or text messages from The Associated Press requesting comment.
Manafort was seen leaving his home Monday morning with his lawyer. He later arrived at the FBI's field office in Washington D.C., CBS News reported.
Manafort, 68, was fired as Trump's campaign chairman in August 2016 after word surfaced that he had orchestrated a covert lobbying operation on behalf of pro-Russian interests in Ukraine. The indictments against Manafort and Gates were largely based on activities disclosed in August 2016 by The Associated Press, which reported that the pair had directly orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation on behalf of Ukraine's ruling political party.
Citing internal emails, the AP noted that Gates personally directed the work of two prominent Washington lobbying firms. The indictment quotes from some of the same emails the AP had obtained.
Mueller's investigators have focused on Manafort for months. In July, they raided one of his homes in Virginia, searching for tax and international banking records.
Manafort joined Trump's campaign in March 2016 and oversaw the convention delegate strategy. Trump pushed him out in August amid a steady stream of negative headlines about Manafort's foreign consulting work.
The president has not publicly commented yet on the federal charges other than through his tweets.
He expressed renewed frustration Sunday over the investigations into alleged ties between his campaign associates and Russian government officials, saying on Twitter that the "facts are pouring out" about links to Russia by his former presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton.
"DO SOMETHING!" Trump urged in one of five morning tweets.
Trump's tweets followed a CNN report late Friday that a federal grand jury in Washington had approved the first charges in a criminal investigation into Russia ties led by special counsel Mueller.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
