Paul Manafort walks outside the William B. Bryant US Courthouse Annex on October 30, 2017 in Washington,DC.
President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of conspiracy and money laundering after the Justice Department unveiled the first indictments in the probe into Russian election interference. Manafort, 68, and business partner Rick Gates, 45, both entered not guilty pleas in a Washington court after being read charges that they hid millions of dollars they earned working for former Ukrainian politician Viktor Yanukovych and his pro-Moscow political party.
 / AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski        (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
Manafort, Gates remain under house arrest
02:49 - Source: CNN
Washington CNN  — 

The federal judge overseeing the case against former Donald Trump campaign aides Paul Manafort and Rick Gates has issued a gag order in the case.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Wednesday said the order is necessary to limit the impact on potential jurors.

“In order to safeguard defendants’ rights to a fair trial, and to ensure that the court has the ability to seat a jury that has not been tainted by pretrial publicity, all interested participants in the matter, including the parties, any potential witnesses, and counsel for the parties and the witnesses, are hereby ordered to refrain from making statements to the media or in public settings that pose a substantial likelihood of material prejudice to this case,” Jackson wrote.

Manafort, Gates indictment a red flag to others

Last week, she urged the attorneys not to make their case from the courthouse steps.

“This is a criminal trial. It is not a public relations campaign,” Jackson said.

Manafort and Gates were indicted last week on 12 counts, including includes charges of conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money and unregistered agent of a foreign principal. The charges precede their involvement with Trump’s presidential campaign. The two have pleaded not guilty and remain under house arrest.