Paul Manafort's spokesman testifies before grand jury Friday in highly unusual turn

Paul Manafort's spokesman, Jason Maloni, will testify before a Washington federal grand jury Friday in what is considered a highly unusual move because spokespeople typically enjoy confidential attorney-client privileges, Politico reports.

Manafort served for a time as President Trump's campaign manager, and he is a central person of interest in the ongoing investigation into Russia's influence on the 2016 election. Manafort's home was raided in July by investigators.

Calling in Maloni could also have something to do with Manafort's unenthusiastic cooperation. "[T]here is nothing that prevents prosecutors from asking a PR person to testify — and they often have valuable insight," Politico writes. "The prosecutors have also asked Maloni for a wide array of records, according to people familiar with the matter."

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U.S. officials told CNN that Manafort is under investigation for possible tax and financial crimes, centering around the work he did for a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine.