This 2017 memo shows that even Trump's DOJ thinks colluding with Russia is a crime

This week, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani has publicly been making the case that, even if the Trump campaign did collude with Russian foreign agents during the 2016 presidential campaign, it would not amount to a crime.

New York University law professor Ryan Goodman, however, has written up an analysis of a 2017 Department of Justice memo that shows the acts involved with colluding with Russia most certainly could be considered crimes.

Writing at Just Security, Goodman breaks down a DOJ memo signed last August that he says shows the department "has set out explicitly that acts of collusion can amount to a federal crime, and has done so specifically with respect to the jurisdiction of special counsel, Robert Mueller."

In particular, he zeroes in on a passage about the scope of Mueller's investigation when it comes to former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who is now on trial for alleged money laundering and other charges.

Specifically, the memo states that allegations Manafort "committed a crime or crimes by colluding with Russian government officials with respect to the Russian government's efforts to interfere with the 2016 election" are "within the scope" of the special counsel's investigation.

The entire memo can be found at this link.