Manafort's friends set up legal defense fund because he's broke from Mueller's 'smear campaign'

Unnamed friends of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort have set up a legal defense fund in his honor, claiming he needs help to combat special counsel Robert Mueller's "smear campaign" against him.

BuzzFeed News reported Wednesday that "longtime friends" of the indicted Trump associate claimed in a statement that they created the crowdfunding campaign "to support the Manafort family as they battle false allegations, government leaks and smear campaigns related to the proceedings brought against him by the Office of Special Counsel."

"The Defense Fund is urging anyone who values civil liberties and wishes to show the 'Deep State' that they cannot exert their will on ordinary citizens," the statement continued, "to join them in supporting the Manafort family as they grapple against the Special Counsel to clear their name."

At the website ManafortDefense.org, sympathizers can donate using their credit cards, and are met with videos from Fox News' Sean Hannity about Mueller's supposed anti-Trump bias.