Paul, a former U. S. congressman from Texas, came to Des Moines' federal courthouse to testify for prosecutors against two of his former top staffers, Jesse Benton and Dimitri Kesari. The two operatives are charged in a scheme to illegally hide payments made to former Iowa state Sen. Kent Sorenson, allegedly for his endorsement of Paul's 2012 bid.

But Paul was not happy to be testifying against the two, particularly because Benton is married to his granddaughter, he said. The former congressman went on to say he believes federal prosecutors intentionally announced indictments on Aug. 5, one day before the first Republican primary debate that featured Rand Paul.

"I don't consider that a coincidence," he said. "I consider that more than seeking justice."

Paul left the courthouse without speaking to reporters. But he told the jurors that he had no knowledge of his campaign making payments to Sorenson. He said he'd still support Benton, and that he doesn't currently feel "victimized" by his former staffers.