New York – Hillary Clinton’s campaign is questioning Donald Trump’s top political aide’s ties to a pro-Kremlin political party in the Ukraine and claiming it is further evidence of the Republican nominee’s cozy relationship with Russia.
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The New York Times reported that handwritten ledgers found in the Ukraine show $12.7 million in undisclosed payments to Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager, from the pro-Russia party founded by the country’s former president Viktor Yanukovych. Investigators are probing whether the money was part of an illegal off-the-book system that may have also made payments to election officials, according to the Times in a story published Sunday night.
“Given the pro-Putin policy stances adopted by Donald Trump and the recent Russian government hacking and disclosure of Democratic Party records,” Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said in statement, “Donald Trump has a responsibility to disclose campaign chair Paul Manafort’s and all other campaign employees’ and advisers’ ties to Russian or pro-Kremlin entities, including whether any of Trump’s employees or advisers are currently representing and or being paid by them.”
Manafort, who has had several international clients including Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, denied any wrongdoing.
“The simplest answer is the truth: I am a campaign professional,” said Manafort in a statement released Monday. “I have never received a single ‘off-the-books cash payment’ as falsely reported by The New York Times, nor have I ever done work for the governments of Ukraine or Russia.”
He added that his five-year stint as doing work as a political consultant in the Ukraine ended after that country’s elections in 2014.
Trump’s relationship with Russia has drawn scrutiny throughout the campaign, most recently when he encouraged hackers from that country to find Clinton’s missing emails, an apparent invitation for a foreign power to intervene in a U.S. election. Trump also has frequently praised Russian President Vladimir Putin.
That’s funny. We don’t see the times reporting on the connection between countries donating to the Clinton Foundation and Hillary.
First of all Bill Clinton worked for foreign campaigns too. Just ask Ehud Barak.
Secondly, we have this given notion that Russia is all evil. And working for Russia is like working for Isis. Did anyone ever stop and ask themselves who says Russia is so evil? Does that mean we agree with Putin’s bullyish policies? No. But that does not make them the old 20th century evil soviet empire.
So, Comrade TrumpForPrez, and your Anonymous Party Cohort, #1 :
All is ok with Comrade Manafort? This doesn’t trouble you folk at all? Bill Clinton got paid $$ millions by a foreign government? This is relevant in substance and scope to the Clinton Foundation? Who says Russia is so evil? Really now.
You guys gotta stop being Trump’s Pravda before you lose all your credibility…even the Wall Street Journal is coming around.
There’s another story out today that talks about Trump’s speech ISIS speech. Advanced copies have Trump saying that the United States should “partner” with any other country who opposes ISIS, whatever other differences we may have with them.
Well…let’s take stock of who are a few those countries:
Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, The Emirates, Dubai, Russia…
….”whatever other differences we have with them.”
Indeed Comrades…I can’t wait to see you spin this.