Paul Manafort Offered Russian Billionaire Private Access To Trump Campaign: WaPo

WASHINGTON, DC — Former Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort offered to give a Russian billionaire tied to the Kremlin private briefings shortly before the Republican National Convention, according to a new report from the Washington Post. The story adds to the growing evidence of extensive connections between the president's associates and the Kremlin.

The report cites emails obtained by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is running the investigation into Russian interference in the election and potential collusion with the Trump campaign. According to multiple reports, Mueller has honed in on Manafort as a key player in the investigation, and the former campaign manager has been in the FBI's sights for several years. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Appearing to confirm the authenticity of the emails, a spokesperson for Manafort referred to the exchanges as "innocuous" requests to settle old debts. The spokesman denies that the briefings occurred, and the Post could not confirm that they took place. However, as the Post writes, the findings "add to an already perilous legal situation for Manafort, whose real estate dealings and overseas bank accounts are of intense interest for Mueller and congressional investigators as part of their examination of Russia’s 2016 efforts."

Read the full report at The Washington Post>>

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