Toronto Star

Omarosa ‘concerned’ probe may affect her

Former reality show star may have made audio recordings of White House meetings

- FLO ANTHONY AND DENIS SLATTERY NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Former White House staffer Omarosa Manigault-Newman may have taped confidenti­al West Wing conversati­ons and fears being caught up in special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, sources told the Daily News on Thursday.

The former reality TV star’s official last day in the Trump administra­tion is Saturday — despite the abrupt announceme­nt of her departure last month — and her next step seems to be lawyering up.

The soon-to-be former assistant to President Donald Trump and director of communicat­ions for the White House Office of Public Liaison has held explorator­y meetings with several high profile attorneys for potential representa­tion, a source told the News.

Manigault-Newman has met with Harvey Weinstein’s former attorney Lisa Bloom and former Bill Cosby lawyer Monique Pressley, among others.

It is not immediatel­y clear why the former Apprentice star is seeking legal help, but those with knowledge of her unceremoni­ous removal from the White House say she is “very concerned” that trouble is on the horizon.

The 43-year-old apparently believes she may become a fixture in Mueller’s investigat­ion into possible connection­s between the Trump campaign and Russia’s election meddling.

“Everyone knows Omarosa loves to record people and meetings using the voice notes app on her iPhone,” a source disclosed. “Don’t be surprised if she has secret audio files on everyone in that White House, past and present staffers included.”

A recent ban on personal cellphones in the West Wing, which fol- lowed the release of Michael Wolff’s explosive White House tell-all was related to Manigault-Newman’s track record of recording conversati­ons, the source added.

But a White House insider balked at the idea of Manigault-Newman being privy to any inside informatio­n that could be relevant to Mueller’s probe — or of interest to anyone else for that matter.

Interest in a political memoir by the exiled staffer has been “nonexisten­t,” according to the administra­tion source.

A recent report from Life & Style Weekly claimed Manigault-Newman could get upward of $10 million for a book deal.

The White House and Manigault-Newman did not respond to requests for comment.

 ?? DREW ANGERER/GETTY IMAGES FILE PHOTO ?? Former reality TV star Omarosa Manigault-Newman had a position in the White House until the abrupt announceme­nt of her departure last month.
DREW ANGERER/GETTY IMAGES FILE PHOTO Former reality TV star Omarosa Manigault-Newman had a position in the White House until the abrupt announceme­nt of her departure last month.

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