Trump pal: I lied to the FBI
His election adviser covered up attempt to meet Putin ‘niece’ as campaign chief faces 12 charges
ONE of Donald Trump’s election campaign advisers lied to the FBI about the timing of secret meetings with Russian contacts, including a “niece” of Vladimir Putin.
George Papadopoulos has already pleaded guilty to the charge – the most explicit evidence so far connecting the Trump campaign to alleged Russian meddling in the US presidential election.
The revelation came shortly after the unsealing of 12 indictments against the US leader’s former campaign chief Paul Manafort and his associate Rick Gates.
Mr Trump said focus should be on alleged wrongdoing involving Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
He tweeted: “Sorry, but this is years ago before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign. But why aren’t Crooked Hillary & the Dems the focus??? Also, there is NO COLLUSION!”
Court documents say Papadopoulos spoke to a “campaign supervisor” about his attempts to meet with Russians to discuss US ties if Mr Trump won, including a woman described in emails as President Putin’s niece.
The unnamed supervisor said: “Great work.” Papadopoulos told them Russia had “dirt” on Mrs Clinton.
Officials said he then lied to the FBI about the timing and nature of communications. Prosecutors said: “Through false statements and omissions [he] impeded the FBI’S investiga- tion into the existence of any links… between individuals associated with the campaign and the Russian government’s efforts to interfere with the election.”
Papadopoulos pleaded guilty earlier this month. The sentencing judge will be told of his “efforts to cooperate with government”. Meanwhile Manafort and Gates, 45, yesterday pleaded not guilty to all 12 charges, including conspiring to defraud the US in dealings with Ukraine, money laundering and failure to file reports of foreign accounts.
It is alleged Manafort, 68, moved at least €65million to undeclared offshore accounts, then withdrew some €14.7million to fund a lavish lifestyle, while Gates took out €2.5million.
They hid payments from 2006 to 2016 by laundering the cash, according to the indictment. It said their work included lobbying “multiple Members of Congress and staffs about Ukraine sanctions”.
Prosecutors asked for Manafort’s bail to be €8.5million, Gates’s €4.2million, and for both to be under house arrest.
Their charges do not relate to Trump’s campaign but stem from a probe into alleged Russian meddling in last year’s election. Both sides deny collusion.
Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner has pulled out of a dinner in London this week marking the 1917 Balfour Declaration, when Britain backed Jews having their own homeland.
Through his false statements he impeded the FBI PROSECUTORS ON GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS