Report: Paul Manafort pitched plan to advance Putin agenda

Source: Washington Examiner | March 22, 2017 | Kyle Feldscher

President Trump’s former campaign chairman once pitched a Russian oligarch on how he could be of service to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and developed a plan that could “greatly benefit the Putin Government,” according to an Associated Press report.

Paul Manafort, who left the campaign after he was linked to a $12.5 million payment from a Russian-backed Ukrainian political party, pitched plans to Russian aluminum oligarch Oleg Deripaska. Manafort eventually signed a $10 million annual contract with Deripaska in 2006 and they maintained a business relationship until at least 2009.

In 2005, Manafort wrote to Deripaska that he could help Putin refocus his power.

“We are now of the belief that this model can greatly benefit the Putin Government if employed at the correct levels with the appropriate commitment to success,” Manafort wrote.

Manafort wrote he “will be offering a great service that can re-focus, both internally and externally, the policies of the Putin government.”

The Associated Press reported it couldn’t say how much work Manafort performed for Deripaska under the contract or if he ever worked for the Russian government.

In a statement, Manafort denied he did anything wrong.

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Manafort, who led Trump’s campaign from March until August, has been the subject of an FBI investigation into possible links between Trump’s campaign and the Russian government.

According to the AP, business records show Manafort was directly linked to the Kremlin’s interests in Eastern Europe more than his Washington lobbying group on behalf of pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians in 2014.

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