Time for a second look at Corey Lewandowski? Maybe.
Monday’s New York Times has a bombshell of an article on current Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort that accuses him of taking millions of dollars in cash payments from former Ukrainian President Viktor F. Yanukovych. Here’s the opener:
KIEV, Ukraine — On a leafy side street off Independence Square in Kiev is an office used for years by Donald J. Trump’s campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, when he consulted for Ukraine’s ruling political party. His furniture and personal items were still there as recently as May.
And Mr. Manafort’s presence remains elsewhere here in the capital, where government investigators examining secret records have found his name, as well as companies he sought business with, as they try to untangle a corrupt network they say was used to loot Ukrainian assets and influence elections during the administration of Mr. Manafort’s main client, former President Viktor F. Yanukovych.
Handwritten ledgers show $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments designated for Mr. Manafort from Mr. Yanukovych’s pro-Russian political party from 2007 to 2012, according to Ukraine’s newly formed National Anti-Corruption Bureau. Investigators assert that the disbursements were part of an illegal off-the-books system whose recipients also included election officials.
Manafort’s lawyer denies the allegations and says the story is a “smear” on his client:
Manafort's lawyer said he "had not received 'any such cash payments,'" and suggests its an effort to "smear" Manafort
— John Bresnahan (@BresPolitico) August 15, 2016
Obviously bad news for team Trump, but here’s the best part — former Trump campaign manager tweeted the article out shortly after publication…
Secret Ledger in Ukraine Lists Cash for Donald Trump’s Campaign Chief https://t.co/7bh7iIHHaY
— Corey R. Lewandowski (@CLewandowski_) August 15, 2016
…Roger Stone, reportedly a Manafort guy who didn’t like Lewandowski, responds:
https://twitter.com/RogerJStoneJr/status/765014180231471104
Get. The. Popcorn.
And all this has the MSM acting like a kid on Christmas morning who finds out they’re getting a trip to Disneyland and a puppy and BB gun:
https://twitter.com/aaltman82/status/764994501458788352
https://twitter.com/AnnieLowrey/status/765009494854074370
These guys are going to hate bang by the time this is over https://t.co/bKyCYjwLP5
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) August 15, 2016
well this is an interesting thing for Corey to tweet https://t.co/QG9jEil9Sd
— Sam Stein (@samstein) August 15, 2016
reservoir dogs… https://t.co/ErzbmGl1aK
— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) August 15, 2016
You act like Manafort stole your boyfriend. https://t.co/6q8Jp32vPp
— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) August 15, 2016
— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) August 15, 2016
Trump's former campaign manager tweets damning article about guy he was replaced by BUT EVERYTHING IS BIGLY FINE! https://t.co/aQDEDXZsN9
— Jason Pinter (@jasonpinter) August 15, 2016
Former Trump manager Corey Lewandowski House of Cards'ing current Trump manager Paul Manafort. This crazy campaign. https://t.co/8RKI4V5j1d
— shinan govani (@shinangovani) August 15, 2016
What’s even better is Lewandowski is using a story from the “failing” New York Times to get back at his replacement:
The failing @nytimes, which never spoke to me, keeps saying that I am saying to advisers that I will change. False, I am who I am-never said
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2016
Exit question: Time to replace Paul with Corey?
I smell a Corey comeback I know it
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) August 15, 2016
The countdown begins.
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