Donald Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort denied receiving $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments from the Ukraine that The New York Times reported on Sunday.
“Once again the New York Times has chosen to purposefully ignore facts and professional journalism to fit their political agenda, choosing to attack my character and reputation rather than present an honest report,” Manafort said in a statement on Monday morning.
Manafort continued: “I have never received a single off-the-books cash payment as falsely reported by the New York Times, nor have I ever done work for the governments of Ukraine or Russia … The suggestion that I accepted cash payments is unfounded, silly and nonsensical.”
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s pro-Russian political party relied heavily on the advice of Manafort, who helped them win several elections, according to the Times. The paper says a series of documents obtained by Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau known as the “black ledger” mention Manafort’s name 22 times.
Investigators for the newly formed bureau said the payments were “part of an illegal off-the-books system,” according to the Times.
The Times said criminal prosecutors are looking into a group of offshore shell companies that have ties to both Manafort and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has already been criticized for being too complimentary of Putin, so this bombshell report will only add fuel to that fire.
“Paul Manafort is among those names on the list of so-called ‘black accounts of the Party of Regions,’ which the detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine are investigating,” the agency said in a statement. “We emphasize that the presence of P. Manafort’s name in the list does not mean that he actually got the money, because the signatures that appear in the column of recipients could belong to other people.”
Manafort’s lawyer, Richard A. Hibey, denied that his client received the cash payments described in the Times story.
“These are suspicions, and probably heavily politically tinged ones,” Hibey told the Times. “It is difficult to respect any kind of allegation of the sort being made here to smear someone when there is no proof and we deny there ever could be such proof.”
9 Sickest Donald Trump Burns at the Democratic Convention
Democrats at their national convention want to tell Americans that whatever they think of Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump is worse. They're doing it with a barrage of sick burns. Here are the best.
"Some of you know me from The Hunger Games, in which I play Effie Trinket — a cruel, out-of-touch reality TV star who wears insane wigs while delivering long-winded speeches to a violent dystopia. So when I tuned into Cleveland last week, I was like, 'Hey, that's my act.'"
"This Democratic primary was exemplary. No name calling, no comments about the size of candidates' hands or ethnicity or how much they sweat or if they go to the bathroom. Inside secret: they do. That stuff is for third graders ... major arrested development stuff. That's 'I'm still emotionally 4 and calling people names from my gold-encrusted sandbox because I was given money instead of human touch or coping tools' stuff. But I digress."
"Sure, he's scammed a lot of people. But did you know that Trump University's School of Ripping People Off is ranked second in the nation? Right behind Bernie Madoff University."
"I've built a business and I didn't start it with a million-dollar check from my father ... I'm a New Yorker, and New Yorkers know a con when we see one."
Vice President Joe Biden
"He’s trying to tell us he cares about the middle class -- give me a break. That’s a bunch of malarkey ... The guy doesn't have a clue about the middle class, not a clue."
Dunham: “We know what you’re all thinking: Why should you care what some television celebrity has to say about politics?”
Ferrera: “And we feel the same way. But he is the Republican nominee, so we need to talk about him.”
Vice presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine
"He says, 'Believe me.' Well, his creditors, his contractors, his laid-off employees, and his ripped-off students did just that, and they all got hurt. Folks, you cannot believe one word that comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth."
Retired Adm. John Hutson
"More than 120 Republicans, national security leaders -- Republican national security leaders -- recently warned that Donald Trump would, in their words, 'make America less safe.' He even mocked POWs like John McCain. I served in the same Navy as John McCain. I used to vote in the same party as John McCain. Donald, you are not fit to polish John McCain’s boots."
President Barack Obama
"Anyone who threatens our values, whether fascists or communists or jihadists or homegrown demagogues, will always fail in the end."
Dems call Trump a con man demagogue who may be wearing wigs
Democrats at their national convention want to tell Americans that whatever they think of Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump is worse. They're doing it with a barrage of sick burns. Here are the best.
