Paul Manafort on Friday resigned as Donald Trump’s campaign chairman, after the announcement of a new leadership structure for the campaign earlier this week, Politico reports.
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“My father didn’t want to be you know distracted by whatever things Paul was dealing with”, the younger Trump said in a preview of a Fox News interview airing Sunday. The billionaire called Manafort “a true professional”. “This morning, Paul Manafort offered, and I accepted, his resignation from the campaign”, the Republican nominee said in a statement.
The Associated Press also reported that Manafort “helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political party’s efforts to influence USA policy”.
Paul Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates, never disclosed their work as foreign agents as required under federal law.
What irks me – and Democrats do this just as much as Republicans do – is the bogus attempts to insist that there’s nothing to see here when you put two new people in charge of your campaign – and the guy who was in charge leaves.
Manafort is also stepping down amid growing allegations related to his work on behalf of a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine.
Also on Friday, Ukrainian anti-corruption investigators released copies of handwritten ledgers detailing possible cash payments from Ukrainian political figures to Mr Manafort totalling more than $US12 million ($A15.6 million).
He has vehemently dismissed the claims and denied any wrongdoing.
The move follows the introduction of Stephen Bannon as CEO of the campaign, and Kellyanne Conway as campaign manager.
Manafort has worked as an adviser to the presidential campaigns of several USA presidents and presidential candidates, including Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush.
According to The Washington Post, this decision comes during a critical week for Trump’s campaign, now under pressure from Republican leaders and wealthy contributors as well, both groups trying to bring his campaign on the right path.
As CNBC’s John Harwood noted, it’s “not insane for voters to wonder what continuous campaign turmoil says about Trump’s ability to be chief executive of United States government”.
“Manafort is leaving on good terms with the campaign, and continues to support Trump”, a friend of his told the Washington Post.
The news comes after Trump, who has been sliding in polls with less than three months until Election Day, announced a major shakeup in his campaign.
Trump: Offer me your resignation.
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US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses supporters during a campaign rally in Kissimmee, Florida, on August 11, 2016.
