Just a few days ago, Manafort saw his official role in the campaign diminished after Trump shook up his staff.
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The Clinton campaign, for its part, insisted Trump still needs “to come clean on his own financial dealings” with groups tied to Russian Federation. The move signaled a demotion for Manafort.
Manafort had come under fire in recent weeks for his past political activity in Ukraine, which included consulting for former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.
Trump said in a statement he had accepted Manafort’s resignation, but did not offer an explanation for the departure.
The departure of Paul Manafort came as Trump tried this week to reset his unorthodox bid for the White House after falling behind Clinton in opinion polls for the November 8 election. Trump fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski in June, a time at which Manafort ascended to the top of the organization.
Full text of earlier article continues below.
Paul Manafort, the chief of US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign, has resigned following the campaign’s major shakeup two days ago, the NY billionaire announced Friday. Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates, never disclosed their work as foreign agents as required under federal law.
The firm has retained Caplin & Drysdale as independent, outside legal counsel to determine if we were misled by the Centre for a Modern Ukraine or any other individuals with regard to the Centre’s potential ties to foreign governments or political parties. It also obtained a statement from the nonprofit in question saying it was not directly or indirectly involved with a foreign entity, she said in an emailed statement. Bloomberg News reports today that the Hillary Clinton campaign plans to keep highlighting what it refers to as an “odd bromance Trump has with Putin”.
Manafort’s personal business dealings have also come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks, amid damaging questions over his ties to foreign governments and indications that he might have received Dollars 12 million in undisclosed cash payments, according to the Washington Post.
Three months before the election, Clinton is leading Trump by 47 percent to 41 percent, according to Real Clear Politics’ average of data from major polling operations.
Trump, who has been accused of offending Mexicans, Muslims, immigrants, the disabled and fellow Republicans such as John McCain during his 14-month presidential campaign did not specify which comments he regretted and said at one point that journalists have often taken him “out of context”. “I remain the campaign chairman and chief strategist, providing the big-picture, long-range campaign vision”. Manafort has denied any impropriety.
Ukrainian MP Serhiy Leshchenko said the payments were made to Mr Manafort for finance services such as carrying out exit polls at elections, buying computers and conducting research.
The Associated Press reported Thursday that between 2012 and 2014 Manafort’s firm allegedly orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation on behalf of Ukraine’s then-ruling political party.
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Manafort was also dogged by reports about secretive efforts he made to help the former pro-Russian government in Ukraine, where he worked on and off for several years.
