President Trump on Sunday ripped the FBI and Justice Department for failing to inform him that Paul Manafort was being “secretly investigated” when he was hired to lead the 2016 presidential campaign.
Mr. Trump tweeted that he would never have tapped Mr. Manafort as campaign chairman and chief strategist if he had known that then-FBI director “[Jim] Comey and the boys were doing a number on him.”
As only one of two people left who could become President, why wouldn’t the FBI or Department of “Justice” have told me that they were secretly investigating Paul Manafort (on charges that were 10 years old and had been previously dropped) during my campaign? Should have told me!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2018
….Paul Manafort came into the campaign very late and was with us for a short period of time (he represented Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole & many others over the years), but we should have been told that Comey and the boys were doing a number on him, and he wouldn’t have been hired!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2018
Hired in May, Mr. Manafort stepping down less than three months later amid allegations regarding his firm’s involvement with Ukraine politicians.
Mr. Manafort, who pled not guilty to charges of tax fraud and money laundering stemming from his work in Ukraine, was under FBI surveillance both before and after the 2016 election, according to CNN.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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