WASHINGTON — Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort resigns in wake of campaign shakeup and revelations about Ukraine work.
On Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that New Britain native 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 U.S. policy.
Now, CNN reports that FBI and Justice Department prosecutors are conducting an investigation into the possible US ties to alleged corruption of the former pro-Russian president of Ukraine, including the work of Paul Manafort's firm, according to multiple US law enforcement officials.
In a statement, Trump says Manafort offered his resignation Friday morning. Trump praised Manafort's work on the campaign and called him a "true professional."
Manafort is stepping down in the wake of a campaign shake-up, as well as revelations about his work for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine.
The Associated Press reported Thursday that Manafort's firm orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation on behalf of Ukraine's then-ruling political party. Paul Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates, never disclosed their work as foreign agents as required under federal law.
Earlier in the week, the campaign added two new top officials to the campaign in a move widely seen as a demotion for Manafort.
