'Torture Lobbyist' Paul Manafort Still Advising Donald Trump on Cabinet Picks
Source: Daily Beast
CAMBRIDGE, M.A.Paul Manafort stood in the foyer of the third-floor ballroom of the Charles Hotel, across the street from the Taubman Building of the Harvard Kennedy School, on Wednesday. Having left his mafioso uniform of gleaming pinstripe suit and tie at home in favor of a half-zip sweater and casual slacks, he went mostly unnoticed, even at an event for political operatives and junkies, where a man of his status should be a star.And Harvard, it turns out, is not the only place the ex-chairman of the Donald Trump presidential campaign and former lobbyist for some of the worst dictators and killers of the 20th century is operating in the shadows these days.
According to two sources with knowledge of the Trump presidential transition process, although Manaforts formal association with the president-elect ended in August, he is heavily involved with the staffing of the nascent administration.
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I think hes weighing in on everything, the former official said, I think he still talks to Trump every day. I mean, Pence? That was all Manafort. Pence is on the phone with Manafort regularly.
As a lobbyist, Manafort is particularly concerned with decisions the president-elect might make that will affect his industry, the former official explained. A guy like Manafort tries to make sure that the government is as comfortable for business as possible. He wants names he knows on every door.
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Read more: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/11/30/torture-lobbyist-paul-manafort-still-advising-donald-trump-on-cabinet-picks.html
The Daily Beast asked a spokesman for the transition team to comment, but got no response. Amd both Manafort and Kellyanne Conway responded "no comment" to questions about Manafort's role now.