The campaign chairman for Donald Trump’s presidential bid denied any connection or cooperation between the Republican nominee and Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin.
ABC’s “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos asked Paul Manafort on Sunday about a Weekly Standard op-ed, in which columnist Bill Kristol mulled over whether the Trump campaign was in bed with Putin’s regime.
“No, they are not. It’s absurd. There’s no basis for it,” Manafort said.
During a separate TV appearance Sunday morning, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook charged that the Russians had hacked the Democratic National Committee email system to help Trump and that Trump was acting pro-Russian.
Manafort charged that Hillary Clinton has directed the conversation to focus on Trump’s alleged relationship with Putin because Democrats do not want to discuss the emails.
“It’s pure obfuscation on the part of the Clinton campaign. What’s in those emails show [that] it’s purely a rigged system. Bernie Sanders never had a chance,” Manafort said.
Manafort also shot down Stephanopoulos’ question, citing Kristol’s recommendation, that Trump should release his tax returns to prove he is not affiliated with Russian leaders.
