Rick Gates was no coffee boy. After his boss Manafort left the campaign, "Gates remained entrenched in Trump operation" – as deputy chair of Trump's campaign AND inaugural cmte [managing the murky $107M inaugural fund] and an organizer w Parscale of a pro-Trump super PAC.
#Maddow
#Maddow
"Mueller already has provable evidence against Manafort. He's using Rick Gates to go after Trump."
#Maddow
#Maddow
Rick Gates admitted at Manafort's trial to misusing Trump inauguration funds to cover personal expenses, raising new questions about how well the inaugural committee tracked the most expensive inauguration in history, partially funded by Russians.
#Maddow bit.ly/2OzZWoa
#Maddow bit.ly/2OzZWoa
Recall: Special Counsel Mueller is investigating donations to Trump inauguration from Russian linked entities. → Mueller's favorite cooperating witness, Rick Gates, was deputy chair of Trump's inaugural committee.
#Maddow
#Maddow
Mueller is eyeing Russians who donated $1M+ to Trump's inaugural & were granted unusual access to events including Victor Vekselberg & Leonard Blavatnik. At one dinner, [paying] Russians dined with: Tom Barrack, Bannon, Ichan, Nix, Flynn, Manafort.
#Maddow
#Maddow
ICYMI: Mueller investigators have already interviewed Trump's "lifelong friend" & inaugural committee chairman, Tom Barrack about Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, and financial matters re Trump's campaign, transition & inauguration.
#Maddow
#Maddow
FYI: Rick Gates flipped on Feb 23, 2018. Weeks later [early Mar], Mueller team questioned Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg [whose US associates donated a combined $1.25M to Trump inaugural fund] when his private jet landed at a NY area airport.
#Maddow
#Maddow
Mueller told Gates “didn't need his cooperation against Manafort…and instead wanted to hear what he knew about contact between the Trump campaign and Russians…
#Maddow
#Maddow
