Ukrainian-American businessman Lev Parnas is seen in a 2018 social media post appearing to show him at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump in a screen capture from his social media account made in 2018 by the Campaign Legal Center and released by them after his arrest on federal campaign finance violation charges in Washington, U.S. October 10, 2019. Lev Parnas/Social Media via the Campaign Legal Center/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
Trump has claimed that he doesn’t know Rudy Giuliani’s arrested associates in the Ukraine scheme, but he signed off on a lawyer for both men.
The New York Times reported, “Mr. Parnas initially remained in Mr. Trump’s camp after House Democrats on Sept. 30 requested documents and testimony from him and Mr. Fruman. The men hired John Dowd, a lawyer who had earlier represented the president at one stage of the investigation by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Mr. Trump signed off on the hiring of Mr. Dowd, according to an Oct. 2 email reviewed by The New York Times.”
Joyce Vance picked up on this inconsistent detail:
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Trump told reporters on October 10, “I don’t know those gentlemen. Now it’s possible I have a picture with them because I have a picture with everybody. I have a picture with everybody here. Somebody said there may be a picture or something at a fundraiser or somewhere. But I have pictures with everybody. I don’t know if there’s anybody I don’t have pictures with. I don’t know them. I don’t know about them. I don’t know what they do. I don’t know, maybe they were clients of Rudy. You’d have to ask Rudy. I just don’t know.”
Evidence later surfaced that Trump has known both men for at least five years.
There is a criminal element to the Ukraine scandal that is just getting started. Impeachment is a massive political problem for Trump, but the criminal probe might end up being a threat to his freedom. If Trump loses the 2020 election, the Ukraine scheme could land him behind bars.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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