News

Rick Gates Says Paul Manafort Tried To Sell Army Secretary Position To Banker Stephen Calk

Rick Gates claimed at Paul Manafort‘s trial on Tuesday that his mentor recommended a banker to be named President Donald Trumps Army secretary.

Gates, a former Trump aide, told prosecutors in Virginia that Manafort floated Stephen Calk‘s — a Federal Savings Bank CEO who’s bank loaned Manafort money — name as a potential new Army secretary just weeks after the 2016 election, according to CNN.

“We need to discuss Steve Calk for Sec of Army,” Manafort wrote to Gates in an email from Nov. 24, 2016 that prosecutors allowed the jury to see. Then one month later, Manafort reportedly emailed business associate Gates again to express his desire for Calk and his son to attend Trump’s inauguration.

50 CELEBRITIES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.

The mortgage loan Calk offered Manfort in 2016 was based on false financial information. Calk is a former Army officer and helicopter pilot.

SLIDESHOW: DONALD TRUMP’S 30 CRAZIEST TWEETS

Gates has already testified against Manafort, saying that he helped Trump’s former campaign chairman commit dozens of bank and tax fraud crimes over the last decade. The pair have been accused of performing work to support pro-Russia political candidates and organizations in Ukraine.

Manafort has pleaded not guilty to all charges of financial fraud and other charges he has drawn as part of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post reported that an FBI accountant who tracked Manafort’s business dealings with Ukrainian political entities — from whom he received millions of dollars — took the witness stand. The forensic accountant reportedly explained how Trump’s former campaign chairman intentionally misreported his income to spend lavishly on personal goods and keep money in offshore bank accounts in Cyprus and Britain, among other locations. Manafort and Gates were both named beneficial owners of many of those accounts, the FBI employee said.

Gates also confessed to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort.

Pablo Mena

Writer for upolitics.com. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.

Recent Posts

VIDEO: Trump Watches SpaceX Launch Alongside Elon Musk & Ted Cruz

https://youtube.com/shorts/YVrfbMZSVRE?feature=share US President-elect Donald Trump drew cheers as he arrived in Texas on Nov. 19 to watch…

2 days ago

Foreign Policy Experts Voice Concern About Trump’s Nomination Of Tulsi Gabbard For Director Of National Intelligence

After President-elect Donald Trump selected Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, as his nominee for…

3 days ago

Trump’s Pick Of Vaccine-Skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. As Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Alarms Scientific Community

President-elect Donald Trump's announcement that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be his pick for Department…

4 days ago

VIDEO: President-Elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk & Cabinet Picks Attend UFC Fight In NYC, Crowd Chants “USA”

https://youtube.com/shorts/6CUvTmS87UM?feature=share President-elect Donald Trump arrived to cheers at an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event in…

4 days ago

Trump Pick Of Matt Gaetz For Attorney General Sends Shock Waves Through Capitol

President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) as his attorney general has sent shockwaves through…

5 days ago

VIDEO: Fights Break Out In Stand During France-Israel Match

https://youtube.com/shorts/TD8RNJl-NBk A fight broke out in one of the stands at the Stade de France…

5 days ago