Timothy Snyder
@TimothyDSnyder
Levin Professor of History at Yale. Author of "On Freedom," "On Tyranny," "Our Malady," "Road to Unfreedom," "Black Earth," and "Bloodlands"
30-03-2015 21:25:57
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You might remember Manafort's ties to Russia from 2016. He (and Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump, Jr.) met with Russians in June 2016 in Trump Tower as part of, as the broker of the meeting called it, 'the Russian government's support for Trump' ( #RoadToUnfreedom , p. 237). 4/20
Manafort had to resign as Trump's campaign manager in August 2016 when news broke that he had received $12.7 million in cash from Yanukovych. But these details are just minor elements of Manafort's dependence on Russia. ( #RoadToUnfreedom , p. 235). 5/20
Manafort worked for Deripaska, the same Russian oligarch to whom McGonigal is linked, between 2006 and 2009. Manafort's assignment was to soften up the U.S for Russian influence. He promised 'a model that can greatly benefit the Putin government.' ( #RoadToUnfreedom , p. 234). 6/20
While Manafort worked for Trump in 2016, though, Manafort's dependence on Russia was deeper. He owed Deripaska money, not a position one would want to be in. Manafort offered Deripaska 'private briefings' on the campaign. He was hoping 'to get whole.' ( #RoadToUnfreedom , 234) 7/20