Last updated on October 26th, 2016 at 06:07 pm
American lobbyist and political consultant (born April 1, 1949)
Sypnosis
Paul John Manafort, an American born, is well known for his contributions towards political consultation in America and is also very good as a lobbyist. His efforts for lobbying on behalf of Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych, as well as for dictators such as Ferdinand Marcos and Mobutu Sese Seko and guerrilla leader Jonas Savimbi,shows his excellence in his field. Some of his other contributions are, advisor to presidential campaigns of Republicans Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bob Dole. He was the national chairman of the presidential campaign of Donald Trump, along with being a senior partner in the firm Davis, Manafort, and Freedman.
Early Life and Education
Manafort jr. originally belongs from New Britain, Connecticut. His parents were Antoinette Marie (Cifalu) and Paul J. Manafort, Sr. (1923-2013). An Italian descent completed his graduation in 1971 with Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, from Georgetown University. And a Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law School in 1974. His father served with the US Army combat engineers in World War II and also as a mayor of New Britain from 1965 to 1971. Whereas his, grandfather James Manafort migrated to States from Italy in 1919 and established The Manafort Brothers, a construction company.
Career
His early phase 1977-1980 was dedicated to law practise, with Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease in Washington D.C., in their firm.
Political Activities
In 1976, the Ford delegate operation started by James A. Baker, Manafort served as the delegate hunt coordinator for eight states for the President Ford Committee. Manafort also served as the southern coordinator for Ronald Regan’s presidential campaign and the deputy political director at the Republican National Committee from 1978 and 1980. After the elections, he also worked as an Associate Director of the Presidential Personnel Office at the White House, from November 1980. And after one year from then, he got nominated as the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. He also advised the presidential campaigns of George H.W. Bush in 1988 and Bob Dole in 1996.
Involvement in Donald Trump Republican campaign
In the current year 2016, he participated in the presidential campaign of Donald Trump to lead his “delegate-corralling” efforts. His expertise, in a month, led to his nomination for the position of campaign manager for Trump’s campaign. He took over all charge of the daily operations of the campaign and increased the budget to $20 million for hiring, decisions,advertising, and media strategy. In August 2016, the controversy of his links to former Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych and his party of the region,and an allegation of receiving $12.7 million in off the books fund from the Party of Regions drew national attention. On August 17, 2016, a report on an internal staff memorandum from Paul was published by the New York Times, stating”remain the campaign chairman and chief strategist, providing the big picture, long range campaign vision”. Two days later, Manafort’s resignation was officially announced by Trump, from the campaign after Stephen Bannon and Kellyanne Conway took on senior leadership roles within that campaign.
Lobbying career
Manager’s lobbying career started around 1980, as he was a founding partner ofWashington D.C.-based lobbying powerhouse. Later he joined Richard H. Davis, in 1996, to form Davis, Manafort, and Freedman. Manafort further continued his lobbying effort and helped with the flow of money to Savimbi, much later after the Soviet Union ceased its involvement in the Angolan conflict, forestalling peace talks.
Lobbying for other foreign leaders
His firm, BMSK, accepted $950,000 per annum to lobby for Ferdinand Marcos. He was also involved in lobbying for Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaïre, in 1989, and made some effort to hire Siad Barre of Somalia as a client. His firm was also involved with the governments of the Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya (earning between $660,000 and $750,000 each year between 1991 and 1993), and Nigeria ($1 million in 1991). As a result, Manaforts firm got listed out among top five lobbying firms, in financial terms from HR.
Involvement in the Karachi Affair
He wrote the campaign strategy for Edouard Balladur in 1995, during French elections, with a payment of at least $200,000. He received the money through his friend, Lebanese arms dealer Abdul Rahman al-Assir, from middle-men fees paid for arranging the sale of three French Agosta-class submarines to Pakistan, also known as the Karachi Affair.
Association with Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence Agency
He received $700,000 from the Kashmiri American Council during 1990 to 1994, supposedly to promote the plight of the Kashmiri people. While processing a documentary as part of the deal, Manafort interviewed several Indian officials, pretending to be a CNN reporter.
Lobbying for Viktor Yanukovych and involvements in Ukraine
He also served as an adviser on the Ukrainian presidential campaign of Viktor Yanukovych from Decembern2004 until February 2010,despite being opposed by the US government. His selection was suggested by Russian strategists. Manafort refused U.S. Ambassador, Wiliam Taylor, bluntly which later led to the accusation of him undermining U.S. interests in Ukraine. Based on a 2008 U.S. Justice Department annual report, his company received $63,750 from Yanukovych’s Party of Regions over a six-month period. Yanukovych owed his comeback in Ukraine’s presidential election to a positive makeover of his political image and, people in his party said, “that makeover was engineered in part by his American consultant, Manafort”. From 2007-2008 Manafort got involved in investment projects with Russian oligarch Oleganukovych owed his comeback in Ukraine’s presidential election to a positive makeover of his political image and, people in his party said, “that makeover was engineered in part by his American consultant, Manafort”. From 2007-2008 Manafort got involved in investment projects with Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska and Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash.In an April 2016 interview with ABC News Manafort stated that the aim of his activities in Ukraine had been to lead the country “closer to Europe”.
From 2007-2008 Manafort got involved in investment projects with Russian oligarch Oleganukovych owed his comeback in Ukraine’s presidential election to a positive makeover of his political image and, people in his party said, “that makeover was engineered in part by his American consultant, Manafort”. From 2007-2008 Manafort got involved in investment projects with Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska and Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash.In an April 2016 interview with ABC News Manafort stated that the aim of his activities in Ukraine had been to lead the country “closer to Europe”.
