‘I won’t sell out. I cannot allow them to win’: Paul Manafort told Fox News’ Sean Hannity he would never give Mueller information on Trump or Kushner in hundreds of newly unsealed texts between the two
- The pair messaged up to several times a day between July 2017 and June 2018
- They were even in contact while Hannity was on air, the 50 pages of texts show
- Trump’s former campaign chair asserted he ‘would never give up Dt or family’
- Hannity offers support to Manafort, telling him he was ‘in his prayers’
- He tells Manafort they are ‘on the same team’. Manafort replies: ‘We will prevail’
- Manafort was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison on corruption charges in March
Paul Manafort told Sean Hannity he would never give Robert Mueller information on Donald Trump or his family in hundreds of newly unsealed texts between the two.
The president’s former campaign chair spoke with the Fox News host on numerous occasions and the pair messaged up to several times a day between July 2017 and June 2018.
They were even in contact while Hannity was on air, court documents of more than 50 pages of texts show.
When former Trump campaign official Rick Gates pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and lying to FBI agents investigating Russian election interference in February 2018 Hannity asked: ‘Why don’t u get a sweetheart deal like Gates.’
Manafort replied: ‘They would want me to give up Dt or family, esp JK. I would never do that.’ It is understood JK refers to Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Hannity messaged back: ‘Understand. There is nothing to give up on DT. What did JK do?’
To which Manafort replied: ‘Nothing, just like I did nothing. They will want me to make s*** up on both. I will never do that.’
Scroll down to read all the messages between Manafort and Hannity.
Paul Manafort, left, told Sean Hannity, right, he would never give Mueller information on Donald Trump or Jared Kushner in hundreds of newly unsealed texts between the two
Hannity asked: ‘Why don’t u get a sweetheart deal like Gates.’ Manafort replied: ‘They would want me to give up Dt or family, esp JK. I would never do that’
He later added: ‘I won’t sell out. I cannot allow them to win. . .it would empower them to go after [Trump] and lots of others.
‘Plus i plan on helping on the re elect!’
Manafort, who was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on multiple tax and bank fraud charges, continues to protest his innocence in the messages.
The messages go right up to the month Manafort was jailed. A federal judge ordered their release.
He told Hannity, whose number is redacted, in 2017: ‘The media is trying to split me with DT and family by lies and untruths. It is such a dirty game.
‘I have new lawyers who are junk yard dogs and will undo a lot of this injustice. But it is going to be a painful and expensive fight for me.’
The president’s former campaign chair spoke with the Fox News host on numerous occasions and messaged several times a day between July 2017 and June 2018. Manafort told Hannity he ‘would never give up Dt or family’
They were even in contact while Hannity was on air more than 50 pages of texts show
Hannity continues to offer support and advice to Manafort, telling him he was ‘in his prayers’ the day it was revealed Manafort’s home had been raided by federal agents.
He writes: ‘I pray that God give you grace and peace in this difficult moment. If you ever just want to talk, grab dinner, vent, strategize — whatever, I am here. I know this is very hard. Stand tall and strong.’
Manafort tells him: ‘Thank you. I need them. I feel so violated.’
In one message Manafort tells Hannity: ‘You and Roger [Stone] were great TV tonight.
Hannity replied: ‘We r all on the same team.’
‘And we will prevail,’ answered Manafort.
Following the disclosure of the messages Hannity tweeted: ‘My view of the Special Counsel investigation and the treatment of Paul Manafort were made clear every day to anyone who listens to my radio show or watches my TV show.’