George Papadopoulos went on Fox News Friday and laid out an alternate reality version of his conviction by special counsel Robert Mueller, saying he may withdraw from his plea agreement and claiming to be the victim of an Obama-backed deep state conspiracy.
“I believe that there was tremendous misconduct on the government’s behalf regarding my case,” Papadopoulos said to Fox and Friends host Brian Kilmeade, one day after testifying in a closed-door hearing before the House Judiciary Oversight and Government Reform Commitee.
“I’m actually even considering withdrawing my agreement I have come to with the government,” he added to Kilmeade.
“To have to serve even one day in jail for something that now it seems was completely orchestrated and I was framed in many ways … I would never want another American to go through something like what I’m going through at the moment,” he added.
Papadopoulos then went on to claim – without evidence – that he was the victim of an Obama-run deep state conspiracy over his attempts to market Israeli oil to various Mediterranean nations.
Kilmeade offered no challenge to the claim, but did ask Papadopoulos, “Who framed you?”
“It was likely a plot by Western intelligence to ensure that if candidate Trump was elected … that there would be a precedent or excuse to really try and squeeze him.”
On @foxandfriends, George Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and was sentenced to 14 days in prison, says he was framed.
"To have to serve even one day in jail for something that now it seems was completely orchestrated and I was framed in many ways…" pic.twitter.com/RjjmAh6Hre
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 26, 2018
Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to one count of perjury in October 2017. A Trump foreign policy adviser, he admitted to telling an Australian diplomat in London over drinks that Russian intelligence had access to Clinton’s emails.