Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale blatantly contradicted the redacted Mueller report on Wednesday, calling the conclusion that Russians tried to help the Trump campaign “a joke.”
“There was never any help from the Russians,” he added, according to ABC affiliate WJLA.
This in direct contradiction to a finding in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s redacted report:
“Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.” (pg. 13)
While Mueller did not conclude that the Trump campaign actively worked with the Russians, he at least confirmed that the Trump campaign was aware that it would politically profit off of the Russian’s interference.
Parscale’s attitude fits with his boss’. Trump reportedly hates being reminded of the Russians’ past meddling or the future threat it poses, getting so incensed that it undermines the validity of his 2016 victory that Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney has actively scuttled attempts to discuss it.
h/t Jake Tapper.
