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Paul Ryan’s office denied the conversation occurred — until being told The Washington Post had a recording.
After a pair of blockbuster reports this week about Donald Trump’s possible ties with Russia – including sharing “highly classified” intel with the Russian ambassador – Republicans in Congress have come under increased pressure to distance themselves from the White House.
These unusual circumstances make even more remarkable the discovery of a secret recording that reveals top House GOP leaders joking about Trump’s ties to Russia – as reported by The Washington Post late Wednesday.
In June of last year House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy R-Calif. told colleagues that he thinks Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘pays’ Trump – according to an audio recording obtained by The Post.
The audio was reportedly recorded after a meeting with the Ukrainian prime minister in Washington, D.C. last year.
The Post published a full transcript of the publication tape here.
‘There’s two people I think Putin pays: [GOP Rep. Dana] Rohrabacher and Trump’ the California Republican said – according to the June recording that the newspaper reported it ‘listened to and verified’.When some of his audience laughed at the comments McCarthy added: ‘Swear to God!’
The Post reported that Speaker Paul Ryan – R-Wis. – stopped the conversation immediately and made the GOP members present swear to secrecy.
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