Paul Manafort, the longtime Republican strategist with a controversial past, has resurfaced in the political arena as he begins advising efforts for the upcoming Republican National Convention. Manafort, who previously served as chairman of Donald J. Trump’s 2016 campaign, has been involved in meetings in Milwaukee, where the convention is set to take place in July.
The 75-year-old political operative, known for his work with foreign governments and past Republican conventions, has been expected to join the convention planning team for weeks. Despite his checkered history, Trump advisers have brought him on board in an unpaid capacity, sparking controversy in political circles.
Manafort’s involvement with Trump’s campaign in 2016 was short-lived, as he was ousted over his ties to a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine. He later became entangled in the investigation by Robert S. Mueller III into Russian interference in the election. Despite being sentenced to prison, Manafort was pardoned by Trump at the end of his term.
His role in the upcoming convention remains unclear, but he is expected to advise on the staffing structure of the platform committee. However, he is not supposed to be involved in the substance of the platform itself, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The platform debate at this year’s convention holds particular significance for the party, as the Republican Party did not adopt a new platform in 2020 due to the pandemic and simply reverted to the 2016 platform. Notably, changes to the platform that watered down support for Ukraine against Russian aggression were among the issues investigated by Mueller.
As Manafort re-enters the political sphere, his presence at the convention is sure to reignite debates about his controversial past and his influence on the Republican Party’s platform.
