Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s campaign chair, suggested on Thursday night that after the FBI did not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified information, the agency’s crime statistics cannot be trusted.
CNN’s Jake Tapper noted in an interview with Manafort that much of the Republican convention has focused on violent crime but that “according to FBI statistics, crime rates have been going down for decades.”
“How can the Republicans make the argument that somehow it’s more dangerous today when the facts don’t back that up?” he asked.
“People don’t feel safe in their neighborhoods,” Manafort replied. “I’m not sure what statistics that you’re talking about.”
Tapper repeated that he was citing FBI statistics.
“Well, the FBI is certainly suspect these days after what they did with Hillary Clinton,” Manafort said in response, referring to the conclusion of the FBI’s probe into Clinton’s private email server.
“But as far as crime in the neighborhoods, people don’t feel safe. They’re not safe in their neighborhoods, and the crime that you see is because no one feels as if the system is protecting their interest,” he continued. “We think it’s an issue that’s contrasted very strongly with what Obama has done in the White House and what Clinton stands for and we’ll be talking about tonight.”
“I wasn’t talking about feelings, I was just talking about the facts of actual violent crime,” Tapper responded before moving on to another topic.
Watch the clip via CNN:
Trump campaign manager asked about crime statistics: “The FBI is certainly suspect” https://t.co/KjpeNheq0X https://t.co/nY3LmvtJo8
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 22, 2016
Vladimir Putin is so proud of his friend Manafort.
I’m just wondering if he’s that stupid, or just that well paid.
I won’t expect this everywhere in the media, but TPM at least should from here on out refer to him always as “pathological liar Paul Manafort.” It’s most respectful if you use people’s full titles.
Awesome. So crime is far lower than Trump is claiming using these statistics since it is in the FBIs interest in making crime on the rise so it can get more funding… right?
(evil grin)
Better Manafort – “Facts, we don’t need no stinking facts.”