Manafort leaves Trump campaign amid Ukraine scandal

Donald Trump’s campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, resigned today amid a burgeoning scandal over his work in Ukraine. Manafort faced criticism over payments he received for his consulting work on behalf of the former pro-Russian Ukrainian government. The longtime political operative claimed he never lobbied in the United States for Ukrainian political figures. But emails obtained by The Associated Press show Manafort’s firm maintained a secret lobby effort for the Ukrainians, which included outreach to U.S. lawmakers and a public relations media campaign. Lobbying for foreign governments requires special permission, which Manafort and his deputy never never obtained. Manafort’s departure comes amid a Trump campaign shakeup that included the appointment of two new top advisers, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway and CEO Stephen Bannon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.