Rohrabacher to donate Manafort contribution to charity

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) will donate to charity $1,000 given to his reelection campaign by former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort during the 2014 cycle.

Dale Neugebauer, a spokesperson for Rohrabacher’s reelection campaign for the 2018 cycle, confirmed the upcoming donation to The Hill. The decision comes after Manafort was found guilty on eight felony charges Tuesday involving bank loan fraud and tax evasion.

Manafort made the contribution in March 2013 following a meeting with the congressman, according to filings from the Federal Election Commission.

Neugebauer said Rohrabacher had not yet decided on a specific charity or cause.

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CQ Roll Call was the first to report the donation.

The donations raised eyebrows when revealed due to Manafort’s work for a pro-Russia Ukrainian president. Rohrabacher has a reputation as having pro-Russia stances himself, indicating in July he had no problem with a 2016 meeting held in Trump Tower involving Manafort, Donald Trump, Jr., Jared Kushner and a Kremlin-linked lawyer promising dirt on Hillary Clinton.

Rohrabacher, who represents California’s 48th Congressional District in Southern California, is in the midst of a tight reelection campaign. The Cook Political Report lists the race as a “toss up.”

His opponent, Harley Rouda, slammed Manafort’s contribution on Twitter Tuesday before it was revealed Rohrabacher would be donating it.

Rouda said Rohrabacher “has no problem accepting campaign contributions from now convicted felon Mr. Manafort. Orange County deserves better than corrupted, cynical politicians who sell out to special interests.”

In contrast, my opponent, Dana Rohrabacher, has no problem accepting campaign contributions from now convicted felon Mr. Manafort. Orange County deserves better than corrupted, cynical politicians who sell out to special interests.

— Harley Rouda (@HarleyRouda) August 22, 2018