Dems want DOD info on alleged Manafort 'quid pro quo'

The top Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform are requesting Defense Secretary Jim Mattis send them any information the Pentagon has on communications with a Chicago banker who is alleged in media reports to have made a $16 million loan to former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort in exchange for a job as Army secretary.

"We are writing to request information about extremely troubling press reports suggesting that a banker named Stephen Calk may have made loans of up to $16 million to President Donald Trump's campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, in exchange for alleged promises to name him Secretary of the Army," according to a letter sent to Mattis by Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Stephen Lynch (D-MA).

Calk is chairman of Federal Savings Bank in Chicago. Manafort has been indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller as part of Mueller's inquiry into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.

According to numerous media reports "between late 2016 and early 2017, 'Mr. Calk was placing calls to the Pentagon and specifically to Army headquarters, asking for briefings to obtain information and prepare himself for a possible job,'" the lawmakers write. "In addition, according to these reports, 'Mr. Calk’s overtures raised questions among military leaders as to how to respond.'"

Cummings and Lynch have requested that Mattis by March 13 provide a briefing and produce documents including any communications with Calk and Manafort, any requests for information from Calk, any communications between DOD and individuals associated with the Trump campaign, and "any actions considered or taken by the Pentagon," according to the letter.