Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is reportedly denying a claim from his top ally Roger Stone that Trump gave Kathleen Willey money so she could attack the Clintons.
Yesterday Media Matters reported exclusively that in a February radio interview, Stone said that Trump had contributed an undisclosed amount to help pay off Willey’s mortgage “so she can hit the road and start speaking out on Hillary.” Stone urged listeners to join Trump in sending money to Willey, citing a GoFundMe page and unidentified “numerous receptacles” through which donors could give.
Willey’s accusation that Bill Clinton sexually assaulted her in 1993 -- which was investigated by the Office of the Independent Counsel -- was the subject of a web video Trump’s campaign released yesterday.
Fox News’ John Roberts, who highlighted Stone’s comments earlier today, reported that the Trump campaign said “there’s no truth” to the assertion that Trump “contributed to [the] Willey mortgage GoFundMe campaign.”
It is unclear whether Trump contributed through one of the other “receptacles” Stone cited in the interview, or if Stone was lying.
Stone is a longtime friend and ally of Trump who says he speaks regularly with the candidate. He has a decades-long history of dirty political tricks, and regularly spouts violent, racist, and sexist rhetoric and conspiracy theories about the Clintons.