Inaugural Official Disputes White House Account of Her Departure

[Eugene]

Source: New York Times

Inaugural Official Disputes White House Account of Her Departure

By Maggie Haberman and Ben Protess
May 6, 2019

WASHINGTON — Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a leading contractor for President Trump’s inaugural committee and a former adviser to the first lady, Melania Trump, has publicly disputed accounts of her departure from the White House last year, rejecting claims from officials that she was dismissed.

Ms. Winston Wolkoff specifically took issue with suggestions by White House officials that she had been forced out because of reports that she had profited excessively from her role in helping organize inaugural events. She gave her account of what happened in a statement to The New York Times more than a year after she parted ways with the White House, where she had served as an unpaid adviser to Mrs. Trump after the inauguration.

“Was I fired? No,” Ms. Winston Wolkoff said in the statement. “Did I personally receive $26 million or $1.6 million? No. Was I thrown under the bus? Yes.”

It was the first time Ms. Winston Wolkoff has provided extensive public comments about the events around her split from the White House, including characterizations at the time by White House officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, that she had been forced out because of reports about lavish spending on the inauguration.

Her lawyer recently informed inaugural committee officials that she had been cooperating since last fall with federal prosecutors in Manhattan who are investigating the committee’s spending and fund-raising.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/us/politics/trump-inauguration-stephanie-winston-wolkoff.html

______________________________________________________________________

Source: CNN

New York Times: Former Trump inauguration official says she was 'thrown under the bus'

By Kate Sullivan, CNN
Updated 0851 GMT (1651 HKT) May 7, 2019

Washington (CNN) — A former adviser to first lady Melania Trump who was involved in the planning of President Donald Trump's inauguration disputed the White House's account of her 2018 departure, the New York Times reported Monday.

Stephanie Winston Wolkoff objects to suggestions by White House officials that she was forced out of the East Wing job she held after Trump took office because she profited excessively from Trump's inaugural events, the Times reports.

Wolkoff was formerly a senior adviser and longtime friend of first lady Melania Trump. The firm she founded was paid close to $26 million to plan events around Trump's first inauguration, the Times first reported and CNN later confirmed.

-snip-

Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/06/politics/trump-inaugural-official-disputes-ouster/index.html

[Leghorn21]

1. Interesting! The inaugural cash-fest has been a great mystery, would love to hear some actual

FACTS about it!!!!! Sure hope the under-bussed Ms. Wolkoff can shed some light on the comings and goings of ALL. THAT. MONEY.

[lagomorph777]

2. SDNY is still in the game. This scandal could be the one that sends people to jail.

Including FLOTUS Melanoma.

[Leghorn21]

3. Yes indeed, lag, AND New Jersey is investigating the inauguration AND trump's good pal and

inauguration chair Tom Barrack is cooperating with Mr. Mueller’s team (as of March) AND - the best part! - Rick “I’m a fucking goldmine of information” Gates was Barrack’s go-to guy during this time period, and we know ole Rick is delivering the goods BIGLY!!

I just hope trump’s aware of this and is feeling more nervous by the minute!!

[Qutzupalotl]

4. Don't Wolkoff mad...