唐纳德·特朗普总统竞选的前顾问承认向联邦调查局特工作了虚假陈述关于与俄罗斯的关系正在竞选国会议员。
根据提交联邦选举委员会的文件周二，乔治·帕帕佐普洛斯将作为共和党人参加加州第25区的竞选——民主党人凯蒂·希尔空出的席位在与员工关系不正当的指控和非法报复色情照片被公布后。
最终导致希尔辞职的照片发表在右翼杂志上红色州网站和右翼英国小报每日邮报。
帕帕佐普洛斯在不当行为指控浮出水面和相关照片发布之前发推特说，“加州第25国会区看起来是为了拍照”。
这条推文引起了猜测，即信息的发布是一次精心策划的试图除掉希尔的行动的一部分。希尔作为一名新国会议员，被认为是民主党内的一颗冉冉升起的新星。
是的周二透露詹妮弗·范·拉尔，他在红色州在每日邮报他是共和党的长期顾问，曾经是争夺希尔席位的加州共和党人的竞选经理。
小山批评“可恶的政治活动分子”她在辞职信中协助“围绕网络剥削展开的诽谤运动”。国会警察证实新闻周刊他们正在调查。
帕帕佐普洛斯辞职后发推特说:“凯蒂·希尔辞职后，我闻到水里有血的味道。
“加州第25国会选区对这一举措持开放态度。总得有人站出来。我太喜欢我的州了，不会被像希尔这样的候选人击败。只说不做，一大堆抛售。”
后来的一条推文称帕帕佐普洛斯不久将正式宣布竞选该席位。
理查德·佩因特是前总统乔治·布什的首席道德律师，他认为这位32岁的国会议员的意图是“荒谬的”。
佩因特说:“众议员凯蒂·希尔犯了一个愚蠢的错误，假装虔诚的民主党人抛弃了她，现在他们不得不花费时间和金钱来保护她的席位，对抗刚刚从监狱里出来的俄罗斯走狗‘咖啡小子’。
“咖啡男孩可能会赢。这是个摇摆区。一些希尔的支持者非常愤怒，可能会呆在家里。共和党有钱花。
“教授——咖啡男孩的俄罗斯经理人——将尽自己的一份力量。希尔应该改变主意，完成她的学期。这是浪费。”
佩因特提到一位教授是因为司法部特别顾问罗伯特·穆勒对俄罗斯涉嫌干涉2016年总统选举进行了调查。
关于教授，穆勒总结道帕帕佐普洛斯“错误地描述了他与某个外国联系人的互动，该联系人讨论了与前民主党总统候选人希拉里·克林顿的电子邮件有关的‘肮脏’[”。
帕帕佐普洛斯因向联邦调查局撒谎被联邦法官判处14天监禁，并于2018年12月获释。
许多其他候选人也将争夺希尔的前席位。
史蒂夫·奈特是共和党人，在希尔于2018年击败他之前，他曾是第25选区的议员，他确认他打算在2018年再次竞选这个席位脸书上发布的声明。
《希尔》两篇文章的作者凡·拉尔，周一发推特宣布迈克加西亚也将作为共和党候选人参加竞选。
2018年当选加州议会议员的民主党人克里斯蒂·史密斯也宣布了她竞争意向。
2018年9月7日，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普竞选活动的外交政策顾问乔治·帕帕佐普洛斯在DC华盛顿的美国地方法院接受安全检查并被判刑。
EX WHITE HOUSE ETHICS CHIEF CALLS DEMOCRATS 'SANCTIMONIOUS' FOR ABANDONING KATIE HILL, LEAVING DISGRACED TRUMP AIDE TO CONTEST SEAT
Aformer adviser to Donald Trump's presidential campaign who pleaded guilty to making false statements to FBI agents about ties to Russia is running for Congress.
According to documents filed with the Federal Electoral Commission on Tuesday, George Papadopoulos will contest California's 25th District as a Republican—the seat vacated by Democrat Katie Hill after allegations of improper relationships with staffers and illegal revenge porn photos were released.
The photos that ultimately led to Hill's resignation were published in the right-leaning Red State website and in the right-wing British tabloid, the Daily Mail.
"California's 25th congressional district looks like it's for the taking," Papadopoulos tweeted before allegations of impropriety surfaced and before the photos in question were released.
The tweet raised speculation that the release of information was part of an orchestrated attempt to remove Hill who, as a freshman congresswoman, was considered a rising star in the Democratic party.
It was revealed on Tuesday that Jennifer Van Laar, who authored both stories in Red State and in the Daily Mail, is a longtime GOP consultant who at one point was the campaign manager for a California Republican that contested Hill's seat.
Hill criticized the "hateful political operatives" who assisted in the "smear campaign built around cyber exploitation," in her resignation letter. Capitol Police confirmed to Newsweek they are investigating.
Upon her resignation, Papadopoulos tweeted: "I'm smelling blood in the water now that Katie Hill has resigned.
"California's 25th congressional district is wide open for the taking. Someone has to step up. I love my state too much to see it run down by candidates like Hill. All talk, no action, and a bunch of sell outs."
A later tweet said that Papadopoulos was to make his formal announcement about running for the seat shortly.
Richard Painter, a chief ethics lawyer under former President George W. Bush, labelled the 32-year-old's intentions of being a congressman "ridiculous".
"Rep. Katie Hill makes a silly mistake, sanctimonious Democrats abandon her and now they have to spend time and money defending her seat against the 'Coffee Boy'—a Russian stooge who just got out of the slammer," Painter said.
"The 'Coffee Boy' could win. It's a swing district. Some Hill supporters are furious and could stay home. The GOP has money to spend.
"The Professor—Coffee Boy's Russian handler—will do his part. Hill should change her mind, finish her term. This is a waste."
Painter's reference to a professor comes from an investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election conducted by Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller.
In relation to the professor, Mueller concludedPapadopoulos "falsely described his interactions with a certain foreign contact who discussed 'dirt' [which] related to emails" about former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Papadopoulos was sentenced to 14 days in prison by a federal judge for lying to the FBI and was released in December 2018.
A number of other candidates will also contest Hill's former seat.
Steve Knight, the Republican who formerly held the 25th District until Hill defeated him 2018, confirmed his intention to contest the seat again in a statement released on Facebook.
Van Laar, the author of the two articles on Hill, tweeted on Monday to announce that Mike Garcia would also enter the race as a GOP candidate.
Christy Smith, a Democrat who was elected to the California State Assembly in 2018, also announced her intention to contest.
Foreign policy advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump's election campaign, George Papadopoulos goes through security at the US District Court for his sentencing in Washington, DC on September 7, 2018.
