Before George Papadopoulos became the first to plead guilty in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, he was either an important part of Donald Trump’s campaign or a “low-level volunteer.”
This is what you need to know…
George Papadopoulos lied to the FBI.
As the indictments rolled out earlier this week, George Papadopoulos was the first to plead guilty to lying to the FBI about meetings he took and planned to take with “certain foreign nationals whom he understood to have close connections with senior Russian government officials” while servings as a national foreign advisor to the Trump campaign.
George Papadopoulos’ involvement in the Trump campaign is murky as Trump distances himself.
After George Papadopoulos plead guilty, the White House immediately distanced itself from the 30-year-old energy lawyer. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called Papadopoulos’ role in the campaign “extremely limited” and a “volunteer position.”
President Trump tweeted that the “low level volunteer named George” was already “proven to be a liar.”
….came to the campaign. Few people knew the young, low level volunteer named George, who has already proven to be a liar. Check the DEMS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2017
However, documents show then-candidate Donald Trump listing Papadopoulos as one of his advisers on foreign policy.
Trump posted a photo of his national security meeting in March 2016 with the man he previously called an “excellent guy” seated at the table.
George Papadopoulos fluffed his resume.
According to The Washington Times, George Papadopoulos, named as one of Trump’s eight foreign advisors, described himself as an oil and gas consultant.
U.S. has tremendous #energy, #security and #political interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. Keeping Assad on his toes safeguards them.
— George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) April 8, 2017
Associate editor and senior national security correspondent for the Washington Post Karen DeYoung wrote:
“But his claim to have served for several years as a fellow at the Washington-based Hudson Institute was refuted by David Tell, Hudson senior fellow and director of public affairs, who said the institute’s ‘records indicate that Mr. Papadopoulos started here as an unpaid intern in 2011 and subsequently provided some contractual research assistance to one of our senior fellows.’
“Papadopoulos also lists attendance as ‘U.S. Representative at the 2012 Geneva International Model United Nations.’ Two people who were part of the delegation that year, including Antony Papadopoulos (no relation), current secretary general of the Geneva program, said they had no recollection of him being there.”
When asked about those and other discrepancies, Papadopoulos answered DeYoung via LinkedIn with another question:
“Is it true that the ‘establishment GOP foreign policy advisers,’ many of whom I’ve met, are confused why the presidential front runner chose a group of experts with regional, on the ground experience, with track records of getting deals done with governments, instead of relying on their failed policies they likely devised at Starbucks on Pennsylvania Ave? If so, I am very shocked.”
George Papadopoulos had a life prior to the Trump campaign.
George Papadopoulos was born in August 1987 to Greek immigrants living in Chicago. He was involved in local politics of the Greek community. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from DePaul University in 2009. He says he speaks Arabic, English, French and Greek, according to reports.
One of Papadopoulos’ DePaul professors says he doubts his former student had any high-level Russian contacts adding Papadopoulos “probably was just embellishing.”
Richard Farkas teaches classes in Russian politics and Russian foreign policy, NPR reported.
“I don’t recall him being an outstanding student,” said Farkas, who also described Papadopoulos as “zealous and a bit simple.”
Not that George Papadopoulos!
A financial planner from Michigan named George Papadopoulos, visiting family in Greece when the news broke about “volunteer” George Papadopoulos pleading guilty, started getting attention online.
As it turns out, the name is the “John Smith” of Greece.
I am back now from our village where there are MANY George Papadopoulos men! News hit here but the name is so common it is not a big deal 🙂
— George Papadopoulos (@feeonlyplanner) October 30, 2017
For the nth time, I am NOT Trump’s foreign policy adviser! I have NO association with the Trump camp! NONE!
— George Papadopoulos (@feeonlyplanner) October 30, 2017
Also, he isn’t the dad from the ’80s TV show “Webster.”
Wait, George Papadopoulos is part of the Trump team? He was so charming on #Webster. https://t.co/fLJVyfAu3M #EmanuelLewis pic.twitter.com/DiWumfrueP
— J. Andrew World (@rightaboutnow2) October 6, 2017
#business pic.twitter.com/NvlHAeUKdV
— George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) October 25, 2017
