Disgraced Former Congressman Mark Foley Sits Behind Trump at Rally as Trump Slams Clinton for Mateen
Trump Donated Thousands of Dollars to Foley
Donald Trump Wednesday evening attacked Hillary Clinton, charging that she knew that Seddique Mateen, the father of the Orlando terrorist who killed 49 people at Pulse, was sitting behind her at a Florida rally earlier this week.Â
Disgraced ex-Congressman Foley sits behind Trump at Florida rally https://t.co/pArsKBQKad https://t.co/wJHiQe4InL
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 11, 2016
“Wasn’t it terrible,” Trump said, that Mateen was “sitting with a big smile on his face right behind Hillary Clinton.” Trump told supporters the clinton campaign “knew” Mateen was there, sitting behind her.
And now Trump mocks that Omar Mateen’s father was behind Clinton in Kissimmee rally. “They knew!” https://t.co/xXXtITHZwi
— Patricia Mazzei (@PatriciaMazzei) August 11, 2016
The Clinton campaign says they did not invite Mateen and did not know he was there. They later denounced his views.
“When you get those seats, you sort of know the campaign,” Trump said, turning around and asking the supporters sitting behind him, “How many of you people know me? A lot of people know me.” Many responded by enthusiastically waving.
Trump hitting Clinton for seating mass shooter’s father behind her, while disgraced Rep. Foley seated behind him: pic.twitter.com/DVRlxGq5QU
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 11, 2016
One of those people indeed knows Donald Trump well, and waved. Disgraced former U.S. Congressman Mark Foley, a Republican who represented a Florida district from 1995 until his resignation in 2006, after it was discovered he had sent sexually explicit messages and inappropriate emails to Congressional pages.
Disgraced former FL congressman Mark Foley is sitting behind Trump tonight in Sunshine. pic.twitter.com/7WkiElk48E
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) August 11, 2016
Foley told NBC News’ Thomas Roberts Wednesday night that he indeed was siting behind Trump at the rally and that he is a Trump supporter. Not only that, but Foley revealed that Trump was a Foley supporter.
“He’s been a friend of mine for 30 years and one of my biggest contributors,” Foley told Roberts via text. Later, in an interview with the Sun-Sentinel, Foley said, “I’ve been a friend of Mr. Trump’s since 1987. I’ve admired so much of what he’s done. He’s a different breed of leader and a different breed of candidate.”
And indeed, Trump donated thousands of dollars to then-Congressman Foley:
Not sure if Trump was one of Foley’s biggest contributors, but he certainly made several donations. pic.twitter.com/znVYcgXyfC
— Robert Harding (@RobertHarding) August 11, 2016
.@MargaretHoover on “the dramatic irony” of Mark Foley sitting behind Donald Trump at rally https://t.co/ZzVUQ6rZmz https://t.co/XWx8DPuOVl
— New Day (@NewDay) August 11, 2016
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Image by Katy Tur via Twitter
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