Republican operatives are seething after learning that two of President Donald Trump's top political advisers spent part of the final stretch before the midterms in the Balkans, advising a pro-Russia government ahead of its elections.
The New York Times reported that James Blair and Chris LaCivita, who run the Trump political operation's big-money midterm ad campaign, traveled to Republika Srpska, a self-governing territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina, before its elections on Sunday, and furious GOP operatives vented to Politico Playbook.
"We are out here fighting for our lives and these dudes are in some random a-- country made up of too many consonants no one has ever heard of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars while telling all of us to chill out because they've got it," one GOP operative said. "It's legitimately shocking."
According to the report, each was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars through a Washington law firm that the territory's government hired for counsel on voting issues.
Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon called the pair "two grifters" and demanded "a forensic audit of where the money went so the president has the information to hold people accountable." He suggested the trip helps explain why "the MAGA base may have an enthusiasm gap."
"If this doesn't show how checked out Republicans are, not sure what does," another GOP operative said. "Doesn't look like what you do when you're about to win a ton of races in the U.S."
Even someone close to the White House winced. "Not a good look," the person said, guessing that after four years with Trump, Blair "wanted a taste of $ … and honestly I think it may piss DJT off."
A Trump-world operative came to Blair's defense, insisting he was "busting his a-- trying to win the midterms as usual," including hosting a Saturday strategy meeting, "while everyone who is sending this story around DC was at brunch." A MAGA Inc. spokesman likewise insisted the pair stayed fully engaged.
The client raises its own questions, however. Republika Srpska's ruling nationalist party has aligned itself with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Its leader, Milorad Dodik, thanked Putin in his victory speech Sunday.
Dodik was removed as president and banned from office last year after a Bosnian court conviction, but the Trump administration lifted U.S. sanctions on him late last year.
Trump-connected lobbyists and operatives have collected more than $4 million from the territory's government since early last year, according to Justice Department filings.
Blair runs MAGA Inc., the pro-Trump super PAC that had $415 million in the bank at the end of August, and LaCivita is a senior adviser. Neither responded to requests for comment.