A startling audio recording of Republican leadership documents a discussion of whether Donald Trump was the beneficiary of payments from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Washington Post verified the recording of a June 2015 exchange featuring Republican Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Republican Speaker Paul Ryan.
“There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump,” McCarthy told a gathering of lawmakers.
Fellow California Republican Dana Rohrabacher is known as Putin's favorite congressman.
The Washington Post claimed Speaker Ryan immediately interjected, before McCarthy's assertion about Trump could be further explored.
“No leaks...this is how we know we’re a real family here," Speaker Ryan said in an attempt to keep the conversation private.