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Sam Stein on Thursday spoke with Eric Deters, the man at the center of the Wall Street Journal’s explosive report on Kimberly Guilfoyle’s troubled finances, political conflicts, and unethical conduct.
Deters described his relationship with Guilfoyle, the hundreds of thousands of dollars he spent trying to influence her and other Trump world figures, and his claims that she promised access and favors in exchange for money.
Deters explained why he came forward and why he says Guilfoyle asked him for another $100,000 to pay off her credit card debt right before her confirmation hearings to become ambassador to Greece. He also detailed her attempts to connect him with Tucker Carlson and former IRS Commissioner Billy Long, her warnings to stop putting things in writing, and why he now says, “I feel like a dumbass.”
A few clarifying notes on other things Deters said: In describing his efforts to get the extradition of Dr. Abubakar Atiq Durrani (for which he asked Guilfoyle for help), Deters said the doctor performed 580 unnecessary surgeries. Lawsuits against Durrani alleged that more than 500 patients received unnecessary care. However, there are no precise numbers as to how many patients in total received those surgeries, how many children received those surgeries or how many of them died because of those procedures.
In addition, Deters said that Jared Kushner received a $3 billion investment for his private equity firm from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. Reports put that number at $2 billion.
The entire interview is a wild ride, but one that underscores the degree to which graft is one of the most underlying features of this entire administration. Enjoy.
