Trial Witness Says Bank President Opposed Loan To Manafort, Was Overruled By Bank CEO Trump Advisor

Talking Points Memo reports:

An employee of Federal Savings Bank, where former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort successfully obtained $16 million in loans, testified Monday that the bank’s president opposed extending one of those loans to Manafort but was overruled by bank CEO Steve Calk, who served as an adviser on the Trump campaign.

“It closed because Mr. Calk wanted it to close,” bank employee James Brennan said. The loan, a $9.5 million mortgage on Manafort’s home in the Hamptons, came after a previous construction loan proposal for a property in California fell apart at the closing table.

Calk expressed to Manafort interest in working for Trump administration, a bank employee testified last week. An email revealed during trial suggested Manafort was eyeing the secretary of Army position for Calk, and another email showed Manafort trying to secure inauguration tickets for Calk.