Likely Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton organized a group of veterans to protest outside of Trump Tower against presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump.
“The protest was actually a coordinated effort, led in part by the Hillary Clinton campaign, to embarrass her Republican rival for his failed efforts to raise money for veterans. It only looked like a grassroots demonstration,” The Daily Beast reports.
On Monday, a group of veterans protested outside of Trump Tower. The veterans reportedly wanted an apology and answers after the campaign “admitted a veterans fundraiser did not raise as much money as he had initially claimed.”
Alexander McCoy, a veteran and Hillary Clinton supporter, was the spokesperson for the protesters.
“We’re not affiliated with any campaign, we’re not affiliated with any organization,” McCoy said to the press.
He later admitted he contacted the Clinton campaign to receive press information, but then acknowledged Clinton’s campaign had more involvement.
“McCoy acknowledged that the Clinton campaign organized the conference call bringing together possible attendees to the protest,” The Daily Beast reports.
Jonathan Murray, Clinton’s veterans and military outreach director, told The Daily Beast: “[W]e were more than happy to lend some logistical support to the activists who organized today’s protest and we’ll be happy to do the same for any other veterans who want to speak out against Trump’s shameful disrespect.”
Trump responded to the news that Clinton had involvement in the protest during his campaign rally Tuesday night in New Mexico. “Welcome to the terrible world of politics,” Trump said to the crowd.
“It’s been paid to some great people,” he added about the money he raised at a fundraiser for veterans in January ahead of the Iowa GOP caucus.