Lev Parnas: Giuliani associate texted Trump’s major donors about his controversial Ukraine efforts and Joe Biden

An associate of Donald Trump’s personal lawyer was texting the president’s major donors as he allegedly pressured Ukraine to launch investigations into Joe Biden, according to documents released by the House Intelligence Committee this week.

Lev Parnas, a Soviet-born businessman linked to Rudy Giuliani, teased a donor who poured thousands of dollars into Mr Trump’s campaign that he had “juicy stuff” and a “bomb is dropping” before Marie Yovanovitch was forced out of her role as the US ambassador to Ukraine.

The text messages provided further evidence that Mr Parnas seemingly played a pivotal role in efforts to get Ukraine to announce political investigations into Mr Biden, one of the president’s 2020 political rivals. They also suggested that Mr Parnas received financial aid from Mr Trump’s donors to conduct his controversial work in Ukraine.

Mr Parnas sent a text to Florida oil executive Harry Sergeant III asking him to “approve” one of his associate’s travel expenses in the country, noting a “deal” he received from “Rudy’s guys” in an apparent reference to Mr Giuliani.

In another message, he sent the wealthy donor a photo from what he called a “Team trump dinner celebration”, writing: “I’m official part of team trump tomorrow big day my brother I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Mr Trump has denied knowing Mr Parnas, despite numerous photos showing the president, his family and close advisers with the indicted businessman, who has been charged with violating campaign finance laws.

Mr Parnas also texted Tommy Hicks Jr, co-chairman of the Republican National Committee and chair of the pro-Trump super PAC American First Action, who is a friend of the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr. The two shared articles containing unfounded allegations about Ukraine meddling in the US 2016 presidential election, as well as others focusing on the former vice president’s 2020 campaign.

Mr Hicks appeared to advise Mr Parnas for months on his work, before Ms Yovanovitch was abruptly ousted from her post.

The Trump donor told Mr Parnas in a message that he had connections at a far-right website, writing: “Editor and owner of Daily Caller is a friend … We should let him know what we know at the right time.” Mr Parnas replied: “100%.”

Mr Parnas has found himself at the heart of explosive new revelations surrounding Mr Trump’s impeachment, which stemmed from an anonymous whistleblower complaint over the president’s 25 July phone call with Ukraine. In that phone call, Mr Trump asked Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for a “favour” before encouraging him to launch probes into Mr Biden and conspiracy theories about Ukraine election meddling.

In an interview earlier this week, Mr Parnas said his work in Ukraine was “all about 2020” and not about rooting out corruption in Ukraine, as some in the president’s circle have suggested.

He told CNN on Thursday the efforts were done to ensure Mr Trump “had another four years” in office.

“That was the way everybody viewed it,” he added. “That was the most important thing, for him to stay on for another four years and keep the fight going. I mean, there was no other reason for doing it.”