Why was Trump talking about SC on secret tape about Playboy model?
A conversation with then-candidate Donald Trump, secretly recorded by his attorney, includes a couple of apparent references to South Carolina.
The tape released Tuesday night is receiving national attention because it appears to show the future president discussing a payment to a former Playboy playmate who claims to have had an affair with Trump, just weeks before the 2016 election. Trump has denied any knowledge of the payment.
But the tape also has garnered attention in the Palmetto State for Trump’s discussion of other, S.C.-related topics.
On an apparent phone call picked up by the recording by attorney Michael Cohen, Trump can be heard telling someone, “I think it’s probably better to do the Charleston thing, just this time.”
Later in the recording, Cohen says to Trump, “told you about Charleston,” before moving on to other issues.
It’s unclear whether Trump and Cohen were discussing the S.C. city. The Charleston Post and Courier speculates Trump was referencing a fundraiser that was moved from Charleston to the Charlotte area.
Or the two could have been discussing a North Charleston property that Trump’s company bought in 2016 and later sold. Cohen handled a lawsuit with the former owner and attempts to get an environmental waiver from the state for cleaning up the former manufacturing site.
Trump also makes a reference on the tape to Easley pastor Mark Burns, a onetime fixture at Trump’s campaign rallies.
“Mark Burns, can we use him anymore?” Trump says when discussing the campaign, to which Cohen responds, “No, no.”
Burns often gave prayers at Trump campaign rallies, and he spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Burns later launched an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. House after Spartanburg Republican Trey Gowdy stepped down in South Carolina’s 4th District earlier this year.
Burns replied to the tape Tuesday on Twitter.
“I‘ve been saying for almost 2 yrs some in the campaign tried to marginalize my role, in the closing days,” Burns wrote. “This tape and the fact that I remained traveling with and speaking for the campaign after this conversation. is even more proof @realDonaldTrump remained in my corner. #maga”
This story was originally published July 26, 2018 at 9:05 AM.