Remember Manafort made Pence the VP, they talked regularly during the transition
Manafort had arranged for Trump to meet with his [Manaforts] first choice for the job on July 13: Indiana Governor Mike Pence. Afterwards, the plan was for Trump and Pence to then fly back to New York together and a formal announcement would be made, a campaign source said of Manaforts thinking.
What had previously been reported as a lucky break by the New York Times was actually a swift political maneuver devised by the now fired campaign manager. Set on changing Trumps mind, he concocted a story that Trumps plane had mechanical problems, forcing the soon-to-be Republican nominee to stay the night in Indianapolis for breakfast with the Pence family on Wednesday morning.
Swayed by Pences aggressive pitch, Trump agreed to ditch Christie and make Pence his VP the following day, according to a source
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According to two sources with knowledge of the Trump presidential transition process, Manafortwhose formal association with the president-elect ended in Augustis heavily involved with the staffing of the nascent administration.
I think hes weighing in on everything, the former official said, I think he still talks to Trump every day. I mean, Pence? That was all Manafort. Pence is on the phone with Manafort regularly.
Another Trump campaign source who worked alongside Manafort confirmed to The Daily Beast that he is heavily involved in selecting the incoming administrations personnel picks.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/3/22/1646138/-Manafort-made-Pence-the-VP-they-talked-regularly-during-the-transition