Tuesday, Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, was charged with misdemeanor misdemeanor after an alleged altercation broke out between reporter Michelle Fields. Lewandowski allegedly caught Fields when he tried to interview Trump at a Jupiter, Florida rally. Now, Lewandowski may face the implications of the accusations, but Trump has stood behind Lewandowski and says he did nothing. Choose your side after reading further.
Donald Trump, the 2016 Republican Presidential Candidate, has come under fire for the actions of his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski.
Lewandowski was charged with misdemeanour after an incident between the manager and a reporter occurred in early March. He was issued to be seen before a judge on May 4.
After Trump’s speech on March 8 in Jupiter, Fla., Lewandowski allegedly grabbed the arm of Michelle Fields, a reporter, when she tried to interview Trump.
Charges were made after viewing footage of the incident and interviewing Fields and witnesses. Video footage obtained by the Jupiter Police Department follows witness accounts and shows Lewandowski grabbing Fields and spinning him around. [1]
Simple battery, a misdemeanor that’s defined under Florida law as “apparently and intentionally” touching or assaulting a person against their will. The first offense is punishable by up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $1,000.[2]
Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for the Trump Campaign, made the statement, “Mr. Lewandowski is completely innocent of these charges. He will enter a not guilty plea and look forward to his day in court. He really believed that he would be released.” Hicks also directed all inquiries to attorneys Scott Richardson and Kendall Coffee of Miami.
Trump also made an announcement via Twitter, “Wow, Corey Lewandowski, my campaign manager and a very nice man, has just been charged with assaulting a reporter. Look at the tapes—there’s nothing there!”[3]
The Trump campaign has been criticized over the last few weeks for the rowdy nature of their rallies.
Ted Cruz’s 2016 Republican Presidential Candidate, spokesperson, Catherine Frazier, said, “Unfortunately, this abusive behavior appears to be part of Trump’s campaign culture. Personal attacks, verbal attacks, and now physical attacks, don’t have any place in politics or anywhere else in our society.”[4]
Lewandowski took to Twitter and maintained his innocence and attacked Fields calling him “absolutely delusional” and an “attention seeker”.[5]
Source:
[1] http://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-campaign-manager-denies-allegation-of-assault-1459266539
[2] http://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-campaign-manager-denies-allegation-of-assault-1459266539
[3] http://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-campaign-manager-denies-allegation-of-assault-1459266539
[4] http://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-campaign-manager-denies-allegation-of-assault-1459266539
