Donald Trump’s Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski Charged With Battery

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After a protracted battle in the court of public opinion, allegations by former Breitbart reporter Michell Fields against Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, are finally headed to a court of law. On Tuesday afternoon, Trump’s controversial acolyte was charged with simple battery as the result of a brush with Fields after a campaign event on March 8. Fields alleged that Lewandowski grabbed her by the arm as she approached Trump to ask the candidate a question. She later displayed bruises that she said were caused by Lewandowski.

According to ABC News, Corey Lewandowski was charged with simple battery following an investigation by police in Jupiter, Florida, where the incident occurred. The charge is a misdemeanor.

At least two videos of the incident received widespread circulation and scrutiny in the weeks since the allegations surfaced. However, neither source could definitively show Lewandowski making physical contact with Michelle Fields. The new criminal charge is at least partly the result of surveillance video that allegedly shows the campaign manager grabbing and pulling on the reporter’s arm.

“Lewandowski then grabbed Fields’ left arm with his right hand, causing her to turn and step back,” reads an excerpt from the police report, as cited by ABC News. “Based on the above-described investigation, probable cause exists to charge Corey Lewandowski.”

The initial allegations from Fields led to a virtual firestorm of controversy for almost everyone involved. Fields herself left Breitbart after the incident, claiming that the conservative media outlet was not supporting her in the face of a groundswell of criticism and accusations from the Trump camp. According to NBC News, three of her colleagues joined her in leaving the organization in protest.

Donald Trump denounced the initial claims made by Michelle Fields, first through a campaign aide who called Fields delusional. The candidate himself later weighed in, suggesting that the entire situation was a fabrication by the reporter.

“This was, in my opinion, made up,” Trump said in comments re-published by Town Hall. “Everybody said nothing happened. Perhaps she made the story up. I think that’s what happened.”

Shortly after the run-in between Fields and Lewandowski, Lewandowski was also caught on camera in a physical confrontation with a protester at another Trump event.

The Trump campaign continues to stand by Corey Lewandowski, issuing a statement to this effect early Tuesday afternoon.

“Mr. Lewandowski is absolutely innocent of this charge,” the campaign statement said, according to the Washington Post. “He will enter a plea of not guilty and looks forward to his day in court. He is completely confident that he will be exonerated.”

Both Donald Trump and Michelle Fields took to Twitter in the hours following word of the charge against Corey Lewandowski. Trump hailed his campaign manager as “a very decent man” and accused Michelle Fields of changing her story.

Wow, Corey Lewandowski, my campaign manager and a very decent man, was just charged with assaulting a reporter. Look at tapes-nothing there!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2016

Why aren’t people looking at this reporters earliest statement as to what happened, that is before she found out the episode was on tape?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2016

For her part, Michelle Fields maintains that her story has been the same ever since the incident.

Because my story never changed. Seriously, just stop lying. https://t.co/1fz9cBHOuT

— Michelle Fields (@MichelleFields) March 29, 2016

Corey Lewandowski turned himself into authorities shortly after the charge was announced. He was later released, pending a court hearing that is set for May. He is expected to remain at the helm of Donald Trump’s campaign for the foreseeable future.

[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]