Reporter Files Assault Charge Against Trump Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski
Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, allegedly assaulted conservative reporter Michelle Fields at a Trump rally Tuesday night. After Fields tweeted a photo of the bruises on her arm on Thursday, the Jupiter Police Department confirmed today that Fields has filed criminal charges against Lewandowski.
As the Inquisitr reported previously, Fields first discussed the assault on social media, alleging that a Trump campaign staffer, later identified as Corey Lewandowski, forcefully grabbed her arm and wrenched her away from Donald Trump as she approached to ask the candidate a question.
Corey Lewandowski was blamed for the assault after a Washington Post reporter identified him as the one who grabbed Michelle Fields’ arm and pulled her away from Donald Trump, nearly forcing her to the ground. As of this morning, Fields has formally filed criminal charges against the Trump campaign manager, reports the New York Daily News.
“The Washington Post’s Ben Terris immediately remarked that it was Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who aggressively tried to pull me to the ground,” Fields wrote about the incident.
Jupiter, FL release confirming investigation into alleged assault on reporter Michelle Fields — pic.twitter.com/C3qaCZKequ
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) March 11, 2016
Donald Trump himself denies the assault took place, stating that Michelle Fields is probably making it up for attention. In response, Fields tweeted a photo of the bruise on her arm, allegedly left by Lewandowski when he grabbed her arm and wrenched her away from Trump.
“Someone had grabbed me tightly by the arm and yanked me down. I almost fell to the ground, but was able to maintain my balance. Nonetheless, I was shaken,” fields told ABC News earlier this week.
This new development in the case could mean trouble for the Trump campaign, which has so far been successful in large part because of Corey Lewandowski’s leadership as a campaign manager. Granted, the criminal complaint Michelle Fields filed is for misdemeanor assault, but if the police conclude that Lewandowski is to blame for the assault, it’s likely he’ll face at least some penalty. According to assault laws in Florida, misdemeanor assault can result in 60 days in jail or six months probation and a $500 fine.
I guess these just magically appeared on me @CLewandowski_ @realDonaldTrump. So weird. pic.twitter.com/oD8c4D7tw3
— Michelle Fields (@MichelleFields) March 10, 2016
Lewandowski continues to deny the assault today, and one of Michelle Fields’ co-workers at the conservative blog Breitbart has suggested that she might have been assaulted by someone other than the Trump campaign manager. However, authorities in Jupiter, Florida, have not commented on who, if anyone, they’re investigating for the assault.
“As with any investigation, specific details concerning criminal investigative information is not releasable while the investigation is considered active. Any additional details regarding this incident will be released once the investigation has concluded,” reads the official statement from the Jupiter Police Department released today.
Donald Trump continues to claim he’s never even met Michelle Fields and that she is “delusional.” He stated publicly this week that his secret service team assures him “nothing happened.”
Contrary to Donald Trump’s account of events, Washington Post reporter Ben Terris had this to say about the incident.
“Michelle fields, a young reporter for Trump-friendly Breitbart News pressed forward to ask a question. I watched as a man with short-cropped hair and a suit grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the way. He was Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s 41-year-old campaign manager,” said Terris in a piece for the Washington Post released yesterday.
It’s not the first time this week that Trump’s campaign has come under fire for both inciting and committing violence against protestors and reporters. Just last week, the Inquisitr reported on another incident involving the assault on a reporter by one of Trump’s security staff.
According to Slate, Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, revealed in a private conversation that he did indeed commit the assault, but in public he maintains his innocence.
[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]
