Updates: Breitbart Reporter Files Police Complaint Against Trump Campaign Manager
Video surfaces, Breitbart’s Spokesman quits, and more Updates
The Breitbart/Michelle Fields/Trump Campaign Manager saga continues. If you’re just joining this story, I would suggest beginning with Part 1 as this post picks up where the other left off.
Breitbart Reporter and Fox News contributor, Michelle Fields, claimed Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, grabbed her arm, tossing her towards the ground when she asked Trump a race-related question. Breitbart News offered a muddled initial response, suggesting if Lewandowski had in fact grabbed Fields, he should apologize. A Washington Post reporter with Fields at the time of the alleged altercation identified Lewandowski as the individual responsible for grabbing Fields.
The Trump campaign denied Lewandowski put his hands on Fields and then proceeded to attack her as “delusional.”
Both sides of the argument
Thursday, Breitbart’s Editor at Large, Ben Shapiro and Trump supporting defense attorney, David Wohl, joined Megyn Kelly to discuss the alleged altercation:
Trump campaign calls Fields ‘delusional’
Lewandowski lashed out at Fields late Thursday night, calling her, “delusional.”
@MichelleFields you are totally delusional. I never touched you. As a matter of fact, I have never even met you.
— Corey Lewandowski (@CLewandowski_) March 11, 2016
Fields files a police report
Friday morning, Fields filed a police report alleging Lewandowski assaulted her.
Independent Journal Review has learned from a source familiar with the events that Fields has filed a report with the police department in Jupiter, Florida, which is the jurisdiction where the alleged incident occurred. Detective Adam Brown of the Jupiter PD confirmed she had filed, and said they would be releasing a statement shortly. Fields says that Lewandowski grabbed her arm when she attempted to ask Trump a question at the end of his presser following Tuesday’s election results. … The Jupiter Police Department released a statement Friday confirming Independent Journal Review’s story: Jupiter, Florida – The Jupiter Police Department is currently investigating an alleged battery that occurred at 115 Eagle Tree Terrace (Trump National) on March 8, 2016. A police report was filed with the Jupiter Police Department on March 11, 2016 at approximately 10:00AM and the investigation is ongoing. 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. The initial report, outlining the date, time, location, and nature of the incident will be released today. No additional information regarding this investigation is available at this time.
Trump campaign denies anything happened, links to Breitbart in press release
This Trump Press Release is a hot mess.
Who is writing this?
Why does it not address the @bterris account? pic.twitter.com/eEtKXckoU8— Benny (@bennyjohnson) March 11, 2016
Breitbart keeps changing its story
Breitbart’s defense is divided. Editor at Large, Ben Shapiro, called Lewandowski a “thug,” and other Breitbart writers like Brandon Darby have said if what Fields alleges is true, Lewandowski should be fired. Patrick Howley, a Breitbart Reporter was suspended for publicly questioning Fields’ allegations.
Breitbart’s Joel Pollak Zaprudered the CSPAN footage frame by frame, concluding the Washington Post reporter, Ben Terris, who originally identified Lewandowski as the alleged ruffian, mistook Lewandowski for a Secret Service agent of similar stature. The post was updated continually; the story changing slightly with each update.
Breitbart’s attempts to discredit eyewitness reports fall short
Terris refuses to change his story saying, “I saw what I saw.”
Terris took strong issue with Pollak’s assertion that mistaken identity is the “likeliest explanation” based in part on Lewandowski’s denials. “Because he denied it?” asked Terris. “This is Breitbart.” The Daily Beast, citing “sources,” reported that Lewandowski had acknowledged to Breitbart News’s Matthew Boyle having grabbed Fields. “Lewandowski’s explanation to Boyle, said these sources, was that he and Fields had never met before and that he didn’t recognize her as a Breitbart reporter, instead mistaking her for an adversarial member of the mainstream media.”
Video released Friday shows Lewandowski and Terris interacting with one another; problematic to Breitbart’s claims that Terris misidentified Lewandowski:
This: https://t.co/6Xhiv6s2xa is contradicted by this: https://t.co/twmS43veCL which shows Terris talking with CL right after incident.
— Mike Warren (@MichaelRWarren) March 11, 2016
CSPAN video shows Lewandowski reaching for Fields
CSPAN video of the alleged altercation shows Lewandowski reaching for Fields left arm before the view was obstructed: This video couples the audio obtained by Politico:
Breitbart Spokesman Drops it as a client
Breitbart’s PR handler, Kurt Bardella, dropped Breitbart as a client yesterday afternoon. Shortly after the break was confirmed, Bardella tweeted:
When you reach a point where you can’t give 100% to people you represent it’s not tenable to continue representing them.
— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) March 11, 2016
My own personal observation is that there is an escalating cycle of behavior that happens only at Donald Trump events.
— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) March 11, 2016
It is wrong and disgusting and indicative of an ugliness that is contaminating the public discourse.
— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) March 11, 2016
Life is too short to invest your time in what you don’t believe or aren’t passionate about.
— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) March 11, 2016
Bardella joined CNN’s Don Lemon late Friday night. “Are you saying they’re [Breitbart] lying?” Lemon asked. “Yes, I am.”
Original reports claimed Lewandowski admitted he grabbed Fields
In The Daily Beast’s initial report, sources indicated Lewandowski confirmed to Breitbart reporter, Matt Boyle, his role in the alleged assault.
The statement was issued in the wee hours of Wednesday morning but remains Breitbart’s official comment on the matter, hours after sources said Lewandowski acknowledged to Breitbart’s Washington political editor, Matthew Boyle, that he did manhandle Fields. Lewandowski’s explanation to Boyle, said these sources, was that he and Fields had never met before and that he didn’t recognize her as a Breitbart reporter, instead mistaking her for an adversarial member of the mainstream media. Trump’s press secretary, Hope Hicks, didn’t respond to an email seeking comment. Nor did the usually responsive Boyle.
Select correspondence is released
Since the Daily Beast report, Boyle’s usually active Twitter account went silent. Friday afternoon, Boyle published what he says are the text messages he exchanged with Lewandowski: 
Those text messages reveal no admission, but do show message coordination: 
The Trump campaign then passed an email between Boyle and Lewandowski to the Washington Post: 
Fields claims Breitbart is lying
Michelle Fields spoke to Megyn Kelly, about the interaction and claims in an initial phone conversation, Lewandwoski told her editor he grabbed her:
.@MichelleFields to @megynkelly: “It’s a shame that my bosses have decided to come out against the facts.” pic.twitter.com/qzBs1yhsLl
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) March 11, 2016
@MichelleFields: @CLewandowski_ “did not deny” the incident in conversation with @mboyle1 pic.twitter.com/hXcqB0tOm0
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) March 11, 2016
(videos added)
Why does any of this matter?
A presidential campaigns allegedly roughs up a reporter for asking a tough question, then personally attacks the reporter for speaking out. Trump’s campaign could’ve mitigated the damage early on. This should never have turned into a story. The entire purpose of primary season is to vet candidates, to dissect their behavior, attitude, policy platforms, value systems, and overall qualifications to represent our best interests. A value system that believes defaming the opposition rather than addressing accusations head on is concerning, at best.
@AdamBaldwin For me, it’s not just the grab. She was asking Trump about his pro-racial preference views (see https://t.co/aKLaJup0OC ) 1/2
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) March 11, 2016
@AdamBaldwin If raising harmless q’s like that warrants a physical blocker, whoever it was, that is truly an ominous sign. 2/2
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) March 11, 2016
As our friend Ace of Spades points out, “what you’re seeing here is the first example of Donald Trump’s foreign policy — creating a crisis and completely fragging your one of your only allies. Creating your own crisis, then making it worse and worse for you and all your allies. Because your ego cannot take the minor hit of putting out a printed apology.” Fox News anchor, Greta Van Susteren, suggested everyone “get over,” the Fields incident:
The media might want to ask itself if it is putting too much of a spotlight on this issue,” she writes. “It has crossed my mind that viewers/voters across the nation are thinking that we in the media put more of a spotlight on some non lethal shoving of one our own (a fellow journalist) than on gang shootings, domestic violence or other.
Are those of us entrenched in the media realm a bit more bothered by this kerfuffle than the civilian population? Probably. But that’s because the implications of having a President willing to personally malign those defending themselves is now a tangible threat. Amazingly, despite Trump’s presence on cable news day and night, no one has bothered to ask him about the altercation. There’s also the issue that news outlets aren’t in the habit of sandbagging their own reporters. Oh, and this:
hey RW media, if top Obama aide assaulted a female reporter, Obama lied for him & they trashed the woman’s reputation. What would you do?
— Cheri Jacobus (@CheriJacobus) March 11, 2016
[UPDATE 3-13-2016 by WAJ] – a new video is circulating today that Trump supporters are claiming shows that Fields and the WaPo reporter are lying. I’m not sure it shows that, or what it actually shows notwithstanding the captioning, but we’re adding it since it’s a new development:
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Comments
Who cares? Last night showed who has the real thugs supporting him, and it’s not Donald Trump. Ms. Fields needs to find another story to inject herself into. This one lost its wings.
Evidently, depending on which candidate you support, it is now quite all right for a man to grab a young woman by the arm, hard enough to leave bruises, and she’s in the wrong to complain.
Hillary Clinton must be laughing up her sleeve at all those people that called her a facilitator for attacking the women that complained about Bill’s treatment of them. If you haven’t the ethical development to see something is wrong simply because it’s wrong then you should be getting into politics not just supporting them.
He isn’t just a random man grabbing an innocent young woman. He is Trump’s security officer who tried to steer her away, but she ignored his first attempt, so he apparently pulled her by the arm.
It is his job to protect Trump. When someone forces their way to his client, he is there to stop them. He tried steering her away but she continued, and he had to physically stop her.
She needs to stop whining and move on. So does Breitbart.
He had no right to lay hands on her no matter what. She had the right to approach his client, and he had no right to stop her. That this is his “job” doesn’t excuse him; if someone employs you to commit crimes, you’re still a criminal, all it means is that your employer is one too. So if Trump employs this person to assault people then Trump’s a criminal too.
He was Trump’s bodyguard. He has every right to protect his client, including physically. Plus, he had already tried to block her but she ignored him.
Disgusting…
And all I can really say is I cant wait till Trumps low-life thugs bruise up your Ellie and then lies, slanders and blames your Ellie for the situation.
The story may be completely false. “NEW VIDEO Shows Michelle Fields Not Even Bumped by Trump Campaign Manager”.
Yep the latest video shows him either not touching her or not touching her in any forceful or inappropriate manner. There was no jerking or awkward movement of her body. No sign of falling down or almost falling down. No loss of balance. Not even a change of expression on her face. She is either a liar or a sick person.
After all that’s gone on, from mocking a disabled man to advocating violence against protesters, and now this, is there anyone who doubts ALL Trump supporters are neo-Fascist scum?
May God strike me dead on the spot if I ever considering voting for Trump for any office of public trust, or hiring or doing business with any of his filthy supporters if there is a viable alternative.
If this were say a POTUS using his justice department to target a reporter, i.e. James Rosen, I might be able to work up more outrage. Certainly, the MSM in DC would have go nuclear on the administration…or not. However, the more this story drags on, the more I think it is about the publicity it is generating, not the actual event.
I saw nothing on any video. Given the sheer number of cameras there, we should be able to see this roughing up somewhere. Or the absence thereof.
Back in the 90’s, I began taking my son to Heavy Metal concerts before he had a driver’s license. I came to like some of the bands and kept on going with him. At a Testament gig, I got too close to the mosh pit, was almost knocked down and had beer spilled on me. Instead of going to the media and the cops, I said, “I’m too old for this ‘stuff'” and stopped going.
What’s-her-name got too close to the mosh pit and now she’s squealing.
Paraphrasing Cheri Jacobs:
Hey, LW media, if Bill Clinton assaulted a female intern, and his wife lied for him, and they trashed the woman’s reputation, what would you do?
Kemberlee, you are judged by the company you keep, surely your mother has told you that? Why you call Ace your “friend”…..oh, wait…I get it now….you both LOATHE Trump.
I’m proud to call Ace a friend and quite humbled to have so many talented friends, mentors, and pals who devote their time and giftings towards the betterment of our country.
Herm, this particular election cycle has devolved into a horrid place, but that does not excuse your rudeness. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this or not, but good people–and Kemberlee is a good person–may not share your opinion on everything. This used to be okay amongst conservatives, but now, unless you’re on the Trump train, you are the enemy. That way lies disaster and ruin. Take a look before you cling to that train and think about who you really want to be as a person because I can’t believe this comment is an example of your best self.
It’s the Donald Drumpf way. Intimidate those who are inconvenient to you and deny, deny, deny.
And rally your mindless supporters to attack everyone who thinks otherwise.
Look at the excuse making above that amounts to:
– “leftist thugs are worse, so it’s ok”
– “what difference does it make at this point”
– “no ones proven Corey’s guilty yet”
All attitudes worthy of Hillary Clinton too. I am not looking to vote for Hillary Clinton with an ‘R’ tag and anti-Liberty and anti-Conservative policy set.
Drumpf and the Trumpkins brown shirt brigade didn’t appear out of nowhere. Obama and his SEIU purple shirt brigade and other protestors have stoked a tribal divisiveness and a “hit them hard” violent image rhetoric.
Others are responding in kind.
Two leaders both determined to bring out the worst in Americans for their own ends against a backdrop of compliant media.
If Plato was correct, we’re slipping from democracy into anarchy. Enjoy the ride.
Well, that tears it. I’ll never vote for Corey Lewandowski for President.
I like Breitbart news, and I don’t particularly like Trump. But watching the CSPAN clip, it appears Lewandowski tried to clear Fields away from Trump and she ignored him. He only grabbed her after she ignored his first attempt to stop her from getting too close to Trump.
To me, this is less of a case of thuggery by Trump security and more of a case of a journalist who thinks she can force her way into an interview. I understand journalists need to be aggressive to grab a good scoop, but they shouldn’t complain when that aggression is met with more aggression.
Trump needs to be concerned about his security. He’s got community organizers sponsoring mobs trying to beat up his supporters. There’s no special right for reporters to block the exit of the candidate in a crowded hall.
No, Trump needs to be concerned about the “great, absolutely best, most brightest people” he hires to be around him.
Corey Lewandowski is a opportunistic low-life who has constantly rushed to feed off Big Governments teat. He has been a longtime Green Energy subsidy advocate and dependent and Obama Stimulus cashsucker. When hes not feeding off the Big Government money trickles though, you can usually find him as the devoted right-hand man of other corrupt conmen like Bob Ney (his “Surrogate Father”), who’s currently spending 30 years behind bars for corruption.
Corey and Katrina Pierson (a 9/11 Truther who’s biggest idol was MalcomX) being the highest ranking people in the Trump Campaign says about all you need to know about Trump, in all honesty.
If this were any other campaign people would be screaming in the streets about the hiring of these two. But nope, this is the Trump Cult we are talking about so its par for the cource
Remember the good old days when people were absolutely outraged over Hillary Clinton merely roping off Reporters like common cattle…
…now the Campaign Managers can bruise reporters, leaving eye witness, audio and video proof, the campaign can openly lie and change their story on the issue, they can blame and slander the victim and refuse to get anywhere near even a simple apology and what happens? Well Trump supporters rally around him, of course. Oh and his longtime personal friends in the lamestream media tell us to just get over it already.
Just more proof that this is not a campaign or a movement – its a straight Cult; complete with a supposed infallible leader who you dare not question lest you become the problem who needs be dealt with.
Days like this make me beyond proud to join the #NeverTrump movement. I am not willing to sacrifice me principles, morals and character to support what is rather openly narcissistic conman trying to gain ultimate power to stroke his fragile little ego – an ego so fragile that even a simple “Im sorry” is too much for him to produce when a reporter is left bruised by his Campaign Manager.
Its sickening.
Political landscape as minefield —– sown by hatred, bigotry, greed, ignorance, agendas, and criminals.
A fish rots from the head down.
As a former reporter I can attest that if you put yourself in the middle of the scrum, you might get roughed up. Put on some big girl panties, Michelle!
Clintionesque character destruction in place of an apology…even a left-handed “non-apology” apology.
Tells you where you are headed with a T-rump as the most powerful person in the world.
And a lot of people here are ready to apologize FOR the T-rumpian behavior.
As I said last night…THAT’S what REALLY scary. There is no law. Just tribes.
As I said yesterday, these things have to be placed in context. In this case, it appears that the reporter was grabbed because she was getting too close to the principle and refused to back-off. So, the principle’s security did its job and used force to move the reporter away. And, the “injuries” were so insignificant as to be laughable. 5 year olds sustain more serious injuries playing in the school yard.
This is simply the reporter’s attempt to create a sensational story.
“So, the principle’s security did its job and used force to move the reporter away. And, the “injuries” were so insignificant as to be laughable”
If that is how his “security” does its job than he needs to hire professional people. You don’t move someone back by yanking on their forearm. Also it doesn’t matter what the injuries are or how “insignificant”. What is absolutely ironic is if they would have called her and apologized there would be no story. I understand that mistakes happen, it is how those mistakes are dealt with that tell me what I want to know.
Why the **** should she have backed off? Your “principle” is not a special snowflake, and Fields had every right to approach him as close as she liked, and ask him anything she liked. Lewandowsky had no right to do anything about it.
First of all, Lewandowsky’s job is not security. He’s the campaign manager. But supposing it were, if you’re hired to commit a crime, you refuse. “Using force to move people away” is criminal assault. Saying “it’s my job” is worse than no excuse, it implicates your employer too. If Trump really did hire Lewandowsky to assault people then he should be arrested.
*sigh*
I have already wasted too much time on this story. The reporter has made an ass of herself by filing suit.
Yes, it sounds technically within the ambit of the most trivial “assault.” It also sounds like there may be a good defense that she ran afoul of security.
No, it’s not the kind of thing worth filing a suit.
A male reporter would get laughed out of town for filing such a suit.
So what will it be? Does she have a man’s job with a man’s status, or not?
She file a POLICE REPORT.
At LEAST get the basics right. You aren’t normally this stupid.
Wasting even these words on this orchestrated distraction and nonsense, in light of the street violence Obama/Jarrett is now orchestrating, fronted by that Loretta Lynch, and worked by Sharpton, Soros, Ayers and others.
As we get down the road and political street violence directed and enabled by Obama/Jarrett becomes pervasive, those of you suckered into this nonsense will wish the guy punched this chick in the mouth instead of grabbing her arm, and you will yearn for someone like Trump to lead us out.
The situation in America is less akin to that before the Civil War, and more akin to that during the Weimar Republic at the time Hitler (little barry, in this analogy) was elected Chancellor while Hindenberg (the GOPe, in this analogy) was still in office.
And of course, Loretta Lynch is Herman Goering, only not as good-looking.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/adolf-hitler-is-named-chancellor-of-germany
https://pjmedia.com/trending/2016/03/12/former-spokesman-says-breitbart-lying-about-michelle-fields-manhandling-at-trump-event/
And who would know better…???
This is perhaps the most definitive view of the incident. You can clearly see she is making this up. 100%. It is a realshame that people are so quick to jump on this before understanding what really happened.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NoMPxomjiw
Yep the latest video shows him either not touching her or not touching her in any forceful or inappropriate manner. There was no jerking or awkward movement of her body. No sign of falling down or almost falling down. No loss of balance. Not even a change of expression on her face. She is either a liar or a sick person.
I agree with the commenters who express the idea that Fields needs to put on her big girl panties and stop being such a delicate snowflake. She probably spent too much time studying micro aggressions and safe place studies in school.
As people said above if a male reporter tried to make a story about having his arm pulled nobody would give him or the story 10 seconds.
It is reverse sexism being applied bh all the people trying to make something out of a man grabbing a lite snowflakes arm.