Campaign Co-Chair Doubted Trump’s ‘Moral Center’ While Working For Rival

Iowa Republican senatorial candidate college professor Sam Clovis looks on before a live televised debate at Iowa Public Television studios, Thursday, April 24, 2014, in Johnston, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The latest addition to real estate mogul Donald Trump’s presidential campaign staff raised doubts about Trump’s authenticity and “moral center” while working for a rival GOP campaign, the Des Moines Register reported Wednesday night.

Conservative activist Sam Clovis previously served as the Iowa chairman for former Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s presidential campaign. Clovis announced he was stepping down Monday after Perry’s campaign confirmed it was unable to pay staffers at the national headquarters and state offices.

On Tuesday, the Trump campaign announced Clovis had joined as its national co-chairman and policy adviser.

For its Wednesday article, the Register obtained emails (from a Perry supporter) that Clovis sent while he was working for Perry in which he raised doubts about the GOP frontrunner.

“(Trump) left me with questions about his moral center and his foundational beliefs,” Clovis wrote in email 35 days before he joined Trump’s campaign as a national co-chairman, according to the Des Moines Register. “His comments reveal no foundation in Christ, which is a big deal.”

Clovis verified the emails’ authenticity to the newspaper. He did not confirm how much he is being paid.

In late July, according to the newspaper, Clovis wrote an email to one Iowan that Trump’s disparaging comments about the time Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) spent as a prisoner of war were “insulting.”

“Mr. Trump’s remarks were insulting to me as a veteran and as a person whose family sacrificed for 25 years as I missed anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, Christmases and Easters,” Clovis wrote, according to the Register.

Clovis told the newspaper he became satisfied with Trump’s views.

Clovis said he had a chance to “look him in the eye and ask him the tough questions.”

Trump said on Thursday afternoon he was happy with Clovis joining his campaign.

“We love having Sam,” Trump told reporters while taking questions after a campaign stop in Greenville, South Carolina.

Latest Livewire
25
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. That man’s picture must be next to the words “moral center” in the dictionary.

  2. Avatar for dnl dnl says:

    Clovis said he had a chance to "look him in the eye and ask him the tough questions."

    What’s it with eye -gazing in the GOTP…remembering how well that turned out when dubya gazed into Pootie’s eyes

  3. For authority on moral centers, moral compasses, compassion, I always turn to conservative activists, advisors, commentators, staff members, and assholes for hire.

  4. Someone, please fetch that poor man a neck.

  5. He looks like he ate the entire tub of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Trump butter.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

19 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for lestatdelc Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for berkshire_boy Avatar for theod Avatar for dubbles Avatar for commiedearest Avatar for mantan Avatar for callmeeric Avatar for daveyjones64 Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for rssrai Avatar for arc_of_the_universe Avatar for dickweed Avatar for pine Avatar for dnl Avatar for occamsrazor2 Avatar for caltg Avatar for mpower1952

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: