Trump Spox: Charge Against Top Aide ‘Hurts Real Cases Of Battery’

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

A spokeswoman for Donald Trump on Thursday accused the reporter who alleged Trump’s campaign manager had manhandled her of setting a “bad precedent,” and said the allegation “actually hurts real cases of battery.”

Spokeswoman Katrina Pierson made that comment after state prosecutors in Palm Beach County, Florida announced they were dropping their investigation into the allegations that Corey Lewandowski grabbed reporter Michelle Fields’ arm at a campaign event last month.

“Anytime you see a woman claiming to be battered by a man, you should investigate, and that’s exactly what happened,” Pierson said on Fox Business Network, as quoted by The Hill. “Unfortunately, this was not the case, which actually hurts real cases of battery in this country, considering the magnitude and the scope of the publicity of this case.”

Fields, a former reporter for Breitbart News, alleged that Lewandowski grabbed her arm as she approached Trump to ask him a question at a March press conference, pulling her so roughly that she said he left bruises on her arm. Lewandowski initially denied that he grabbed Fields and accused her of seeking attention, even as her claims were backed up video evidence and other witnesses.

Local police charged Lewandowski with battery after Fields filed a complaint later that month. However, Palm Beach County state attorney David Aronberg announced Thursday that prosecutors would not pursue the charge because there was no “good faith basis” to move forward with state prosecution.

Pierson said it was “devastating” for Lewandowski to go through the process.

“I think it was mishandled initially by the person saying that she was battered,” Pierson added. “And then to demand an apology from someone who had no idea what she was talking about to begin with, I think, sets another bad precedent.”

Latest Livewire
22
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. I wonder if FOX isn’t giving this fool enough rope to hang herself. It doesn’t mater though. It sucks for the woman he grabbed but she can take solace in the fact the incident helped burn in an image of Trump that’s going to figure big in his defeat.

  2. Gee, I’ve seen something like this before…

    “Anytime you see a woman claiming to be raped by a man, you should investigate, and that’s exactly what happened,” Pierson said on Fox Business Network, as quoted by The Hill. “Unfortunately, this was not the case, which actually hurts real cases of rape in this country, considering the magnitude and the scope of the publicity of this case.”

  3. And your boss and his flunky campaign manger hurt real cases of telling the truth, facts and dealing in reality.

  4. Avatar for sjk sjk says:

    So, everything Fields said happened actually happened. The State Attorney just justified Lewdboys actions with some security bubble babble, Got it!

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

16 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for lestatdelc Avatar for richardinjax Avatar for pearlywhite Avatar for sysprog Avatar for pokeyoakey Avatar for fargo116 Avatar for inlabsitrust Avatar for sniffit Avatar for magical_panda Avatar for serendipitoussomnambulist Avatar for darrtown Avatar for pshah Avatar for sjk Avatar for charliedontsurf Avatar for bentobox

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: