After a woman asked Donald Trump a question about equal pay and how he treats women, the real estate mogul’s campaign accused former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s campaign of sending the woman to the event.
Bush’s campaign on Tuesday confirmed that the woman is an unpaid volunteer with the campaign, but that her question was not sanctioned by the campaign.
While speaking at a No Labels event in New Hampshire on Monday, a member of the audience told Trump, “I don’t think you’re a friend to women.”
She then asked, “If you become president, will a woman make the same as a man, and do I get to choose what I do with my body?”
The Burlington Free Press identified the woman as Lauren Batchelder, an 18-year-old from New Hampshire. Batchelder lists on her LinkedIn profile that she is an intern at Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign.
Following the event, Daniel Scavino, an adviser to the Trump campaign, accused the Bush campaign of sending Batchelder to the No Labels event to confront Trump.
If you watched #NoLabels Conference in New Hampshire today, NOTE the Jeb plant, Lauren Batchelder. JEB is DESPERATE! pic.twitter.com/u957iMIcaI
— Daniel Scavino Jr. (@DanScavino) October 13, 2015
Jeb loves U2 Lauren Rose Batchelder. Next time UR on a mission remember the power of social media. #JebsInternPlant pic.twitter.com/fbqz8jOmpI
— Daniel Scavino Jr. (@DanScavino) October 13, 2015
Trump himself followed suit on Tuesday morning.
The arrogant young woman who questioned me in such a nasty fashion at No Labels yesterday was a Jeb staffer! HOW CAN HE BEAT RUSSIA & CHINA?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2015
Tim Miller, the communications director for the Bush campaign, confirmed that Batchelder has volunteered for the campaign, but he noted that the campaign did not approve her question or send her to the event.
@senatorshoshana @reedgalen she’s a volunteer supporter. Didn’t agree with her q but boy is Trump sensitive when challenged by women.
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) October 13, 2015
For what its worth, Lauren is not a Jeb staffer but the Jeb staff is amused by how sensitive Donald is to being challenged by women.
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) October 13, 2015
Bush campaign confirms the woman who asked Trump some of his toughest Qs yesterday is an unpaid volunteer pic.twitter.com/dkHCTW2zOm
— Sara Murray (@SaraMurray) October 13, 2015
Bush’s campaign did not respond to TPM’s request for comment.
He’s one to talk, Drumpf sent a “colombian” plant TO HIS OWN RALLY.
AnD TRUMP TRApped HER In HER TRAP. SORRY, ugly LOSer, TRUMP cherishes Women. AND LIKE a PLANt, YOU are ALSO brainless!!!one!!1!!!1!
Dump sent rubio some water. Jeb! sent a plant. Who cares!
¿Jeb? the low-energy Acronym does seem desperate. This smacks of desperation, disorganization and incompetence in the Bush campaign.
For a guy who comes on all macho, that Trump does a lot of snippy, peevish back-and-forth bickering with people, you know? Just saying.