Tuesday morning news broke about Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski being charged with misdemeanor battery. The charges come three weeks after reporter Michelle Fields filed a police report alleging Lewandowski grabbed her so hard at a campaign event, multiple bruises were left on her arm. According to the Trump campaign, Lewandowski will enter a plea of not guilty. For good measure, here is the video evidence of what happened:
.@mashable has police CCTV footage of @CLewandowski_ and @MichelleFields https://t.co/yaj4SfQQ4g
— Justin Green (@JGreenDC) March 29, 2016
I guess these just magically appeared on me @CLewandowski_ @realDonaldTrump. So weird. pic.twitter.com/oD8c4D7tw3
— Michelle Fields (@MichelleFields) March 10, 2016
When the incident occurred, Lewandowski called Fields "delusional," said he never touched her and that he had never even met her.
@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
The Trump campaign sent out a press release denying the incident. implied the incident never occurred and claimed not a single camera caught it.
On March 10, his campaign said "Not a single camera... captured the alleged incident" https://t.co/IHuWe3VnP2
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 29, 2016
But the worst smear came from Donald Trump himself after the GOP debate in Miami, when he accused Fields of "making up" the story and claimed it never happened. He made these statements in the spin room, in front of hundreds of reporters.
"This was, in my opinion, made up," Trump told CNN. "Everybody said nothing happened. Perhaps she made the story up. I think that's what happened."
"I don't think it ever happened," Trump told Townhall, while issuing a veiled threat. "Check her out. Just check her out."
Adding insult to injury, during his victory speech on the night of the Florida primary, Trump put Lewandowski on stage to his right and gave him a shout out just before calling reporters "despicable people," to which Lewandowski raucously clapped.
"Good job Corey," Trump said.
Trump on March 15: "Disgusting reporters, horrible people."
— Amanda Wills (@AmandaWills) March 29, 2016
Then, Corey Lewandowski laughs and claps.https://t.co/Wmf6RzqnPW
UPDATE: Trump is denying the video shows his campaign manager grabbing Fields.
Wow, Corey Lewandowski, my campaign manager and a very decent man, was just charged with assaulting a reporter. Look at tapes-nothing there!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2016
This is situation isn't simply about the misdemeanor battery charge, but about the lengths Trump, Lewandowski and the Trump campaign went to smear, slander, libel and defame Fields as a "delusional" liar. A lawsuit for damages is in order.