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Donald Trump's Campaign Manager Charged With Battery

By Christopher Coble, Esq. on March 29, 2016 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Last month, former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields alleged (and security video confirmed) that Donald Trump's campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, roughly grabbed her arm at a campaign press conference, leaving bruises. Trump and his campaign denied the allegations and the matter caused a mini-implosion at Breitbart, with both Fields and Ben Shapiro leaving the company, citing a lack of support.

Today, the Jupiter (Florida) Police Department charged Lewandowski with battery and he turned himself in to police.

She Said, He Said, She Tweeted, Video Showed, Trump Tweeted

As Politico reported, the charges are based on an encounter at a press conference on March 8. Fields was walking with Trump on his way out of the press conference, attempting to ask the candidate a question. Fields claimed Lewandowski pulled her back forcefully, leaving a bruise on her arm, pictures of which she tweeted two days later:

Lewandowski, Trump, and the campaign all denied the incident, but Politico published security camera footage from the event, which clearly showed a rough confrontation between Fields and Lewandowski. Trump and Fields have continued their Twitter spat after the charges were filed:

Probable Cause

As the police report reads, "Based on the above-described investigation, probable cause exists to charge Corey Lewandowski ... with (1) count of Simple Battery per FSS 784.03 (1) (a) (1), in that he did intentionally touch Michelle Fields ... against the will of Michelle Fields." Florida's battery statute makes unwanted touching a first degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail.

Lewandowski is scheduled to appear in court on May 4 and a Trump spokesperson told Politico, "He will enter a plea of not guilty and looks forward to his day in court. He is completely confident that he will be exonerated." Expect Lewandowski to put up a spirited defense -- one of his attorneys, Kendall Coffey, resigned from the U.S. Attorney's office in Florida after he bit a stripper.

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