Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trump’s presidential campaign manager, was charged with simple battery on Tuesday after a security camera at a campaign event in Jupiter, Fla., showed Lewandowski grabbing a female reporter while she tried asking Trump a question.
The incident occurred on March 8 after a news conference at Trump National Golf Club. The alleged victim was Michelle Fields, a reporter for the Breitbart News, as documented in a report by the New York Times.
The surveillance video shows Lewandowski intervene between Trump and Fields as the two walked. Fields has said she was asking Trump about judges and affirmative action when Lewandowski swooped in and grabbed the reporter, pulling her away from Trump. The incident took only seconds to unfold.
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Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for Trump, issued the following statement: “Mr. Lewandowski was issued a notice to appear and was given a court date. He was not arrested. Mr. Lewandowski is absolutely innocent of this charge. 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.”
Lewandowski will appear in court on May 4, according to the report.
