Corey Lewandowski

Corey Lewandowski
Born (1973-09-18) September 18, 1973
Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.
Alma mater University of Massachusetts,
Lowell
American University
Political party U.S. Republican Party
Spouse(s) Alison

Corey Lewandowski (born September 18, 1973)[1] is an American political operative. He is the manager of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.[2][3][4][5]

Prior to joining Trump's campaign, Lewandowski worked for multiple campaigns and was a lobbyist. He worked for Americans for Prosperity in a variety of roles, and led the group's national voter-registration effort for 11 months.[5] Lewandowski has run for office himself twice, once in Massachusetts and once in New Hampshire, losing both races.

Early life

Corey Lewandowski was raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, graduating from Lowell Catholic High School in 1991.[6]

Lewandowski graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell with a B.A. in political science in 1995.[7]

In 1994, while an undergraduate student, Lewandowski ran for a seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, losing to Thomas A. Golden Jr., a Democrat.[2]

Political career

Early work

After graduating from college, Lewandowski worked on Capitol Hill in Washington while earning a master's degree in political science at American University.[2] In 1999, Lewandowski was arrested for bringing a handgun and ammunition into Longworth House Office Building.[8]

Lewandowski then interned for Massachusetts State Senator Steven C. Panagiotakos, a Democrat.[6] He also worked on the campaign of Peter G. Torkildsen (who was one of two remaining Republican members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, the other being Peter I. Blute).

Lewandowski worked on Ohio Republican Bob Ney's campaign,[6] and after the election became Ney's congressional chief of staff.[9] In 2007, before Ney was sentenced on federal corruption charges arising from the Abramoff scandal, Lewandowski wrote a letter to the presiding judge, Ellen Segal Huvelle, saying that Ney was a mentor and "surrogate father" to him and asking for leniency in sentencing.[10][11]

Lewandowski briefly worked for the Republican National Committee in 2001, serving as Northeast legislative political director.[2]

Lewandowski served as campaign manager for the 2002 re-election campaign for U.S. Senator Robert C. Smith of New Hampshire. Smith was defeated in the Republican primary by John E. Sununu.[9] During the campaign, Lewandowski generated controversy by publicly suggesting that Sununu, who is of Lebanese descent, had divided loyalties in fighting terrorism.[8]

Schwartz MSL, Americans for Prosperity, and other work

From 2003 to 2004, Lewandowski was executive director of the New England Seafood Producers Association.[12][13]

From 2004 to 2012, Lewandowski worked for Schwartz MSL, a strategic communication and engagement firm where, according to his LinkedIn profile, he served as director of public affairs from September 2004 until July 2012. Lewandowski was registered as a lobbyist for Schwartz MSL on behalf of Passport Systems in 2011, lobbying on homeland security issues.[13] Schwartz represented Passport Systems for six years, and the firm paid Schwartz more than $350,000 over that period. Between 2008 and 2011, Passport Systems secured more than $23.9 million in federal funds. Lewandowski represented two other clients: health care software company Logical Images and solar-power company Borrego Solar.[14]

Lewandowski graduated from the New Hampshire police academy in 2006[8] and worked from 2006 to 2010 as a seasonal marine patrol officer trainee[14] with the New Hampshire State Police.[15][16]

In 2008, Lewandowski began working for Americans for Prosperity, a Koch brothers-backed advocacy group.[13][14] Lewandowski's period working for Americans for Prosperity overlapped with his tenure as a marine patrol officer trainee and registered federal lobbyist.[14] Lewandowski was Americans for Prosperity's New Hampshire director,[14][17] and East Coast regional director before becoming the national director of voter registration, a position he held until January 2015.[13][5] Lewandowski's term at Americans for Prosperity was described by Politico as "tumultuous" and marked by "fiery confrontations" with other AFP employees.[16]

While working for Americans for Prosperity, Lewandowski criticized the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade system for state utilities, saying "it does nothing to reduce greenhouse gases because jobs and businesses just move to other states."[17] At the same time, Lewandowski lobbied for Borrego Solar, helping to secure a $500,000 earmark in the 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Act that benefited a solar electricity project in Lancaster, Massachusetts, that Borrego was involved in. Newsweek noted, "Though he had succeeded as a pro-solar lobbyist looking for government assistance, at AFP he waged a campaign against government programs that supported green energy."[14]

In 2012, while still working for Americans for Prosperity, Lewandowski unsuccessfully ran for town treasurer of Windham, New Hampshire. NPR reported that during the campaign, Lewandowski "upended the town's politics, using public records laws to probe local government and launching robocalls targeted at voters to stoke outrage over a visit to the town by President Obama."[11]

Trump 2016 presidential campaign

Lewandowski first met Trump in April 2014 at a political event in New Hampshire.[3][8] Six months before Trump announced his campaign, Lewandowski was invited to Trump Tower where he accepted an offer from Trump to run his campaign.[6]

Lewandowski's playbook running Trump's campaign has been "Let Trump be Trump" and those words appear on his office white board.[18] Trump has said of Lewandowski: "he leaves me alone, but he knows when to make his presence felt."[9]

After a win in New Hampshire on February 9, 2016, Trump acknowledged Lewandowski's role in the win by praising his ground game.[11]

Alleged physical incidents

Corey Lewandowski is seen allegedly grabbing the arm of reporter Michelle Fields in this still frame from video taken March 8, 2016, and released by the Jupiter Police Department on March 29, 2016.

On March 10, 2016, Michelle Fields, a reporter for Breitbart News, wrote that, after she asked Donald Trump a question when she approached him after a March 8, 2016, press conference in Jupiter, Florida, she was forcefully grabbed by Lewandowski and almost fell to the ground.[19][20][21][22] On March 29, 2016, Lewandowski was charged with one count of simple battery by the Jupiter Police Department and surrendered himself to the authorities, after releasing a statement maintaining his innocence.[23][24][25]

On April 14, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg filed court documents saying that his office would not prosecute Lewandowski. Prosecutors determined that "there was probable cause to make an arrest" and "the facts support the allegation that Mr. Lewandowski did grab Ms. Fields' arm against her will" but that "the evidence cannot prove all legally required elements of the crime alleged and is insufficient to support a criminal prosecution."[26]

On March 19, 2016, during a campaign event in in Tucson, Arizona, Lewandowski drew criticisms for his handling of a protester. A video shows Lewandowski grabbing the protester by the collar when the latter ignored Lewandowski's calls for him to leave.[27][28][29][30][31] The campaign and Lewandowski denied the allegation.[27][28]

Personal life

Lewandowski first met his wife Alison when he was in ninth grade and she was in eighth. She married one of his best friends in 1998, but he died on United Airlines Flight 175 during the September 11 attacks. She married Lewandowski four years later.[8] Lewandowski is a father of four children.[16]

Lewandowski is Roman Catholic.[8] He lives in Windham, New Hampshire.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Stokols, Eli; Gold, Hadas; Gass, Nick (March 29, 2016). "Trump turns blame on reporter in battery case". Politico. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved April 10, 2016. The police report states, 'Based on the above-described investigation, probable cause exists to charge Corey Lewandowski DOB 9/18/1973...'
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ben Schreckinger and Cate Martel (July 22, 2015). The man behind Donald Trump's run. Politico. Retrieved: July 23, 2015.
  3. 1 2 Phillips, Amber (July 23, 2015). "Meet the man behind Donald Trump’s presidential campaign". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  4. ↑ Epstein, Reid J. (July 23, 2015). "Q&A: Your Questions About the GOP Presidential Field, Answered". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Dáte, S.V. (July 7, 2015). "Donald Trump Is Buying a New Hampshire Campaign Wholesale". National Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "On the stump for Trump: Lowell native Corey Lewandowski running presidential campaign". The Lowell Sun. July 24, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Matt Stout (July 25, 2015). "Trumpeting The Donald". Boston Herald.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tumulty, Karen (March 30, 2016). "Who is Corey Lewandowski? His rise — and his relationship with Donald Trump.". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 Haberman, Maggie (September 4, 2015). "For His Unconventional Campaign, Donald Trump Looks to an Unorthodox Manager". The New York Times.
  10. ↑ Rahn, Will (August 3, 2015). "Donald Trump's Campaign Chief Backed a Crooked Congressman, Called Him 'My Surrogate Father'". The Daily Beast.
  11. 1 2 3 Rogers, Josh (February 22, 2016). "Meet Donald Trump's Alter Ego". All Things Considered. NPR.
  12. ↑ "Can Corey Lewandowski save New England's seafood industry?". Intrafish. July 16, 2003.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Dick, Jason (March 30, 2016). "Who Is Corey Lewandowski? Trump campaign manager, seasoned political operative". CQ-Roll Call.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Choma, Russ (March 30, 2016). "Donald Trump Campaign Manager's Diametric Double Life as a Solar Power Lobbyist". Newsweek.
  15. ↑ Stevenson, Seth. "A Week on the Trail With the "Disgusting Reporters" Covering Donald Trump". Slate. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  16. 1 2 3 Vogel, Kenneth; Schreckinger, Ben; Gold, Hadas. "Trump campaign manager's behavior prompted staff concerns". Politico. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  17. 1 2 "How to Live Freer in New Hampshire". Wall Street Journal. February 25, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Meet the Man Who Helps Trump Be Trump". Wall Street Journal. February 10, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Michelle Fields: In Her Own Words". Breitbart. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Inside Trump's inner circle, his staffers are willing to fight for him. Literally.". The Washington Post. March 10, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Exclusive: Transcript of female Breitbart reporter allegedly being roughed up by Trump campaign manager". Politico. March 10, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Video Shows Trump Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski Grabbing Reporter Michelle Fields". Daily Beast. March 11, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Trump campaign manager Lewandowski charged with battery". CNBC. March 29, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Trump aide charged with misdemeanor battery vs. ex-Breitbart reporter". Palm Beach Post. March 29, 2016.
  25. ↑ Tesfaye, Sophia (March 29, 2016). "Busted! Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski officially charged with assaulting ex-Breitbart staffer". Salon. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  26. ↑ Anderson, Curt (April 14, 2015). "Prosecutor won't pursue battery charge against Trump aide". Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  27. 1 2 Jacobs, Ben (March 20, 2016). "Trump campaign denies manager grabbed protester at Arizona rally". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  28. 1 2 "Trump Campaign Denies Campaign Manager Grabbed Protester". ABC News. March 21, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Donald Trump's campaigner was filmed grabbing a protester by the collar". The Independent. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Trump faults protesters over violence, not their assailants". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  31. ↑ "Trump Campaign Denies That Video Shows Lewandowski Grabbing Protester". NBC News. Retrieved March 21, 2016.

External links

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