Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields has broken her silence on a run-in with Donald Trump’s campaign manager.
According to multiple reports, Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, roughed up Fields by grabbing her arm and attempting to pull her to the ground at a press conference Tuesday after she asked a question of Trump.
Here is what happened at the @realDonaldTrump press conference with @CLewandowski_ https://t.co/Dk2xYiBtSG— Michelle Fields (@Michelle Fields) 1457616850.0
“I never sought to be part of the story,” Fields wrote in a piece published Thursday. “On Tuesday night, I went to cover Donald Trump’s press conference at the Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida. I was looking to cover the event like I have covered many live political events for Breitbart News, including an uneventful Trump press conference in Palm Beach the week before.”
Back in FL tonight for @realDonaldTrump's press conference at Trump International Golf Club https://t.co/tfx6pYFGLV— Michelle Fields (@Michelle Fields) 1457483609.0
Fields wrote that she was not acknowledged during the televised press conference, but afterwards, Trump walked around taking questions from reporters and she took the opportunity to ask him “about his view on an aspect of affirmative action.”
“Trump acknowledged the question, but before he could answer I was jolted backwards. Someone had grabbed me tightly by the arm and yanked me down," Fields wrote. "I almost fell to the ground, but was able to maintain my balance. Nonetheless, I was shaken.”
Fields wrote that she did not see “who aggressively tried to pull me to the ground,” but the Washington Post’s Ben Terris immediately told her it was Lewandowski.
“I quickly turned around and saw Lewandowski and Trump exiting the building together. No apology. No explanation for why he did this,” Fields added.
“Even if Trump was done taking questions, Lewandowski would be out of line,” Fields wrote. “Campaign managers aren’t supposed to try to forcefully throw reporters to the ground, no matter the circumstance. But what made this especially jarring is that there was no hint Trump was done taking questions. No one was pushing him to get away. He seemed to have been happily answering queries from my fellow reporters just a moment before.”
“Many people have been asking me on Twitter and in emails what exactly happened Tuesday night. I hope this article answers those questions and I can get back to reporting the news, not being a part of it,” she concluded.
Breitbart Editor-at-Large Ben Shapiro has called for Lewandowski to be fired for his actions.
.@MichelleFields is a terrific and intrepid reporter. Trump should fire Lewandowski immediately. No excuses.— Ben Shapiro (@Ben Shapiro) 1457587260.0
Since when is it okay for campaign managers to assault journalists? What the hell is wrong with these people?— Ben Shapiro (@Ben Shapiro) 1457587416.0
By the way, "we didn't know she was Breitbart" is an insane excuse. So you now get to assault journalists from other outlets? What the hell?— Ben Shapiro (@Ben Shapiro) 1457587686.0
Lewandowski should be fired. This is not about Michelle being "part of the story." It's about bad people tolerating thuggery.— Ben Shapiro (@Ben Shapiro) 1457618293.0
Michelle should certainly file a police report. https://t.co/5JD7xGjYBO— Ben Shapiro (@Ben Shapiro) 1457618942.0
According to the Daily Beast, a Breitbart public relations official reprimanded Fields for telling her boyfriend Jamie Weinstein, senior editor at the Daily Caller, about the incident. Weinstein tweeted about the encounter on Tuesday:
Trump always surrounds himself w thugs. Tonight thug Corey Lewandowski tried to pull my gf @MichelleFields to ground when she asked tough q— Jamie Weinstein (@Jamie Weinstein) 1457494122.0
Say what you will abt Bush or even Obama. They would never tolerate this type of thuggery toward women https://t.co/EfbQH6tFM7— Jamie Weinstein (@Jamie Weinstein) 1457494369.0
The Daily Beast also reported that Fields has “yet to hear any supportive words — or anything, for that matter — from Breitbart executive chairman Stephen K. Bannon or editor in chief Alex Marlow.”
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Follow Kate Scanlon (@kgscanlon) on Twitter
UNBELIEVABLE: THIS politician has been absent 33.4% of the time, but there’s someone with an even WORSE record