Following the money
Corey Lewandowski exiled from 'Trump World,' again, after Trump donor's sexual advances complaint
Corey Lewandowski, a longtime loyalist of former President Donald Trump, was pushed out of his job leading the pro-Trump super PAC Make America Great Again Action on Wednesday, hours after a donor went public with her accusation that Lewandowki made aggressive and unwanted sexual advances at a Sunday night dinner in Las Vegas. He was also exiled from Trump's orbit, according to Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich.
"Corey Lewandowski will be going on to other endeavors and we very much want to thank him for his service," Budowich said. "He will no longer be associated with Trump World." Lewandowski will be replaced at MAGAA by former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
"The 48-year-old Lewandowski, who is married, has long been by Trump's side — though it is not the first time he has been cast out by Trump," Politico notes. Trump fired him as campaign manager in June 2016 — then began reaching out to him a month later, and Lewandowski "was soon back in the fold," The New York Times reports. Trump aides "insist this latest incident is different, particularly because it involves a donor to the former president."
The donor, Trashelle Odom, and her lawyer said Lewandowski had grabbed her leg and buttocks "repeatedly" and "inappropriately" during the Las Vegas dinner, "said vile and disgusting things to me, stalked me, and made me feel violated and fearful." She and her husband, Idaho construction executive John Odom, said Lewandowski must be held accountable, and "those close to the Odoms said they planned to ask for their money to be refunded unless Lewandowski stepped aside from the organization," Politico says.
John Odom said in a statement that Lewandowski had called him Monday evening, sounding "distraught and scared. He said he had been intoxicated. He was sorry for his actions, wanted to know how he could make it go away, and that he would do anything to make it right with Trashelle and our family." Lewandowski, through a lawyer, declined to respond to the allegations.
Some Trump advisers have privately complained that Lewandowski was using his role at the Trump super PAC to advance his other clients, the Times reports. One of his clients, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), was at Sunday night's dinner in Las Vegas. "As of late Wednesday night, Noem's operation had not yet said whether Lewandowski would remain on her team," Politico says.