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Corey R. Lewandowski (; born September 18, 1973) is an American political operative,
lobbyist In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...
, political commentator and author who is politically associated primarily with
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
. He was the first
campaign manager {{Political campaigning A campaign manager, campaign chairman, or campaign director is a paid or volunteer individual whose role is to coordinate a political campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vo ...
of Trump's
2016 presidential campaign This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kiri ...
and fired by Trump during the Republican Primary. He later became a political commentator for One America News Network (OANN),
Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is o ...
and CNN. Before convincing Trump he could lead his campaign, Lewandowski worked on several campaigns, for a Congressman, worked for the conservative
advocacy group Advocacy groups, also known as interest groups, special interest groups, lobbying groups or pressure groups use various forms of advocacy in order to influence public opinion and ultimately policy. They play an important role in the develop ...
Americans for Prosperity Americans for Prosperity (AFP), founded in 2004, is a libertarian conservative political advocacy group in the United States funded by Charles Koch and formerly his brother David. As the Koch brothers' primary political advocacy group, it is one ...
and was a
lobbyist In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...
. On April 30, 1999, Lewandowski tried to carry a bag of laundry into work with a handgun at the bottom of the bag. He was attempting to bring it into his place of work at the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill. He also held the position of Seasonal Marine Patrol Officer Trainee for approximately 3.5 years and successfully graduated the New Hampshire part-time Police Officer Academy. Lewandowski himself has run unsuccessfully for office twice, once in Massachusetts and once in New Hampshire. On December 21, 2016, Lewandowski co-founded Avenue Strategies, a lobbying firm in an office near the White House. He left the firm in May 2017. On August 1, 2019, Lewandowski announced that he was "very seriously" considering seeking the Republican nomination to oppose incumbent Democratic Senator
Jeanne Shaheen Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen ( ; née Bowers, born January 28, 1947) is an American retired educator and politician serving as the senior United States senator from New Hampshire since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, Shaheen served as the 78 ...
in the
2020 United States Senate election in New Hampshire The 2020 United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of New Hampshire, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as o ...
. In January 2020, he ultimately decided not to run, while stating that he "would have won" had he run. On the day it was reported in September 2021 that he had made sexual advances toward a major Trump donor, a Trump spokesman said Lewandowski "will no longer be associated with Trump World."


Early life and education

Lewandowski was raised in
Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, in the United States. Alongside Cambridge, It is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as ...
. One of his grandfathers was a printer. He is of Polish and French-Canadian descent. Lewandowski graduated in 1991 from
Lowell Catholic High School Lowell Catholic is a private, not-for-profit, college preparatory school in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and is a Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School. Lowell Catholic High School was established ...
, a private, not-for-profit,
college-preparatory school A college-preparatory school (usually shortened to preparatory school or prep school) is a type of secondary school. The term refers to public, private independent or parochial schools primarily designed to prepare students for higher educat ...
in Lowell. In 1995, he graduated from the
University of Massachusetts Lowell The University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell and UML) is a public research university in Lowell, Massachusetts, with a satellite campus in Haverhill, Massachusetts. It is the northernmost member of the University of Massachusetts public ...
with a B.A. in political science. He received a
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
in
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and ...
from
American University The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was cha ...
in Washington, DC, in 1997.


Political career


1994 Massachusetts State House campaign

In 1994, while an undergraduate student, Lewandowski ran for a seat in the
Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...
as a
write-in candidate A write-in candidate is a candidate whose name does not appear on the ballot but seeks election by asking voters to cast a vote for the candidate by physically writing in the person's name on the ballot. Depending on electoral law it may be poss ...
in the Republican primary. He received 143 votes, falling short of the 150 votes needed to win the party's nomination for the ballot. In the November general election, the seat was won by Thomas A. Golden Jr., a Democrat. Golden received 7,157 votes, while Lewandowski received 7 votes.1994 State Representative General Election: 17th Middlesex District
". ''Massachusetts Election Statistics''. Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Accessed on June 27, 2016.


Early work

After graduating from college, Lewandowski worked as an aide for Republican Massachusetts Congressman
Peter G. Torkildsen Peter Gerard Torkildsen (born January 28, 1958) is an American Republican Party politician from Massachusetts. He represented the 13th Essex district, including his hometown of Danvers, in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1985 ...
from January 1996 to January 1997, while a graduate student at
American University The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was cha ...
. Also while a student in 1997, Lewandowski interned for Massachusetts State Senator Steven C. Panagiotakos, a Democrat. From December 1997 to February 2001, Lewandowski worked as an administrative assistant for Ohio Republican
Bob Ney Robert William Ney (born July 5, 1954) is an American politician from Ohio. A Republican, Ney represented Ohio's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 until November 3, 2006, when he resigned. Ney's resigna ...
, a U.S. Congressman. In 2007, before Ney was
sentenced Sentenced was a Finnish gothic metal band that played melodic death metal in their early years. The band formed in 1989 in the town of Muhos and broke up in 2005. History Early years (1988–1991) Sentenced started in 1988 as Deformity and ...
on federal corruption charges arising from the Abramoff lobbying scandal, Lewandowski wrote a letter to the presiding judge, saying that Ney was a mentor and "surrogate father" to him and asking for leniency in sentencing. In 1999, while working for Ney, Lewandowski brought a loaded handgun in a laundry bag into the Longworth House Office Building.DiStaso, John. "GOP chairman explains the ground rules". ''The New Hampshire Union Leader''. December 20, 2001. He was arrested and charged with a
misdemeanor A misdemeanor (American English, spelled misdemeanour elsewhere) is any "lesser" criminal act in some common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished less severely than more serious felonies, but theoretically more so than adm ...
. Lewandowski said it was an accident, that he forgot the gun was in the bag when he put the laundry in it. The charges eventually were dismissed; Lewandowski then unsuccessfully fought for four years to get the gun back, filing lawsuits in multiple District of Columbia and federal courts. After leaving Ney's office, Lewandowski worked most of 2001 for the
Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in ...
as the Northeast legislative political director.


Smith campaign

Lewandowski was the
campaign manager {{Political campaigning A campaign manager, campaign chairman, or campaign director is a paid or volunteer individual whose role is to coordinate a political campaign's operations such as fundraising, advertising, polling, getting out the vo ...
for the 2002 re-election campaign of
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and power ...
Robert C. Smith Robert Clinton Smith (born March 30, 1941) is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for New Hampshire's 1st congressional district from 1985 to 1990 and the state of New Hampshire in the Uni ...
of New Hampshire. Smith was challenged in the Republican primary by
John E. Sununu John Edward Sununu (born September 10, 1964) is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senator from New Hampshire. Sununu was the youngest member of the Senate for his entire ...
. Speaking about Sununu, Lewandowski said, "The people of New Hampshire want someone in the U.S. Senate with clear, concise views on terrorism. They'll judge a congressman based on the people he associates with, his voting record and his campaign contributions."Babington, Charles.
Smith Takes Swipe at Sununu, White House Swipes Back
". ''The Washington Post'' (December 23, 2001).
Lewandowski told a reporter he would be interested to know whether anyone associated with
Hamas Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni- Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qas ...
had attended a fundraising event for Sununu. (Lewandowski cited contributions made by Washington lawyer George Salem to Sununu; Salem, who chaired Arab Americans for Bush-Cheney during the 2000 Bush/Cheney campaign, was the attorney for the
Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development The Holy Land Foundation (HLF) was the largest Islamic charity in the United States. Headquartered in Richardson, Texas, and run by Palestinian-Americans, it was originally known as Occupied Land Fund. The organization's mission was to "find a ...
, which had its assets frozen by the U.S. government in 2001 on suspicion of ties to Hamas.) Lewandowski's comments were interpreted as publicly suggesting that Sununu, who is of Lebanese descent, had divided loyalties in fighting terrorism. Former
New Hampshire Governor The governor of New Hampshire is the head of government of New Hampshire. The governor is elected during the biennial state general election in November of even-numbered years. New Hampshire is one of only two states, along with bordering ...
Steve Merrill Stephen Everett Merrill (June 21, 1946 – September 5, 2020) was an American lawyer and Republican politician from Manchester, New Hampshire. He served as the 77th governor of New Hampshire from 1993 to 1997. Early life Merrill was born in No ...
said, "The politics of ethnic slurs and bigotry have no place in any campaign." Former New Hampshire Senator
Warren Rudman Warren Bruce Rudman (May 18, 1930November 19, 2012) was an American attorney and Republican politician who served as United States Senator from New Hampshire between 1980 and 1993. He was known as a moderate centrist, to such an extent that ...
said, "Bob Smith is a better human being than that, and he ought to tell his people to watch themselves."
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
George W. Bush's spokesperson said, "The White House called Senator Smith's office ... Remarks that paint Arab Americans with a broad brush aren't helpful. We need to reassure Arab Americans that this war is about al-Qaida, not Islam. Mr. Salem is a good friend of the president's and an honorable man." Smith's press secretary said Lewandowski was "merely responding to media inquiries" about Salem's fund raising and that "Senator Smith has repeatedly said this campaign is about records—Congressman Sununu's record and Senator Smith's record. Someone's ethnic background has absolutely nothing to do with this election." Sununu defeated Smith in the Republican primary, winning 53% of the vote to Smith's 45%. Smith was the first sitting U.S. senator in ten years to lose a primary campaign.


Schwartz MSL, Americans for Prosperity, and other work

From 2003 to 2004, Lewandowski was executive director of the New England Seafood Producers Association. From 2004 to 2012, Lewandowski worked for Schwartz MSL, a strategic communication and engagement firm where, according to his
LinkedIn LinkedIn () is an American business and employment-oriented online service that operates via websites and mobile apps. Launched on May 5, 2003, the platform is primarily used for professional networking and career development, and allows job se ...
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. 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. Lewandowski graduated from the New Hampshire police academy in 2006 and worked from 2006 to 2010 as a
seasonal A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...
marine patrol officer trainee with the New Hampshire Division of Safety Services. In 2008, Lewandowski began working for
Americans for Prosperity Americans for Prosperity (AFP), founded in 2004, is a libertarian conservative political advocacy group in the United States funded by Charles Koch and formerly his brother David. As the Koch brothers' primary political advocacy group, it is one ...
, a
Koch brothers The Koch family ( ) is an American family engaged in business, best known for their political activities and their control of Koch Industries, the 2nd largest privately owned company in the United States (with 2019 revenues of $115 billion). ...
-backed advocacy group. Lewandowski's period working for Americans for Prosperity overlapped with his tenure as a marine patrol officer trainee and registered federal lobbyist. Lewandowski was Americans for Prosperity's New Hampshire director, and East Coast regional director before becoming the national director of voter registration, a position he held until January 2015. Lewandowski's term at Americans for Prosperity was described by ''
Politico ''Politico'' (stylized in all caps), known originally as ''The Politico'', is an American, German-owned political journalism newspaper company based in Arlington County, Virginia, that covers politics and policy in the United States and intern ...
'' as "tumultuous" and marked by "fiery confrontations" with other AFP employees. While working for Americans for Prosperity, Lewandowski criticized the
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI, pronounced "Reggie") is the first mandatory market-based program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the United States. RGGI is a cooperative effort among the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, ...
, a
cap-and-trade Emissions trading is a market-based approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing the emissions of pollutants. The concept is also known as cap and trade (CAT) or emissions trading scheme (ETS). Carbon emissio ...
system for state utilities, saying "it does nothing to reduce greenhouse gases because jobs and businesses just move to other states." 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 Lancaster is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. Incorporated in 1653, Lancaster is the oldest town in Worcester County. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 8,441. History In 1643 Lancaster was first ...
, 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 Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Most definitions of sustainable energy include considerations of environmental aspects such as greenh ...
." 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
robocall A robocall is a phone call that uses a computerized autodialer to deliver a pre-recorded message, as if from a robot. Robocalls are often associated with political and telemarketing phone campaigns, but can also be used for public service or em ...
s targeted at voters to stoke outrage over a visit to the town by President Obama." Robert Skinner defeated Lewandowski, receiving 1,941 votes to Lewandowski's 714.Windham Town Results
. ''Eagle-Tribune'' (North Andover, Massachusetts). March 5, 2012.


Trump 2016 presidential campaign

Lewandowski first met Trump in April 2014 at a political event in New Hampshire. In January 2015, six months before Trump announced his campaign, Lewandowski was invited to
Trump Tower Trump Tower is a 58-story, mixed-use skyscraper at 721–725 Fifth Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, between East 56th and 57th Streets. The building contains the headquarters for the Trump Organization, as well ...
, where he accepted an offer from Trump to become campaign manager. His salary was $20,000 per month. When Lewandowski was hired, Trump's political staff consisted of three people: his lawyer Michael D. Cohen, veteran operative
Roger Stone Roger Jason Stone (born Roger Joseph Stone Jr.; August 27, 1952) is an American conservative political consultant and lobbyist. Since the 1970s, Stone has worked on the campaigns of Republican politicians, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Rea ...
, and aide Sam Nunberg. In April 2016, another veteran GOP operative,
Paul Manafort Paul John Manafort Jr. (; born April 1, 1949) is an American lobbyist, political consultant, and Lawyer, attorney. A long-time Republican Party (United States), Republican Party campaign consultant, he chaired the Donald Trump 2016 presidential ...
, was hired; the following month Manafort was named “campaign chairman.” Nunberg was fired in early August 2015; he believes that it was Lewandowski and campaign press secretary Hope Hicks who asked Trump for his ouster. Stone left the campaign a week later. Lewandowski's motto as Trump's campaign manager was "Let Trump be Trump"; those words appeared on his office white board. Trump said of Lewandowski, "He leaves me alone, but he knows when to make his presence felt." Lewandowski was identified in the George Papadopoulos court documents as the "High-Ranking Campaign Official". After a win in New Hampshire on February 9, 2016, Trump acknowledged Lewandowski's role in the win by praising his ground game.


Physical incidents


Grabbing of reporter

On March 10, 2016,
Michelle Fields Michelle Fields (born January 10, 1988) is an American political journalist who formerly wrote for ''The Huffington Post'', and was a reporter for ''Breitbart News'', as well as a Fox News contributor. After graduating from college, Fields was hi ...
, a reporter for
Breitbart News ''Breitbart News Network'' (known commonly as ''Breitbart News'', ''Breitbart'', or ''Breitbart.com'') is an Radical right (United States), American far-rightMultiple sources: * * * * * * * * * * * * syndicated news, opinion, and commentary ...
, wrote that, after she asked
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
a question when she approached him after a March 8, 2016, press conference in
Jupiter, Florida Jupiter is the northernmost town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the town had a population of 61,047 as of April 1, 2020. It is 84 miles north of Miami, and the northernmost community in the Miami met ...
, she was forcefully grabbed by Lewandowski. On March 29, 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. Two weeks later,
Palm Beach County Palm Beach County is a county located in the southeastern part of Florida and lies directly north of Broward County and Miami-Dade County. The county had a population of 1,492,191 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous county ...
State Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a loc ...
Dave Aronberg Dave Aronberg (born May 4, 1971) is the State Attorney for Palm Beach County, Florida and a former member of the Florida Senate. He was elected to the Senate in 2002 as its youngest member and served for eight years. He is a Democrat. Prior ...
said that his office would not prosecute Lewandowski; they believed that "there was
probable cause In United States criminal law, probable cause is the standard by which police authorities have reason to obtain a warrant for the arrest of a suspected criminal or the issuing of a search warrant. There is no universally accepted definition o ...
to make an arrest" and "the facts support the allegation that Mr. Lewandowski did grab Ms. Fields' arm against her will," but "the evidence cannot prove all legally required elements of the crime alleged and is insufficient to support a criminal prosecution."


Grabbing of protestor

On March 19, 2016, during a campaign event in
Tucson, Arizona , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...
, Lewandowski drew criticism for his handling of a protester. Although a video showed Lewandowski grabbing the protester by the collar, the campaign and Lewandowski denied doing so.


2021 Las Vegas allegations

In September 2021, Lewandowski attended a charity dinner at the
Westgate Las Vegas The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is a hotel, casino, and timeshare resort in Winchester, Nevada. Located near the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip, it is owned by Westgate Resorts. It opened in 1969 as the International Hotel, and wa ...
hotel. Another attendee at the dinner, Trashelle Odom, the wife of major Trump donor John Odom, accused Lewandowski of making unwanted sexual advances to her during the dinner, including "repeatedly touching her, including on her leg and buttocks, and speaking to her in sexually graphic terms."Alex Isenstadt
Corey Lewandowski cuts deal on charge stemming from alleged unwanted sexual advances
''Politico'' (September 28, 2022).
Odom alleged that Lewandowski "stalked" her throughout the hotel that hosted the event; witnesses said that Lewandowski appeared intoxicated. In September 2022, Lewandowski was charged with misdemeanor
battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
in
Clark County, Nevada Clark County is located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,265,461. Most of the county population resides in the Las Vegas Census County Divisions, which hold 1,771,945 people as of the 2010 Census, acros ...
court in connection with the incident. The same month, Lewandowski made a plea agreement in which he did not admit wrongdoing, but agreed to pay a $1,000 fine, serve 50 hours of community service, and take eight hours of "impulse control counseling"; if he fulfills the agreement and avoids legal trouble for a year, the charge against him will be dismissed.


Departure

In April 2016, Lewandowski's influence within the Trump campaign was reported to be waning. On June 20, 2016, Trump's campaign announced that it was parting ways with Lewandowski; according to reports, Lewandowski was fired, although
Donald Trump Jr. Donald John Trump Jr. (born December 31, 1977) is an American political activist, businessman, author, and former television presenter. He is the eldest child of Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021, and his firs ...
, Trump's son, described the split as "amicable." The move occurred after Lewandowski clashed with Trump chief strategist and campaign chairman
Paul Manafort Paul John Manafort Jr. (; born April 1, 1949) is an American lobbyist, political consultant, and Lawyer, attorney. A long-time Republican Party (United States), Republican Party campaign consultant, he chaired the Donald Trump 2016 presidential ...
in an internal "power struggle." After Lewandowski's departure, Manafort (who had been brought on the campaign in March 2016) became the ''
de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...
'' campaign manager.


Political commentator and lobbyist


Involvement with Donald Trump

According to the Mueller Report, Lewandowski had a "close" relationship with President Donald Trump, whom Lewandowski was a "devotee" of. On June 19, 2017, Lewandowski (a private citizen) joined President Trump in the
Oval Office The Oval Office is the formal working space of the President of the United States. Part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, it is located in the West Wing of the White House, in Washington, D.C. The oval-shaped roo ...
for a one-on-one meeting. Trump told Lewandowski that he would not have appointed Attorney General
Jeff Sessions Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III (born December 24, 1946) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 84th United States Attorney General from 2017 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as United States ...
if he had known that Sessions would recuse himself from the investigation into Russia and the Trump campaign. Trump dictated to Lewandowski a statement that Sessions should make, which would have stated that Trump did nothing wrong, and limited the special counsel investigation into future election interference only. Lewandowski arranged for Sessions to visit him because he did not want to be publicly recorded visiting the Department of Justice. Sessions canceled the meeting due to a last minute conflict. After Lewandowski left Washington D.C., he asked White House official Rick Dearborn if he could pass a message to Sessions, without stating the contents of the message. Dearborn agreed. Lewandowski did so as he felt Dearborn was working in the government and had a better relationship with Sessions than he had. On June 19, 2017, Lewandowski again met Trump one-on-one in the Oval Office. Trump inquired if Lewandowski passed the message to Sessions. Lewandowski replied that it would be done soon. Trump declared that if Sessions would not meet Lewandowski, Lewandowski should tell Sessions that Sessions was fired. Right after the meeting, Lewandowski gave Trump's message to Dearborn to pass to Sessions. Dearborn told Lewandowski he had 'handled the situation', but he actually deliberately did not deliver the message. In April 2018, Lewandowski was interviewed as part of the special counsel investigation with regard to whether Trump had committed obstruction of justice, where he recounted the events above. In February 2019, Lewandowski was interviewed by MSNBC, where he said: "I don't ever remember the president ever asking me to get involved with Jeff Sessions or the Department of Justice in any way, shape or form ever." In September 2019, Lewandowski was called to testify in front of the House Judiciary Committee. Asked to explain his discrepancy in what he told Mueller and what he told the media above, Lewandowski stated: "I have no obligation to be honest with the media because they're just as dishonest as anyone else." Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller appointed Lewandowski to the Defense Business Board in December 2020. The Pentagon later prevented Lewandowski from being seated and then Defense Secretary
Lloyd Austin Lloyd James Austin III (born August 8, 1953) is a retired United States Army four-star general who, since his appointment on January 22, 2021, has served as the 28th United States secretary of defense. He is the first African American to serv ...
fired Lewandoswski as part of a purge of the Pentagon's advisory boards to derail Trump's last-minute installation of political loyalists.


CNN

Days after Lewandowski left the Trump campaign, he was hired by the cable news network CNN as a political commentator. Lewandowski remains subject to a
non-disclosure agreement A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a legal contract or part of a contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes, but wis ...
that he signed with Trump, forbidding him "from making disparaging or revealing remarks about the candidate." Lewandowski received
severance pay Severance may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Severance'' (film), a 2006 British horror film * ''Severance'' (novel), a 2018 novel by Ling Ma *''Severance'', a 2006 short-story collection by Robert Olen Butler * ''Severance'' (TV series), ...
from the Trump campaign while working for CNN. In July 2016, after the group
Media Matters for America Media Matters for America (MMfA) is a politically left-leaning 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization and media watchdog group. MMfA was founded in 2004 by journalist and political activist David Brock as a counterweight to the conservative Media ...
noted that CNN had not disclosed this to viewers, CNN hosts began making on-air disclosures of the severance payments before Lewandowski's appearances. In July 2016, Lewandowski defended Trump who had been criticized after tweeting a graphic that labeled
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
the "most corrupt candidate" alongside a pile of cash and a six-pointed star evoking the
Star of David The Star of David (). is a generally recognized symbol of both Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram: the compound of two equilateral triangles. A derivation of the ''seal of Solomon'', which was used for decorative ...
. (The image originated on an Internet message board featuring
antisemitic conspiracy theories Antisemitic tropes, canards, or myths are " sensational reports, misrepresentations, or fabrications" that are defamatory towards Judaism as a religion or defamatory towards Jews as an ethnic or religious group. Since the Middle Ages, such rep ...
). During an appearance on CNN's ''
State of the Union The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of each calendar year on the current condit ...
'' with Brianna Keilar, Lewandowski denied allegations of
antisemitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
and said that criticism of the tweet was "
political correctness ''Political correctness'' (adjectivally: ''politically correct''; commonly abbreviated ''PC'') is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in socie ...
run amok." In an August 2016 appearance on CNN, Lewandowski espoused the "birther" conspiracy theory, suggesting that President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
was not a natural-born-citizen of the United States. Lewandowski's statement was criticized by the other panelists, Angela Rye and Bakari Sellers. On November 11, 2016, Lewandowski resigned as a CNN commentator amid speculations that he would play a role in the
Trump administration Donald Trump's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 45th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican Party ...
.


Fox Business Network


Drunk Live on Air incident

On October 2, 2019, Lewandowski appeared in an interview on Fox Business Network in which he appeared to repeatedly slur his words. The host, Lisa Kennedy Montgomery, asked Lewandowski, "Corey?...Did you have merlot with dinner?" before Lewandowski replied "No, should I have?". Kennedy quickly ended the interview and thanked Lewandowski, adding: "Maybe, a cup of coffee."


OANN

After leaving CNN, Lewandowski worked as a political commentator for the cable news television channel One America News Network (OANN). While he mainly worked for OANN, he made sporadic appearances on
Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is o ...
. Lewandowski was fired from OANN on July 31, 2017, for appearing on news networks outside of OANN.


Avenue Strategies

On December 21, 2016, Lewandowski and Barry Bennett, a "former Trump senior adviser", whom Lewandowski had known for ten years, co-founded as equal partners a political consulting firm called Avenue Strategies. They were joined by other Trump presidential campaign veterans. Bennett, Mike Rubino, Jason Osborne, and most of Lewandowski's associates at Avenue Strategies filed lobbying registrations. Mainly because of Lewandowski, Avenue Strategies soon became one of "the highest-profile government-affairs outfits in Washington". Avenue Strategies' office "overlooks the White House", and Lewandowski has "relatively unimpeded access" to President Trump either by phone or in person at the White House. Access to President Trump can be "highly lucrative" — "relatively few established K Street powerhouses have ties to the new president". In February 2017, Avenue Strategies "quietly agreed" to lobby for
Citgo Petroleum Corporation Citgo Petroleum Corporation (or Citgo, stylized as CITGO) is a United States–based refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. Headquartered in the Energy Corridor area ...
(Citgo). In April they signed a $25,000 a month contract as tensions mounted between the United States, Venezuela, and Russia. Citgo is headquartered in Houston, Texas, but is owned by the government of Venezuela. Citgo took out a loan from Russian state-owned oil giant
Rosneft PJSC Rosneft Oil Company ( stylized as ROSNEFT) is a Russian integrated energy company headquartered in Moscow. Rosneft specializes in the exploration, extraction, production, refining, transport, and sale of petroleum, natural gas, and petro ...
in December 2016 that it has been unable to pay. It is under threat of a takeover by Rosneft. By early May the legally required paperwork had not been filed revealing the contract to the U.S. Government through the Senate Office of Public Records. The governor of debt-ridden Puerto Rico hired Avenue Strategies to lobby Congress for funding. Avenue Strategies also "operates a fledgling super PAC to help Trump win re-election". According to ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', the firm's corporate clients —
Fortune 100 The ''Fortune'' 500 is an annual list compiled and published by ''Fortune'' magazine that ranks 500 of the largest United States corporations by total revenue for their respective fiscal years. The list includes publicly held companies, along ...
companies — hire them as insurance against "tweet risk". Bennett said, "If he’s gonna come after you, there’s nothing we can do to stop it. But if you want to figure out how to win in this environment, we can help you.
or example Or or OR may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * "O.R.", a 1974 episode of M*A*S*H * Or (My Treasure), a 2004 movie from Israel (''Or'' means "light" in Hebrew) Music * ''Or'' (album), a 2002 album by Golden Boy with Miss ...
ll
Jared Kushner Jared Corey Kushner (born January 10, 1981) is an American businessman and investor. He served as a senior advisor to 45th U.S. president Donald Trump, his father-in-law. Since leaving the White House, Kushner founded Affinity Partners, a priv ...
and tell him you’re gonna build a new factory," or invite Mr. Trump to "fly somewhere, cut a ribbon, and high-five 200 employees...
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
"drives optimism, and it drives his power. There are few things a president can do to build power faster than to lead a great economic comeback." Lewandowski added, "We’re your sherpa through turbulent times." While at the firm, Lewandowski won a $160,000 account with Community Choice Financial, a large payday lender. Lewandowski did not formally register as a lobbyist as he did not consider himself to be a lobbyist. However, he was criticized by "competing lobbyists and ethics watchdogs" for "flouting the spirit of the lobbying rules, and abusing his access to the Trump White House". On May 3, 2017,
Public Citizen Public Citizen is a non-profit, progressive consumer rights advocacy group and think tank based in Washington, D.C., United States, with a branch in Austin, Texas. Lobbying efforts Public Citizen advocates before all three branches of the Unit ...
, a "government-ethics group, asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether Lewandowski should have registered as a foreign or domestic lobbyist". On May 4, 2017, Lewandowski left Avenue Strategies.


Washington East West Political Strategies

In an article published on April 28, 2017 ''POLITICO'' revealed that they had obtained documents about Washington East West Political Strategies — an "affiliate of Avenue Strategies". It was one of "several international recruitment vehicles" through which business partners globally — including those in the Middle East, Canada, and Central America — could "earn commissions by enlisting international clients" for Avenue Strategies. East West solicited "business in Eastern Europe and elsewhere by offering access to Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other top administration officials". The documents described "numerous proposed activities that would seem to trigger
Foreign Agents Registration Act The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)2 U.S.C. § 611 ''et seq.'' is a United States law that imposes public disclosure obligations on persons representing foreign interests.
(FARA) registration". East West was created by Lewandowski, Bennett, Rauf Mammadov, "an Azerbaijani oil executive and an American political consultant who works extensively in Russia", Marshall Comins, who "worked extensively in the former Soviet Union and Sub-Saharan Africa consulting governments, high net-worth individuals and politicians", Jeff Monson, a "prominent figure in Russia’s Communist Party", and Mike Nicholas Sango, "Zimbabwe's ambassador to Russia." On May 3 Avenue Strategies dissolved East West with Bennett and Lewandowski both claiming that their collaborators, Mammadov and Comins, had issued the East West document, not them. Bennett explained that "Avenue Strategies owned the equity — and that is me and Corey — but he didn’t have any role.... is a "violation of our understanding with them." Lewandowski said he had "no affiliation or involvement" and "never entered into any agreement with ast West"


Lewandowski Strategic Advisors

On May 12, 2017, eight days after leaving Avenue Strategies, Lewandowski incorporated Lewandowski Strategic Advisors in Delaware, which, as an advisory firm, does not register as a lobbyist or disclose its clients. He then sought to recruit
David Bossie David Norman Bossie (born November 1, 1965) is an American political activist. Since 2000, he has been president and chairman of conservative advocacy group Citizens United and in 2016, Bossie was the deputy campaign manager to the Donald Trump ...
and George Gigicos. In July 2017, Community Choice Financial, a payday lender, offered Lewandowski a $20,000-a-month retainer. On the July 30, 2017 episode of ''
Meet the Press ''Meet the Press'' is a weekly American television Sunday morning talk shows, news/interview program broadcast on NBC. It is the List of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running program on American television, though the curr ...
'', Lewandowski told President Trump to fire
Richard Cordray Richard Adams Cordray (born May 3, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the COO of Federal Student Aid in the United States Department of Education. He served as the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFP ...
, the Director of the
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is an agency of the United States government responsible for consumer protection in the financial sector. CFPB's jurisdiction includes banks, credit unions, securities firms, payday lenders, mo ...
; Cordray had led efforts to enact new payday lending regulations. When
Chuck Todd Charles David Todd (born April 8, 1972) is an American television journalist who is the 12th and current moderator of NBC's ''Meet the Press''. He also hosts ''Meet the Press Now'', its daily edition on NBC News Now and is the Political Directo ...
then asked Lewandowski if he was advocating for a client, Lewandowski replied "No, No. I have no clients whatsoever".


Turnberry Solutions LLC

Lewandoski was reported to be working as a lobbyist for Turnberry Solutions LLC, though he denied having any involvement with the firm.


U.S. Military Base in Poland

In 2018, Lewandowski and Jill Kelley, a former U.S. diplomatic and national security advisor, had a meeting with the Polish government to set up a U.S. military base in Poland, called "Fort Trump," with Poland paying for all the costs, to improve their national security and gain better relations with the U.S. military and Trump administration.


Memoir

In December 2017, the
memoir A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narrative writing based in the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autobiog ...
'' Let Trump Be Trump'', co-authored by Lewandowski and
David Bossie David Norman Bossie (born November 1, 1965) is an American political activist. Since 2000, he has been president and chairman of conservative advocacy group Citizens United and in 2016, Bossie was the deputy campaign manager to the Donald Trump ...
, was published by Center Street. The memoir chronicles Lewandowski's and Bossie's experiences working for
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
's
2016 presidential campaign This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kiri ...
.


Mocking of an immigrant child with Down syndrome

On June 19, 2018, Lewandowski appeared on
Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is o ...
alongside Democratic strategist Zac Petkanas. When Petkanas mentioned a case of a 10-year-old immigrant girl with
Down syndrome Down syndrome or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is usually associated with physical growth delays, mild to moderate intellectual d ...
who had been forcibly taken away from her mother under the
Trump administration family separation policy The United States family separation policy under the Trump administration was presented to the public as a "zero tolerance" approach intended to deter illegal immigration and to encourage tougher legislation. In some cases, families followi ...
and allegedly put in a cage, Lewandowski responded " womp, womp" (an
onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia is the process of creating a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes. Such a word itself is also called an onomatopoeia. Common onomatopoeias include animal noises such as ''oink'', ''m ...
for the "sad trombone" sound effect that often accompanies a comedic failure), which angered Petkanas and received widespread criticism from various sources. Former Fox News contributor
Meghan McCain Meghan Marguerite McCain (born October 23, 1984) is an American television personality, columnist, and author. She has worked for ABC News, Fox News, and MSNBC. The daughter of politician John McCain and diplomat Cindy McCain, she has been a ...
commented: "This is so horrible, even by Lewandowski standards." Appearing on Fox News on June 20, Lewandowski refused to apologize for the remark and instead reiterated his belief that undocumented aliens are criminals who should be held accountable. On June 20, 2018, Lewandowski was dropped by Leading Authorities, Inc., a speakers bureau based in Washington D.C. On June 27, 2018, Lewandowski revisited the topic of the 10-year-old immigrant on CNN, asserting, contrary to the available evidence, that the "10-year-old that was separated at the border was separated because her mother was a member—or a potential member—of a child-smuggling ring.” However, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said she was a "material witness", not being charged with illegal entry.


Potential 2020 United States Senate campaign

On August 1, 2019, Lewandowski announced in a statement to New Hampshire ABC-affiliate WMUR that he was "very seriously" considering seeking the Republican nomination to oppose incumbent Democratic Senator
Jeanne Shaheen Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen ( ; née Bowers, born January 28, 1947) is an American retired educator and politician serving as the senior United States senator from New Hampshire since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, Shaheen served as the 78 ...
in the 2020 U.S. Senate election in New Hampshire. This announcement closely followed a report of ongoing attempts by the
Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in ...
to draft Lewandowski to seek the seat. At a
Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign Incumbent Republican Donald Trump led an unsuccessful campaign for the 2020 United States presidential election. He was inaugurated for his first term on January 20, 2017, and officially announced his reelection campaign on June 18, 2019. Do ...
rally in Manchester, New Hampshire on August 15, Trump praised Lewandowski and encouraged him to enter the race. Lewandowski, in the audience, declined to make a statement about his candidacy. On August 18, Lewandowski said in an interview on
WNYM WNYM (970 AM) – branded "AM 970 The Answer" – is a commercial radio station licensed to Hackensack, New Jersey, and serving the New York metropolitan area. The station is owned by Salem Media Group and programs a conservative talk radio ...
, a New York-based conservative talk radio station, that he was still considering a run and added that "if I get into this race, I’m going to win. On October 1, Lewandowski said he was reconsidering and might not run. On December 31, 2019, Lewandowski announced he would not run for Senate in New Hampshire saying, "After much consideration I have decided to forgo a campaign for the US Senate," in a tweet. He also said in the tweet, "I am certain I would have won".


Personal life

Lewandowski met his future wife Alison Hardy when he was in ninth grade and she was in eighth grade. In 1998, Hardy married Brian Kinney, who was killed onboard
United Airlines Flight 175 United Airlines Flight 175 was a domestic passenger flight that was hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists on September 11, 2001, as part of the September 11 attacks. The flight's scheduled plan was from Logan International Airport, in Boston, ...
on
September 11, 2001 The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerc ...
. Four years later, in 2005, Lewandowski married Hardy. Together they have four children. On November 28, 2017, a pro-Trump performer, Joy Villa, filed a police complaint against Lewandowski for allegedly slapping her buttocks at a holiday party at the Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C. Villa alleged that after she told him that she could report him for sexual harassment, Lewandowski said, "I work in the private sector" and slapped her again. Lewandowski responded to the allegations by saying that "There is a due process and there is a process which they will go through to determine a person's innocence." Lewandowski is a
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. He lives in Windham, New Hampshire, but primarily works in
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...
, New Hampshire when not in Washington, D.C. In 2018, Lewandowski featured in
Sacha Baron Cohen Sacha Noam Baron Cohen (born 13 October 1971) is an English actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his creation and portrayal of the fictional satirical characters Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev, Brüno Gehard, and Admiral ...
's prank comedy series ''
Who Is America? ''Who Is America?'' is an American political satire mockumentary style television series created by Sacha Baron Cohen that premiered on July 15, 2018, on Showtime. Baron Cohen also stars in the series as various characters and executive produ ...
'', discussing the presidency and views of Donald Trump with Baron Cohen's alter-ego, conspiracy theorist Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr. In September 2021, Lewandowski was removed from his role as chairman of a super PAC called Make America Great Again Action after reports of sexual harassment accusations from a donor.


Electoral history


1994


2012


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lewandowski, Corey 1973 births American campaign managers American lobbyists American political commentators American people of French-Canadian descent American people of Polish descent American University alumni Catholics from Massachusetts CNN people Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign Living people Massachusetts Republicans New Hampshire Republicans People associated with the 2016 United States presidential election People from Lowell, Massachusetts United States congressional aides University of Massachusetts Lowell alumni