Fox News’ Sean Hannity sided with Donald Trump Monday evening against former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields and her claim that she was assaulted by the billionaire businessman’s campaign manager.
“This whole situation is insane. So sad to see my ‘friend’ [Sean Hannity] not challenge Trump on his lies,” Fields said on social media.
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Trump maintained in an interview with Hannity Monday evening that his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, did not assault Fields at a campaign event in March. The casino tycoon added that his aide simply ran “interference” in response to Fields’ supposedly aggressive touching.
Security footage of the incident was released last week by law enforcement officials. The tape shows Lewandowski grabbing Fields’ arm, but it does not show her touching Trump.
“Insane. [Trump] knows I didn’t do this. Continues to lie and lie and lie,” she added on social media.
The GOP presidential candidate added in his interview Monday evening that he is considering bringing assault charges against Fields.
Hannity did not challenge Trump on any of these points. Instead, the Fox anchor told his audience he saw nothing in the video to corroborate Fields’ version of events, even after watching the security footage “150 times.”
This did not sit well with Fields.
“You’re not even going to challenge [Trump] when he so obviously lies and says I grabbed him?” she said in a note directed at Hannity.
The Fox anchor responded, writing, “Ok. … I wrote u privately. I watched the tape 150 times. I do NOT see what u allege. Sorry I don’t.”
“Yes u wrote me privately & then brought it up on radio & tv last week that you wrote me privately. What’s your point?” she asked.
Hannity did not respond.
Fields, an occasional Fox contributor, filed charges against Lewandowski in March. She claimed the top Trump aide violently pulled on her arm, nearly knocking her to the ground and leaving her badly shaken. The alleged assault occurred as she tried to ask the Trump a question after a press conference in Florida.
Trump and his team have maintained several different positions since the alleged assault, including that the incident never occurred and that Fields “started it.”
Lewandowski turned himself into the police last Tuesday. He was arrested and charged with simple battery. Police investigating the incident determined that, “probable cause exists to charge Corey Lewandowski … with (1) count of simple battery … in that he did intentionally touch Michelle Fields … against the will of Michelle Fields.”
He was released from police custody that same day, and his court date has been set for May 4. He faces a misdemeanor charge.
Fields has received multiple death threats since the incident, according to a report that she filed with law enforcement officials in Washington, D.C. She has also vacated her apartment following the publication of two news reports – one by Buzzfeed and one by Fox News – that included details about her personal information.
