Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is reportedly considering CNN contributor and former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski for chairman of the Republican National Committee, highlighting CNN’s months-long ethical morass of employing Lewandowski while he was simultaneously working with the Trump campaign.
According to a report from NBC News, if current chairman Reince Priebus decides not to stay on should Trump win the presidency, Trump’s transition team is “talking about former campaign manager and current CNN contributor Corey Lewandowski or current deputy campaign manager David Bossie as possible options.” The choice of Lewandowski, according to these advisers, “would send a message that Trump won't forget his base.”
Many have criticized CNN for employing Lewandowski as an analyst while he was still receiving payments from the Trump campaign, advising the Trump campaign, working on debate prep for the Trump campaign, traveling with the Trump campaign, and campaigning with Trump. Illustrating Lewandowski’s continuing ties to Trump, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway on November 4 tweeted a photo of herself and Lewandowski, writing, “#teamwork.” Despite these concerns, CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker has stood by the network’s decision to employ Lewandowski, claiming that CNN has a responsibility “to represent those 13-14 million voters who have voted for” Trump, rather than to provide viewers with accurate analysis.
Sign Media Matters’ petition and tell CNN to cut ties with Corey Lewandowski immediately.