Campaign reporters spotted CNN contributor and former Donald Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski joining the campaign’s motorcade and stepping off Trump’s plane as the Republican presidential nominee traveled to campaign events on Saturday, raising more questions for CNN about its decision to continue employing Lewandowski despite the obvious ethical problems in doing so.
CNN’s decision to hire Lewandowski has been widely criticized as an ethical morass by media ethicists and journalists who have condemned the network for months. Lewandowski’s continued involvement with the Trump campaign, his likely non-disparagement agreement with Trump, and his penchant for pushing Trump talking points on air all raise serious questions about his continued employment at CNN. CNN’s employment of Lewandowski contradicts the network’s previous stance that contributors paid by a campaign “would not be permitted.”
According to CNN, Lewandowski’s supposed severance pay ended in late September, as he was paid off “in one lump sum”; he had previously received monthly payments from the Trump campaign following his termination even while drawing a paycheck as a CNN contributor, a practice which was to continue for the rest of the year.
In recent days, Lewandowski has been on CNN defending Trump’s bragging about committing sexual assault and attempting to discredit some of the women who have accused Trump of assaulting them. But after Trump’s arguably worst week of the campaign so far, several reporters covering the Trump campaign spotted Lewandowski traveling with Trump to campaign events in Maine and New Jersey on October 15:
Just saw Corey Lewandowski jump into the Trump motorcade. Must have come along from NH. It's like the old days.
— John Santucci (@JTSantucci) October 15, 2016
Spotted getting off Trump's plane at Newark: ex-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who traveled with Trump from NH rally to Maine to NJ
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) October 15, 2016
CNN contributor Corey Lewandowski just got off Trump's plane here in Newark. Been with him all day.
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) October 15, 2016
Lewandowski - CNN (10/7/16): “If I was consulting Donald Trump right now...”/“My recommendation as a private citizen...” Flew on plane today pic.twitter.com/bIF1z35Olj
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) October 15, 2016
Sign Media Matters’ petition and tell CNN to cut ties with Corey Lewandowski immediately.