A singer and supporter of President Donald Trump has accused his former campaign manager of inappropriately touching her.
Joy Villa, who turned heads after she wore a Make America Great Again dress to the Grammys this past January, said that she was introduced to Corey Lewandowski at a holiday party at Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC in November.
According to Politico, the two took a picture together and then Lewandowski slapped Villa’s behind.
Singer and Trump-supporter Joy Villa (right) has accused his former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski (left) of inappropriately touching her. She says the incident occurred at a holiday party at Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC in November
‘I’m wearing this silver suit and stretchy pants, and after the photo, he smacks my a** really hard. It was completely demeaning and shocking,’ Villa told Politico (Pictured, Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC)
Villa said she hesitated to go public with the allegations partly because she was worried she would face retaliation given Lewandowski’s connections in the president’s circles. In fact, the allegations come as Lewandowski seems to be coming back into Trump’s good graces (Pictured, Lewandowski and Trump during a news conference at Mar-A-Lago, March 2016)
‘I’m wearing this silver suit and stretchy pants, and after the photo, he smacks my a** really hard,’ Villa, 31, told Politico. ‘It was completely demeaning and shocking.’
Villa said she told Lewandowski, 44, ‘half-joking’ that she could report him for sexual harassment.
‘He said: “Go ahead, I work in the private sector”,’ Villa, who has set up a committee for a potential congressional run, told Politico.
Villa said she hesitated to go public with the allegations against Lewandowski partly because she was worried she would face retaliation given his connections in the president’s circles.
In fact, the allegations come as Lewandowski seems to be coming back into Trump’s good graces.
Lewandowski, who served as Trump’s first campaign manager, was fired ahead of the Republican National Convention in 2016, after several divisive comments and concerns about the campaign being led by someone with no experience managing a presidential race.
Earlier this week, he attended a political strategy meeting at the White House. Politico reported that Lewandowski got into a yelling match with White House political director Bill Stepien about the president’s political strategy for the 2018 midterm elections.
Villa, who made headlines after she wore a Make America Great Again dress to the Grammys this past January (left and right), said the incident occurred during a photo opportunity. After she ‘half-joked’ that she could report Lewandowski for sexual harassment, Villa said he replied: ‘Go ahead, I work in the private sector’
Lewandowski (pictured, December 2017) released a new book this month, along with head of Citizens United David Bossie, entitled Let Trump be Trump in which he detailed what it was like to work with The Donald when he was running for president
‘I did feel that Corey could badmouth me,’ Villa said. ‘I thought: “What if this messes up my chances?” He has power and influence, and he’s close with the president, who just tweeted about his book. I wanted to play it safe and avoid the drama.
Lewandowski released a new book this month, along with head of Citizens United David Bossie, entitled Let Trump be Trump in which he detailed what it was like to work with The Donald when he was running for president.
Politico said that Lewandowski did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Friday.
Lewandowksi is the latest in a series of prominent men in politics, entertainment, business and media who have been accused of sexual misconduct.
Last year, Lewandowski was charged with simple battery after a female Breitbart reporter accused him of violently grabbing her arm during a Trump campaign rally. Florida prospectors eventually dropped the charges.