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Lewandowski made his first appearance on Erin Burnett's "Outfront" program Thursday evening. He joins a stable of political commentators on a network that is covering the presidential campaign intensely. CNN has used a handful of Trump surrogates in its coverage, most prominently Jeffrey Lord and Kaleigh McEnany. The Associated Press has reported that Trump requires nearly everyone working in his businesses and presidential campaign to sign nondisclosure agreements preventing them from releasing confidential or disparaging information about him.
Corey Lewandowski, campaign manager for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, appears at a campaign stop at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, N.Y. CNN has hired Lewandowski as a commentator on the campaign, only days after he was fired by Trump. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
FILE - In this April 18, 2016 file photo, Corey Lewandowski, campaign manager for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, appears at a campaign stop at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, N.Y. CNN has hired Lewandowski as a commentator on the campaign, only days after he was fired by Trump.
Interviewed by Burnett, Lewandowski said he had agreed not to release confidential information. But when asked directly whether he had agreed not to "demean or disparage" Trump or his family, Lewandowski would not say. "I'm a guy who calls balls and strikes," he said. "That's what I've done my entire career. That's not going to change." Burnett asked Lewandowski whether, upon three days of reflection, he felt angry about his firing. "I don't," he said. "I feel honored to have been part of changing the American political system for the rest of our lives and hopefully so much further. The Trump family has been so good to me and my family and so generous that it's been so humbling to know that for a small period of time I had a small role in helping this campaign."
He said Trump was the only person who was going to save the country. "Certainly nothing disparaging there," Burnett said. Lewandowski also defended Trump for alleging that foreign governments had hacked into Hillary Clinton's email server when she was secretary of state, even as the candidate, under questioning by NBC News' Lester Holt, could not provide any proof of his accusation. "You have to raise an issue," he said.
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Sources told Page Six the news network’s boss, Jeff Zucker,...
Jeff Zucker couldn't wait to spend $500K on Corey Lewandowski Ivanka Trump isn’t the only one who doesn’t want Corey Lewandowski around. Sources told Page Six on Friday that CNN’s “facing a near internal revolt” over Jeff Zucker’s hiring of Lewandowski as an exclusive commentator for the news network days after he was fired as Donald Trump’s campaign manager. “CNN is facing a near internal revolt over the Corey hiring,” said a TV insider, who described many in the newsroom as “livid.” “Female reporters and producers especially . . . They are organizing and considering publicly demanding” that Lewandowski be let go.
The Post reported on Monday that the Donald’s daughter Ivanka gave her dad an ultimatum to cut Corey loose after she was distressed by news he’d grabbed reporter Michelle Fields by the arm at a Florida event, and by a Page Six report that he recently got into a shouting match on a Midtown street with campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks. At CNN, the hiring of the former Trump campaign manager on Thursday didn’t only alienate women on staff. A source further said that “Latinos and others in the newsroom feel betrayed by an homage to Trump,” so “they may do a public letter” objecting to the move. At CNN, the hiring of the former Trump campaign manager on Thursday didn’t only alienate women on staff. A source further said that “Latinos and others in the newsroom feel betrayed by an homage to Trump,” so “they may do a public letter” objecting to the move.
A different source said, “Everyone at CNN — and even people who used to work there — are pissed about Trump’s former campaign manager being hired on salary.” A source previously told Page Six that Lewandowski’s getting as much as $500,000 for the new gig, but a CNN spokesperson told us on Thursday, “I can assure you we are paying him nowhere near $500,000.” Meanwhile, CNN’s newest commentator is apparently under a strict nondisclosure agreement as a former Trump staffer. Trump’s NDAs are reportedly binding “at all times thereafter” employment with the candidate has ended. Regarding the newsroom reaction to his hiring, and his salary, Lewandowski told us when reached for comment to direct any inquiries to CNN. A CNN rep didn’t get back to us.
CNN staff revolts over Corey Lewandowski hire | Page Six
Sources told Page Six the news network’s boss, Jeff Zucker, had been “drooling” to land Lewandowski — although the competition perhaps was not. “Corey has a [nondisclosure agreement] with Trump, so he can’t — and won’t — even say anything insightful or revealing, so other nets didn’t want him,” said a source. Trump’s NDAs reportedly restrict employees from revealing information “that Mr. Trump insists remain private or confidential” during employment, and the agreement’s even binding “at all times thereafter.”
The Post reported that Lewandowski was canned this week after Trump’s daughter Ivanka told her dad to push him out over concerns he’d grabbed reporter Michelle Fields by the arm at a Florida event, and after Page Six reported that he had a shouting match on a Midtown street with campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks. That left Paul Manafort in charge of Trump’s campaign.
A source further told Page Six that CNN’s giving Lewandowski $500,000 for his new gig, which makes him exclusive to the network. But a CNN spokesperson told us: “It is true that he is joining CNN, but I can assure you we are paying him nowhere near $500,000.” Lewandowski didn’t get back to us.
CNN couldn’t wait to spend $500K on Corey Lewandowski | Page Six
