BREAKING: Trump Fires Corey Stewart for RNC Protest
Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart has been fired from the Trump Campaign, the campaign announced this afternoon. Stewart, who organized a last minute protest at the headquarters of the Republican National Committee in Washington, had served as Co-Chair of the Trump Campaign in Virginia for over a year.
Based on reporting at the scene, the Trump Campaign demanded that Stewart end the ersatz protest, which included around 50 people, mostly from Virginia, at the RNC. During the protest, Stewart used incendiary language, attacking what he labeled as “establishment pukes” for being unwilling to stand by Trump after his comments regarding sexual assaulting women made eleven years ago to NBC’s Billy Bush.
Corey Stewart, Trump campaign mgr in Virginia, calls out RNC “pukes”. pic.twitter.com/XI6uzoyDTc
— Jeff Goldberg (@abc7jeffg) October 10, 2016
The protesters were focused on the rumors that the RNC was backing away from support of Donald Trump. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus confirmed today that this was not happening. The protesters, in typical Trump fashion, didn’t hold back on their opinions about the GOP elected officials who have abandoned Trump over the last three days.
HAPPENING NOW: Pro Trump rally in front of the RNC HQ in DC. Unbelievable how ignorant some of the signs are. The GOP must reject this crap! pic.twitter.com/ILSLvkKhZb
— Tara Setmayer (@TaraSetmayer) October 10, 2016
According to Jeff Goldberg of ABC7, Stewart was requested by Trump campaign staffer Julia Haller to end the protest, and when he failed to do that, he was fired.
BREAKING: Trump Virginia campaign chair Corey Stewart fired for organizing protest outside RNC.
— Jeff Goldberg (@abc7jeffg) October 10, 2016
The firing was confirmed by Trump campaign Deputy Campaign Manager David Bossie.
Trump dep. campaign mgr David Bossie on the firing of Corey Stewart: “He
is being replaced, effective immediately…” (1/2)— Jeff Goldberg (@abc7jeffg) October 10, 2016
Bossie (2/2): “Corey made this decision when he staged a stunt in front of the RNC w/out the knowledge or approval of the Trump campaign.”
— Jeff Goldberg (@abc7jeffg) October 10, 2016
Stewart, who is running for Governor, is no stranger to controversy, and his behavior over the last few months has bordered on the erratic. He’s viciously attacked members of his own party, calling them “crybabies” and has served as Trump’s chief surrogate, defending literally every Trump gaffe and misstep, including the most recent video tape scandal. Stewart had referred to Trump’s comments about failing to seduce a married woman and how his fame allows him to sexually assault women with impunity as Trump merely acting “like a frat boy” and said “a lot of guys do.”
Stewart’s firing from the campaign is likely going to have a significant impact on his race for Governor next year. Having pinned his future political prospects on Trump’s rising star, he has gone out of his way to defend Trump. Trump turning his back on him at this point in the campaign is a major blow to Stewart’s candidacy, and to his personal credibility.
RPV Chairman John Whitbeck issued a statement on the matter, not even mentioning Stewart by name.
“Every day, hundreds of Republicans across Virginia are working hard to elect Donald Trump. This is a team effort. The Republican Party of Virginia, the Republican National Committee, and the Trump campaign are part of one team. While this turn of events is disappointing, I support the Trump campaign’s decision to remove their Virginia chairman. With less than a month until election day, we can’t afford any distractions.”
The latest polling in Virginia, taken before both the video sex scandal and the second debate, has Trump losing to Hillary Clinton by 7 points.
UPDATE: 5:30 PM
Bearing Drift has obtained the full statement from Trump Deputy Campaign Manager David Bossie.
UPDATE: 6:50 PM
Stewart spoke to POLITICO about his firing. His comments were bitter, complaining that the RNC got him fired. He complained about the RNC’s efforts in Virginia, particularly, claiming ““The Journal report just confirmed what we had been hearing through word of mouth. And we haven’t seen any resources in Virginia. We can’t get any signs. We’ve had Republican units around the state buying their own signs.”
