A singer who publicly supported Donald Trump‘s presidential campaign is now accusing his former campaign manager of sexual harassment.
Joy Villa, who is in the early stages of a congressional campaign in Florida, says that Corey Lewandowski slapped her on the butt twice, even after she asked him directly to stop. The incident allegedly took place at a party at the Trump International Hotel last month.
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Villa has filed a a sexual assault report with the Metropolitan Police Department.
Villa recalled the incident in an interview with Politico last week. She says she was introduced to Lewandowski at an invite-only party for people who worked on the Trump campaign, celebrating the president’s first full year in office. She says she was pushed toward Lewandowski for a photo op.
“I’m wearing this silver suit and stretchy pants,” she said, “and after the photo, he smacks my a– really hard. It was completely demeaning and shocking.”
After the photo, Villa says she confronted the former campaign manager and told him she could publicly accuse him of sexual harassment.
“He said, ‘Go ahead, I work in the private sector,’” Villa said. “Then he smacks my a– again.”
Reporters asked Villa why she waited so long to file a report, two which she said: “I feared that it could backfire on me. Ten times out of 10 the woman gets blamed no matter what.”
Villa said she first told officers she wanted to accuse Lewandowski of sexual harassment, but they told her her only legal recourse was to file a sexual assault.
The 31-year-old singer is consulting long-time Trump adviser Roger Stone on her potential bid for congress.
