Lewandowski says Trump paid actors to appear at his 2016 presidential campaign announcement

[Nevilledog]

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Tweet text:
Darren Samuelsohn
@dsamuelsohn
NEW: Another newsy nugget from the @thisisinsider Trump oral history project.

Corey Lewandowski acknowledges Trump 2016 did indeed pay actors to appear at the Trump Tower campaign announcement event.

Trump aide says they paid actors to appear at his 2016 presidential campaign announcement
Insider reported this moment as part of its definitive oral history of how Trump would rise to become king of the Republican Party.
businessinsider.com
9:25 AM · Jul 19, 2021

https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-aide-says-paid-actors-for-2016-campaign-announcement-2021-7

Donald Trump's top 2016 aide previously denied the campaign paid actors to appear at the future president's big campaign launch announcement at Trump Tower, yet that same official recently told Insider people were indeed hired to show up.

Trump kicked off his candidacy at his New York City skyscraper in a speech on June 16, 2015, appearing before a large crowd of what seemed to be his supporters. The event immediately prompted speculation about how Trump managed to draw in a sizable group of people.

"I remember thinking, 'Man, I'm surprised he couldn't even get people there. That seems insane,'" Sarah Isgur, the deputy campaign manager for 2016 presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, told Insider as part of an oral history project chronicling one of the most unorthodox GOP primaries the country has ever seen.

At the time, The Hollywood Reporter published a report that said the Trump campaign offered actors $50 to attend the launch.

*snip*

[JHB]

1. I thought we already knew this. Though it doesn't hurt to remind people.

So, errr, thanks, Corey?

[Effete Snob]

3. Yes. Long known. The piece is intended to keep Corey Lewandowski relevant

The Federal Election Commission was aware of this campaign expenditure long ago:

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/01/trump-paid-actors-to-fill-out-campaign-launch-fec-says.html

Shortly after Donald Trump announced that he was running for president, the Hollywood Reporter wrote that a New York–based casting agency called Extra Mile had apparently hired actors to fill out his announcement event (which took place on June 16, 2015, at Trump Tower in New York). Trump’s team immediately denied that anyone at the announcement was a paid actor. A document released Thursday by the Federal Election Commission, however, concludes otherwise.

[Walleye]

2. So, of course, they accuse us of paying actors to attend our events and protests

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. Repukes are great at projection

What ever they accuse us of doing is what they're up to.

[agingdem]

11. another Trump incompetent acolyte

attempting a "rehab my image" tour...so sick of these Trump humpers and their oh so sincere mea culpas...they were the good guys...they stayed, kissed ass, promoted every one of Trump's loathsome burps and farts, encouraged and cheered his insatiable need for revenge because, if not for them (Corey/Barr/Kelly, Pompeo/Ivanka/Jared and the other patriotic in-house sycophants who bowed and scraped before a depraved sociopath), chaos would surely have reigned supreme (as if it didn't!)...

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

4. Anyone surprised?

[Ilsa]

5. And Rudy Guiliani is jealous that someone else got paid. nt

[Champp]

7. "Ha ha. GOP suckers & corporate media slurped up my lame bullshit." - TFG

Republican suckers and liars have disgraced themselves for eternity.

[pamdb]

8. Wait, what?

Are you telling me the big orange pile of 💩 actually PAID someone for a service?

[Ocelot II]

10. His campaign paid; it didn't come out of his own pockets.

And I do think he would pay for services that make him look important.

[Ocelot II]

9. Of course he did. This was SOP for TFG.

He's probably still doing it.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. Who is surprised by this?

[Midnight Writer]

13. Another rat trying to sneak onto the lifeboat.

[Quixote1818]

14. Did he ever pay them? Nt

[nattyice]

15. My thoughts as well. More like "we'll PROMISE to pay you"

(While crossing fingers)

[ProfessorGAC]

16. A Bottle Of T***p Vodka

From the stuff in obsolete inventory.

[XanaDUer2]

17. Only $50? Hope lunch was also provided nt