After Breitbart Hangs Michelle Fields Out To Dry, Company Spokesman Quits In Disgust

Over the past couple of days, Donald Trump’s campaign has gone out of its way to not only refute Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields’ claim that campaign manager Corey Lewandowski manhandled her at a Tuesday night press conference, but they’ve also tried to sully her reputation. This would be disgusting in its own right, but it is even more so since her own employer has been complicit in helping Trump out in this quest.

The notoriously pro-Trump media outlet published an article on Friday essentially stating that Fields was mistaken in her assertion that Lewandowski grabbed her arm and pulled her down while she asked Trump a question. The piece’s writer, Joel Pollack, claimed that a number of photos and videos provided irrefutable evidence that Lewandowski wasn’t the culprit, but that it was instead a security officer. He also stated that eyewitness Ben Terris was wrong to finger Lewandowski, even though Terris was there and saw the whole thing.

Now, mind you, when Pollack wrote this ‘investigative’ piece refuting his colleague, there was already ample evidence showing that Fields wasn’t wrongly accusing Lewandowski of anything. Yet, even though Fields is a Breitbart employee, the organization decided to do everything possible to provide cover to her potential abuser and that man’s employer, Donald J. Trump. And, as you’d expect, Trump’s campaign used that article as Exhibit A to clear Lewandowski’s good name.

Of course, as the day wore on, more evidence popped up supporting Fields and Terris’ claim. CSPAN found video footage that pretty much shows Lewandowski reaching out for Fields arm to grab her. (Fields had also already filed a criminal complaint against Lewandowski.) Pollack and Breitbart would eventually provide updates to the original piece, but the damage was already done. It was apparent that they were content to hang their reporter out to dry in order to stay in Trump’s good graces.

With Breitbart throwing Fields under the bus and helping Trump gaslight her, all while it was apparent she was telling truth, corporate spokesman Kurt Bardella resigned from Breitbart. As he explained, he couldn’t stand by and support something he didn’t believe in, especially when he saw him employer mistreating an employee of theirs to gain favor with Trump.

When you reach a point where you can’t give 100% to people you represent it’s not tenable to continue representing them.

— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) March 11, 2016

My own personal observation is that there is an escalating cycle of behavior that happens only at Donald Trump events.

— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) March 11, 2016

It is wrong and disgusting and indicative of an ugliness that is contaminating the public discourse.

— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) March 11, 2016

Life is too short to invest your time in what you don’t believe or aren’t passionate about.

— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) March 11, 2016

Breitbart had a chance to change its public perception as a news organization. Instead, they let the world know that they place Trump above all else. They chose very poorly.