Corey Lewandowski, the former Donald Trump campaign manager-turned political contributor to CNN, will now receive the remainder of his severance from Trump’s campaign.
Lewandowski, who was fired from Trump’s campaign in June, has been receiving payments from his former employer, prompting objections from critics who cited the severance as a conflict of interest.
Alisyn Camerota, an anchor for CNN, announced the development this morning on-air, Politico reported:
“In previous appearances we have told you that Corey was still receiving severance from the Trump campaign,” Camerota said as she introduced Lewandowski for a segment. “That is no longer the case we are told. Are you done with those payments?”
“Amazing, everything comes to an end,” Lewandowski said, joking that “40 days” before the election, this was news.
“I didn’t think those would run out,” Camerota said.
CNN’s decision to bring aboard Lewandowski while he was still receiving payments from Trump’s campaign — and defend his former boss on-air — sparked some consternation among journalists who said the move constituted a conflict of interest.
Jeff Zucker, the president of CNN, has defended Lewandowski in public, telling Variety in August that the former Trump aide was doing “a really nice job.”
Earlier this month, Mediaite reported that CNN was suspending Lewandowski, a charge the network quickly denied.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said Lewandowski would no longer be paid by Trump’s campaign. In fact, he is being paid in one lump sum.
