Joy Villa is filing a sexual assault complaint against Corey Lewandowski, President Trump’s former campaign manager.
Villa, a singer, alleges that Lewandowski slapped her bottom twice at a party at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, on November 28. According to Newsweek, Villa described the incident as “an extreme slap” that would’ve left “a bruise or mark” had it been on a different part of her body. After the first slap, Villa said she told Lewandowski to stop and said she would report him for sexual harassment, to which he reportedly responded “Go ahead, I work in the private sector” before slapping her a second time. This version of events has been confirmed by another person who attended the party.
At the 2017 Grammy awards, Villa wore a “Make America Great Again” dress that drew attention. She is a Trump supporter who has considered running for office in Florida, and President Trump tweeted his support for her entrance into politics. The party at the Trump International Hotel was an invite-only event to celebrate the president’s first year in office.
Good luck to @Joy_Villa on her decision to enter the wonderful world of politics. She has many fans!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2017
Although she initially considered the incident a case of sexual harassment, Villa came to understand through talking with detectives that it would be considered an assault. The Washington Metropolitan Police Department confirmed to Newsweek that it had opened an investigation.