A former Miss Iowa USA competitor and field organizer for the Donald Trump presidential campaign was fired after making “disparaging comments” about senior campaign officials in a New York Times article. However, the 26-year-old former beauty pageant contestant, Elizabeth Mae Davidson, says she was paid less than her male counterparts for the same job and that she was “barred” from top jobs within the campaign due to her sex. She also claims that Donald Trump made comments about her looks during her time on his campaign, all of which Trump says is untrue.
The Daily Mail reports that a former Miss Iowa USA competitor and field organizer for the Trump campaign was fired after she made remarks about Trump’s top campaign officials in a New York Times article. Elizabeth Mae Davidson worked “part-time” for the Trump campaign but said that she was discouraged by the sex discrimination in salaries and claims that women were barred from top positions on the campaign. Additionally, the former Trump field manager says that the business mogul made comments about her looks noting she could “do a lot of damage” in the field.
Key Trump Staffer Files Sexual Discrimination Complaint Against Campaign https://t.co/kZcATSYM64
— Harold (@OKCliberal) January 31, 2016
Davidson was the field organizer for Trump’s campaign in Davenport , but said that she was paid less for doing the same exact job as men on the campaign trail. She notes that she was also banned from speaking at rallies and events despite males in her same position being allowed to do so. Elizabeth Mae Davidson says her requests to speak at rallies were denied but that when she met with Trump, along with a young female volunteer, that Trump did compliment them on their looks and their ability to “do a lot of damage.”
However, Trump says that the allegations made by Davidson are false and that he would never use the phrase “do a lot of damage” when referring to a woman’s looks.
“That is not my language, that is the worst thing to say, it’s not a phrase I’ve ever used.”
In fact, Trump tells the New York Times that he didn’t personally know Davidson and that she is simply a disgruntled former employee. He says that “his people” have informed him that she did a terrible job and that she is retaliating for being fired. Davidson says she was fired because of her upset over pay differences between men and women noting that she was paid $2,000 a month for a job that men were paid anywhere from $3,500 to $4,000 per month to complete. However, the Trump campaign says Davidson was paid less because she was “part-time.” Davidson says her “part-time” classification stemmed from the fact she also held a job as a paralegal, but notes that men who held second jobs were not docked as part-time.
Former paid Iowa organizer files sexual discrimination complaint against Trump campaign https://t.co/pqVQk82iSL pic.twitter.com/oXA643SVgH
— Heavy.com (@HeavySan) January 31, 2016
Elizabeth Mae Davidson has filed a complaint with the Davenport Civil Rights Commission. noting she has suffered a damage to her career along with wage losses due to sexual discrimination in the Donald Trump campaign.
“As a result of this discrimination I have suffered lost wages, mental anguish and damage to my career.”
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Meanwhile, Trump says that it is telling that the complaints have been lodged “the day before the caucuses” and that it is an attempt to dismantle his campaign in Iowa.
What do you think about the former Miss Iowa USA contestant’s claims that the Trump campaign is guilty of sexual discrimination in their campaign pay?
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