Bloomberg
Published: Aug 11 2016 12:36:17
By Erik Larson
Donald Trump’s campaign was sued for allegedly doing nothing after being told that the director of its North Carolina operations pulled a gun on a staffer as they drove in a Jeep in February.
The incident was described in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in state court in Charlotte by Vincent Bordini, a former software trainer for the state campaign. Bordini said he waited for months for the situation to be handled internally before realizing “this was not going to happen.”
The director, Earl Phillip, “produced a pistol, put his right index finger on the trigger, and drove the barrel into Vincent’s knee cap,” Bordini said in the complaint.
After complaining to local and regional campaign leadership, Bordini learned that at least four other people had experienced the same thing with Phillip, according to the filing. “Guns don’t have to fire to inflict damage,” Bordini said in the complaint.
The suit comes just two days after the Republican presidential nominee caused a furor when telling a crowd in North Carolina that the “Second Amendment people” -- understood to be gun owners and gun enthusiasts -- could take action if his rival Hillary Clinton were elected and gets her pick of judges. Trump’s campaign said the media had taken his words out of context and that he wasn’t advocating violence.
Bordini’s complaint seeks compensation from the campaign for negligent supervision, and from Phillip for assault, battery and infliction of emotional distress.
Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment. Attempts to reach Phillip were unsuccessful. WCCB, CW’s local news affiliate in Charlotte, reported Phillip recently left the campaign. A call left at his consulting firm, Innovative Consulting Services, wasn’t immediately returned.
The case is Bordini v. Donald J. Trump For President Inc., 16-CS-14300, General Court of Justice, Superior Court Division County of Mecklenburg (Charlotte).
