Marianne Williamson 2020 campaign staffers allege abusive behavior from Democratic presidential candidate
Williamson denies allegations, calls them ‘categorically untrue’ and an attempt to ‘denigrate’ her primary challenge against President Biden
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson has had a very successful career encouraging people to spotlight the power of love and the importance of forgiveness.
But now Williamson, the best-selling author and spiritual adviser who earlier this month launched her second straight campaign for the White House and who’s the first Democrat with a national following to primary challenge President Biden, is facing allegations from former political staffers that her public image stands very much in contrast with her private behavior.
According to a report published Thursday by Politico, a dozen people who worked with Williamson on her 2020 presidential campaign say she "subjected her employees to unpredictable, explosive episodes of anger. They said Williamson could be cruel and demeaning to her staff and that her behavior went far beyond the typical stress of a grueling presidential cycle."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Williamson is calling the accusations "slanderous" and "categorically untrue."
MARIANNE WILLIAMSON LAUNCHES PRIMARY CHALLENGE AGAINST BIDEN
Best-selling author Marianne Williamson speaks to the crowd as she launches her 2024 presidential campaign in Washington, March 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Former two-term Rep. Paul Hodes of New Hampshire, who served as Williamson’s state director in 2020 in the crucial first-in-the-nation presidential primary state, is corroborating the report.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}IN FOX NEWS INTERVIEW, WILLIAMSON BLASTS DEMOCRATS FOR ‘MOCKING’ HER CHALLENGE AGAINST BIDEN
"What Politico reported was entirely consistent with what I saw on the campaign and what I personally experienced with her on multiple occasions," Hodes, who was quoted in the report, told Fox News on Thursday.
Hodes said "there are multiple reasons why I’m not helping her this time around. Her behavior is one reason."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It’s important that we have a president with the right temperament," he emphasized. "It’s really important to have leadership that is calm under pressure. The presidency is a very stressful job . . . you really need leadership that can be calm under pressure."
THE TIME MARIANNE WILLIAMSON LED A MEDITATION SESSION ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
According to former campaign aides interviewed by Politico, Williamson’s outbursts included throwing phones at staffers and, in once instance, the candidate became so angry about the logistics for a campaign trip that she pounded a car door until her hand began to swell, forcing her to head to an urgent care facility.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson is greeted by state Senate President Jeb Bradley, at the Statehouse in Concord, New Hampshire, on March 9, 2023. (New Hampshire State Senate)
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Williamson's campaign dismissed the report as an effort to smear her presidential bid.
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Williamson said "former staffers trying to score points with the political establishment by smearing me might be good for their careers, but the intention is to deflect attention from the important issues facing the American people… This Presidential Campaign expects concerted efforts to dismiss and denigrate us. But the amplification of outright lies should not occur."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Williamson also denied ever throwing a phone at staffers. But she did acknowledge that she had gone to urgent care after getting upset and hitting her hand on a car door but said that "a car door is not a person. I would never be physically hurtful to a person."