Austin Durrer, campaign manager for Democrat Florida gubernatorial contender Charlie Crist, has been arrested on charges of domestic violence.
On Oct. 20, the Crist campaign said that Durrer would depart to deal with a family issue. Durrer was arrested a few days prior in Cambridge, Maryland, on second-degree assault charges,
Fox News reported. The case is classified as “domestic violence,” and he was released on a $10,000 bond. The court asked Durrer to vacate his home and surrender his firearm. The Crist campaign’s Thursday announcement of Durrer’s departure did not mention the domestic violence arrest.
According to the probable cause affidavit read to
NBC News by the prosecutor in the case Amanda Leonard, Jackie Whisman, the mother of his child, alleged that an argument with Durrer “turned physical.” Signs of physical injury on Whisman’s face were consistent with her accounts, the affidavit said.
The police who arrived at the scene arrested Durrer on the spot as officials are empowered to do in case a domestic violence-related call involves signs of physical injury, Leonard said.
Whisman has also been charged with second-degree assault. Both Whisman and Durrer are now looking to drop charges.
“Very sadly, an incident took place this week at our home that we both regret. We are both working to drop legal charges and move forward. Our primary focus at this time is our daughter, our greatest joy, and we appreciate privacy and respect as we navigate this as a family,” the duo said in a
statement to CBS.
Previous Work With Democrats, Crist Campaign
Durrer had earlier worked for the Department of Commerce subagency Economics and Statistics Administration during the Obama administration as well as for former Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.)
In December 2016, he was hired by Crist to act as his chief of staff in Congress. This year, Durrer was assigned to lead Crist’s gubernatorial campaign.
Crist
resigned from the U.S. House on Aug. 31 to prepare for his gubernatorial bid against current Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Crist’s campaign has failed to generate the necessary support to be a threat to his opponent, with most polls showing DeSantis with a substantial lead.
A debate between the two was scheduled for Sept. 28 but was then canceled due to Hurricane Ian. The debate is now set for Oct. 24 when early voting begins in many parts of Florida.
Meanwhile, Dave Kerner, a top Democrat from Palm Beach County who is also its commissioner, has extended support for DeSantis for the post of Governor in the 2022 midterms, according to a Sept. 22
tweet.
“Gov. DeSantis’ Dem opponent has called for reallocation of resources away from law enforcement,“ Kerner said. ”FL cannot afford people like Charlie Crist who wants to defund the police & make our communities less safe.”
