Senatorial candidate Corey Stewart (R-Va.) alleges that a New York Times reporter broke into his campaign staffer’s apartment earlier this week.
NY Times reporter Stephanie Saul went to the Virginia home of part-time staffer Brian Landrum on Wednesday. Landrum was not home, according to a spokesperson for Stewart that spoke to TheDC, but a houseguest was startled when they heard someone call, “Hello?” from inside the apartment.
The houseguest claimed she saw the intruder leave a note for Landrum and then leave the apartment. The houseguest later positively identified Saul as the person she saw inside the apartment.
A New York Times spokesperson contradicted Stewart’s spokesperson, telling The Washington Post that Saul never entered the apartment.
According to the NY Times account, the houseguest answered the door for Saul and then took the note requesting the interview with Landrum. Saul left without ever entering the premises, NY Times says.
The Prince William County Police Department confirmed that police responded to an incident at Landrum’s apartment complex, but would not identify the victim or suspects involved.
“Police responded to an apartment in the 14700 block of River Walk Way, which is the Bell Stonebridge Apartments, on July 18 at approximately 2:31 p.m. To my knowledge, no property was taken. The matter is still under investigation and no charges have been placed at this time,” the Prince William County Police Department told TheDC.
“The fake news media will stop at nothing to destroy Republicans,” Stewart said in a statement, adding that they have been “working overtime to invent wild stories to try to give advantage to Tim Kaine.”
Stewart is challenging former Vice Presidential nominee Tim Kaine in the November Senate elections.