Earlier this week Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist’s campaign manager unexpectedly quit. Now we know why.
Austin Durrer, who has been a senior Crist aide since 2016, when Crist was first elected to represent Pinellas County in Congress, was arrested on a domestic violence charge.
Per news reports this week, Crist’s campaign tried to spin the cause of Durrer’s departure just three weeks before Election Day as a “family matter” and “family emergency.”
It surely was.
The New York Post reported on Friday that Durrer was busted at his home in Maryland on Tuesday. He was ordered to vacate the house and give up his guns as provisions of being released on $10,000 bail. Durrer faces second-degree assault charges.
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Perhaps most surprising is that the national media has opted to not sweep this under the rug to benefit the Democratic candidate.
NBC News apparently first broke the story, which was picked up by Politico. NBC’s report stated that Durrer’s wife, Jackie Whisman, had “signs of physical injury to her face.”
Fox News noted that he is expected back in court in December. He will face up to 10 years in prison, if convicted.
Neither NBC nor other outlets immediately reported the cause of the dispute. Yet reports said Durrer filed counter charges against his wife. The reason for that was also not immediately clear.
“Very sadly, an incident took place this week at our home that we both regret,” the couple said in a joint statement to NBC.
“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.”
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