Trump staffer Meredith McIver takes blame for Melania Trump’s speech

Source: News Corp Australia Network:

July 20, 2016 at 17:04

A TRUMP staffer offered her resignation over the Melania Trump plagiarism incident, but her offer was rejected.

Meredith McIver, an in-house speech writer, has offered a new account of how Ms Trump’s Monday night speech was remarkably similar to one given by Michelle Obama.

Meredith McIver statement pic.twitter.com/6bSgp6kKOH
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 20, 2016

She told how Ms Trump had read her some passages from Ms Obama’s speech as example of people who inspired her and “messages she wanted to share with the American people”.

Ms McIver said in a statement she took notes and included the phrasing in the speech. She said she never searched Ms Obama’s speech.

Melania Trump kisses her husband Donald Trump, after delivering a speech on the first day of the Republican National Convention. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

“I did not check Mrs. Obama’s speeches. This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps, as well as to Mrs. Obama,” she wrote. “No harm was meant.”

Saying Mr Trump rejected her offer of resignation, she wrote: “Mr Trump told me people make innocent mistakes and that we learn and grow from these experiences”.

Good news is Melania's speech got more publicity than any in the history of politics especially if you believe that all press is good press!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2016

The media is spending more time doing a forensic analysis of Melania's speech than the FBI spent on Hillary's emails.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2016

“I asked to put out this statement because I did not like seeing the way this was distracting from Mr. Trump’s historic campaign for president and Melania’s beautiful message and presentation,” she said.

McIver has worked on some of Mr. Trump’s books, including How to Get Rich andThink Like a Billionaire.