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Getty Corey Lewandowski to be paid severance by Trump campaign through 2016

Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, will continue to be paid severance by the campaign through the end of 2016, prolonging concerns of a conflict of interest for CNN, which controversially hired Lewandowski in June to serve as a political commentator.

In addition, CNN shot down reports on Wednesday that Lewandowski was being suspended by the channel.

“Corey Lewandowski, who is no longer involved in the campaign, continues to receive monthly severance payments,” Trump press secretary Hope Hicks told The Washington Post Wednesday. “The campaign will continue to honor its contract with Mr. Lewandowski, which stipulates he will be paid through the end of the year. These payments are in no way compensation for services rendered.”

POLITICO reported on Tuesday evening that the Trump campaign had paid Lewandowski's firm $20,000 in August, according to campaign filings, for "strategy consulting." As The Washington Post pointed out, the description of the payment as "strategy consulting" appeared to contradict CNN’s claim that Lewandowski was being paid by the Trump campaign only for severance. Campaign employees being paid severance for so long after their departures is unusual, and it's not entirely clear why on the FEC forms the Trump campaign continues to call payments to Lewandowski as "strategy consulting" (we've reached out to the campaign for clarification and will update here accordingly).

In an appearance on Fox News Radio, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway stressed that the payment is still part of his severance and pointed out that CNN also employs as commentators people who work for pro-Clinton Super PACs.

"He is not part of the campaign, he is a paid adviser on CNN and I think he's excellent in his job, frankly. Corey does not have a formal or informal role with the campaign whatsoever," Conway said.

Mediaite on Wednesday reported that Lewandowski was being suspended by the channel following the new statement, but a spokesperson for the cable channel said the report was false, and that Lewandowski would be appearing on air later today.

CNN President Jeff Zucker had for months defended the cable channel’s decision to hire Lewandowski. On Tuesday, the cable network head said at a company town hall for staff that the network "needed to bring in voices supportive of the Republican nominee to balance its commentary ranks," The Huffington Post reported.

Lewandowski has signed a non-disclosure agreement with the Trump campaign, and as part of that agreement agreed to a non-disparagement clause, according to the Associated Press which extends beyond his time working for the campaign. As POLITICO reported earlier this month, Lewandowski has been playing a wider role in the campaign recently, even if he technically is not an official part of it.