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| Trump Says Gillibrand ‘Would Do Anything’ for Campaign Donations | Trump Says Gillibrand ‘Would Do Anything’ for Campaign Donations |
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| WASHINGTON — President Trump aggressively returned to the issue of sexual harassment on Tuesday, again dismissing his own accusers as fabricators and attacking a female Democratic senator as a “lightweight” who “would do anything” for campaign contributions. | |
| The president’s attacks came in early morning Twitter posts after three of the accusers had come forward on Monday to renew their charges from last year that Mr. Trump had sexually assaulted them before he entered politics, and after the senator, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, had called for him to resign. | |
| While Mr. Trump weathered the accusations during his presidential campaign, the flood of recent allegations against powerful men has revived the issue of sexual harassment with a newfound fury. By inserting himself directly into the discussion, the president ensured that calls for renewed scrutiny of the women’s allegations would gain new energy and prominence. | |
| Ms. Gillibrand was quick to fire back, saying she would not be silenced by a president whose comments she described as “a sexist smear.” | Ms. Gillibrand was quick to fire back, saying she would not be silenced by a president whose comments she described as “a sexist smear.” |
| “It was a sexist smear attempting to silence my voice, and I will not be silenced on this issue,” she said. “Neither will the women who stood up to the president yesterday,” she added. | “It was a sexist smear attempting to silence my voice, and I will not be silenced on this issue,” she said. “Neither will the women who stood up to the president yesterday,” she added. |
| Ms. Gillibrand first learned of the president’s Twitter post while she was attending a bipartisan Bible study on Tuesday morning, one of her aides said. The aide also said that Ms. Gillibrand had met with Mr. Trump just once in his office, several years ago, and that his daughter Ivanka was at the meeting. | Ms. Gillibrand first learned of the president’s Twitter post while she was attending a bipartisan Bible study on Tuesday morning, one of her aides said. The aide also said that Ms. Gillibrand had met with Mr. Trump just once in his office, several years ago, and that his daughter Ivanka was at the meeting. |
| Senator Mike Rounds, Republican of South Dakota who said he was with Ms. Gillibrand at Bible study when the tweet was sent, said, “I think this is simply one of those cases where it is best if we look at what the president does and not pay attention to the tweets.” | Senator Mike Rounds, Republican of South Dakota who said he was with Ms. Gillibrand at Bible study when the tweet was sent, said, “I think this is simply one of those cases where it is best if we look at what the president does and not pay attention to the tweets.” |
| Senate Democrats, including Ms. Gillibrand, forced the resignation last week of Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, clearing away any ambiguity over their push to hold the president accountable after the claims of his accusers. About 60 Democratic women in Congress demanded an inquiry into the women’s allegations against the president, an unlikely prospect given Republican majorities in the House and Senate. | Senate Democrats, including Ms. Gillibrand, forced the resignation last week of Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, clearing away any ambiguity over their push to hold the president accountable after the claims of his accusers. About 60 Democratic women in Congress demanded an inquiry into the women’s allegations against the president, an unlikely prospect given Republican majorities in the House and Senate. |
| Gillibrand’s Senate colleagues quickly rallied to her side. Among the more forceful was Senator Mazie Horono, Democrat of Hawaii, who said on Twitter, “.@realDonaldTrump is a misogynist, compulsive liar, and admitted sexual predator. Attacks on Kirsten are the latest example that no one is safe from this bully. He must resign.” | |
| The president was pointed in his criticism of Ms. Gillibrand, saying she “would do anything” for campaign contributions, without providing details about what he meant. | The president was pointed in his criticism of Ms. Gillibrand, saying she “would do anything” for campaign contributions, without providing details about what he meant. |
| On Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Trump ignored a shouted question from a reporter about what he meant in his Twitter post. | On Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Trump ignored a shouted question from a reporter about what he meant in his Twitter post. |
| “In his tweets, whether intentionally or not, Donald Trump cues these gendered beliefs that women are less capable (or “lightweight”) and that ambition in women is something to be maligned,” said Kelly Dittmar, a scholar at the Center for Women and Politics at Rutgers University, in an emailed message. | “In his tweets, whether intentionally or not, Donald Trump cues these gendered beliefs that women are less capable (or “lightweight”) and that ambition in women is something to be maligned,” said Kelly Dittmar, a scholar at the Center for Women and Politics at Rutgers University, in an emailed message. |
| Mr. Trump’s heated response to criticism from a member of Congress revealed yet another break with precedent from his predecessors. | Mr. Trump’s heated response to criticism from a member of Congress revealed yet another break with precedent from his predecessors. |
| “Historically members of Congress have used mean, crude, over-the-line words to attack sitting presidents, and many presidents try to rise above and not return the fire,” said Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesman for President George W. Bush. “Donald Trump has made a conscious decision to return the fire. That’s his style and I cannot say he’s wrong to do it. It wasn’t my style. It wasn’t President Bush’s style. His instructions were to rise above it.” | “Historically members of Congress have used mean, crude, over-the-line words to attack sitting presidents, and many presidents try to rise above and not return the fire,” said Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesman for President George W. Bush. “Donald Trump has made a conscious decision to return the fire. That’s his style and I cannot say he’s wrong to do it. It wasn’t my style. It wasn’t President Bush’s style. His instructions were to rise above it.” |
| Christine Matthews, a Republican pollster, said Mr. Trump was following his playbook by going “full force against accusers.” | Christine Matthews, a Republican pollster, said Mr. Trump was following his playbook by going “full force against accusers.” |
| “I think he’s worse with women but he just throws every insult that he can possibly throw,” she said. “That ‘would do anything to get elected’ is fairly ominous — it can be taken in a way that is very suggestive, and I think that is obviously horrible.” | “I think he’s worse with women but he just throws every insult that he can possibly throw,” she said. “That ‘would do anything to get elected’ is fairly ominous — it can be taken in a way that is very suggestive, and I think that is obviously horrible.” |
| She said that the political climate had changed and that there was no returning to a time when sexual harassment was tolerated. “Having a president who attacks other women for how they look or suggests that they are sexually promiscuous or liars, it’s going to hurt the party over all,” Ms. Matthews said. | She said that the political climate had changed and that there was no returning to a time when sexual harassment was tolerated. “Having a president who attacks other women for how they look or suggests that they are sexually promiscuous or liars, it’s going to hurt the party over all,” Ms. Matthews said. |
| The president also blamed Democrats for the resurgence of accusations against him from women in the past, saying on Tuesday that the “fabricated stories” were a result of Democrats being unable to prove his campaign colluded with the Russians. | The president also blamed Democrats for the resurgence of accusations against him from women in the past, saying on Tuesday that the “fabricated stories” were a result of Democrats being unable to prove his campaign colluded with the Russians. |
| The special counsel’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and possible coordination with people in Mr. Trump’s circle has dominated his first year in office. | The special counsel’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and possible coordination with people in Mr. Trump’s circle has dominated his first year in office. |
| Mr. Trump’s claims that he has “never met” his accusers do not appear to be credible. He has met at least five of the more than a dozen women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. | Mr. Trump’s claims that he has “never met” his accusers do not appear to be credible. He has met at least five of the more than a dozen women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. |
| Natasha Stoynoff, a reporter for People magazine, attended Mr. Trump’s wedding to Melania Knauss in January 2005. Later that year, she interviewed the couple for a story on their first anniversary at Mar-a-Lago, where she says Mr. Trump assaulted her. | Natasha Stoynoff, a reporter for People magazine, attended Mr. Trump’s wedding to Melania Knauss in January 2005. Later that year, she interviewed the couple for a story on their first anniversary at Mar-a-Lago, where she says Mr. Trump assaulted her. |
| Summer Zervos was a contestant on the Apprentice, Mr. Trump’s long-running reality television show. She says Mr. Trump made unwanted sexual advances toward her in 2007. | Summer Zervos was a contestant on the Apprentice, Mr. Trump’s long-running reality television show. She says Mr. Trump made unwanted sexual advances toward her in 2007. |
| Two of Mr. Trump’s accusers have participated in beauty pageants he ran. Temple McDowell, who represented Utah in Miss USA 1997, told NBC News that Mr. Trump kissed her on the lips during a rehearsal dinner that year. Ninni Laaksonen, who competed in Miss Universe as Miss Finland, said Mr. Trump groped her in 2006. There are photos of Mr. Trump with both women. | Two of Mr. Trump’s accusers have participated in beauty pageants he ran. Temple McDowell, who represented Utah in Miss USA 1997, told NBC News that Mr. Trump kissed her on the lips during a rehearsal dinner that year. Ninni Laaksonen, who competed in Miss Universe as Miss Finland, said Mr. Trump groped her in 2006. There are photos of Mr. Trump with both women. |
| A fifth woman, Jessica Drake, an adult film actress, said Mr. Trump groped her at a golf tournament in 2006. Ms. Drake presented an undated photo of her appearing with Mr. Trump in a news conference last year. | A fifth woman, Jessica Drake, an adult film actress, said Mr. Trump groped her at a golf tournament in 2006. Ms. Drake presented an undated photo of her appearing with Mr. Trump in a news conference last year. |
| The president chose to weigh in on the politically charged issue of harassment on the day that voters in Alabama were deciding whether to elect the Republican, Roy S. Moore. At least six women in the state have said Mr. Moore had inappropriate contact with them when they were teenagers. | The president chose to weigh in on the politically charged issue of harassment on the day that voters in Alabama were deciding whether to elect the Republican, Roy S. Moore. At least six women in the state have said Mr. Moore had inappropriate contact with them when they were teenagers. |
| His opponent, Doug Jones, a Democrat, has repeatedly highlighted those women’s accusations in the campaign, and the election is a test of whether Republican women, in particular, find those allegations credible. | His opponent, Doug Jones, a Democrat, has repeatedly highlighted those women’s accusations in the campaign, and the election is a test of whether Republican women, in particular, find those allegations credible. |
| The president also sent a tweet urging Alabamians to vote for Mr. Moore, deriding Mr. Jones as a “puppet” of the Democratic leaders in Congress, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and Representative Nancy Pelosi. | The president also sent a tweet urging Alabamians to vote for Mr. Moore, deriding Mr. Jones as a “puppet” of the Democratic leaders in Congress, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and Representative Nancy Pelosi. |
| During the presidential campaign, several women accused Mr. Trump of sexual harassment or groping. On Monday, three women held a news conference in Manhattan to retell their experiences, saying they hoped that recent accusations against other powerful figures would prompt their stories to be taken more seriously. | During the presidential campaign, several women accused Mr. Trump of sexual harassment or groping. On Monday, three women held a news conference in Manhattan to retell their experiences, saying they hoped that recent accusations against other powerful figures would prompt their stories to be taken more seriously. |
| The recent spate of accusations against leading men in government and the media, including Harvey Weinstein, Bill O’Reilly, Representative John Conyers and Mr. Franken, has fueled a public discussion of sexual harassment. | The recent spate of accusations against leading men in government and the media, including Harvey Weinstein, Bill O’Reilly, Representative John Conyers and Mr. Franken, has fueled a public discussion of sexual harassment. |
| In his resignation speech, Mr. Franken said he found it ironic that he would leave office while the president had bragged on tape about sexually assaulting women. | In his resignation speech, Mr. Franken said he found it ironic that he would leave office while the president had bragged on tape about sexually assaulting women. |
| Mr. Franken was referring to a 2005 recording of Mr. Trump while filming a segment for Access Hollywood in which he boasted about how he could treat women however he wanted because he was famous, including kissing them and grabbing their genitals. The recording emerged about a month before the 2016 election. | Mr. Franken was referring to a 2005 recording of Mr. Trump while filming a segment for Access Hollywood in which he boasted about how he could treat women however he wanted because he was famous, including kissing them and grabbing their genitals. The recording emerged about a month before the 2016 election. |
| Ms. Gillibrand was the first Democratic senator to publicly say that Mr. Franken should resign, and she has been a leading voice on Capitol Hill against sexual harassment of women. | Ms. Gillibrand was the first Democratic senator to publicly say that Mr. Franken should resign, and she has been a leading voice on Capitol Hill against sexual harassment of women. |