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Fresh accusations of sex assault
WASHINGTON: As Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump went from one rally to another, keeping up the pretence of a man focused on the job, his campaign was
WASHINGTON: As Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump went from one rally to another, keeping up the pretence of a man focused on the job, his campaign was rolling out statements to counter the fresh allegations of sexual assaults surfacing.
Among its statements was one by a British man claiming a woman, who alleged being groped by Trump on a flight, was “the one being flirtatious”. This man, Anthony Gilberthorpe, had once claimed to have pimped for British politicians.
Kristen Andersen, a photographer, told The Washington Post on Friday Trump groped her at a Manhattan nightspot in the 1990s. The episode lasted no longer than 15 seconds, which, as reported by other victims, ended only when she moved away.
Andersen was sitting on a couch talking to some acquaintances when she felt a hand move up her miniskirt to her underpants and her genitals. She shoved the hand away and turned to look at the man responsible.
It was Trump, she said.
But Trump tried to challenge her account, to a roar of approval from supporters at a rally.
His campaign called the allegations “phony” and “ridiculous”.
Summer Zervos, a former contestant of The Apprentice -- the show that made Trump a celebrity -- alleged he groped her and kissed her against her will in his hotel suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles in 2007.
In the second statement of the day, Trump said he “vaguely” remembered her from the The Apprentice show, but denied the groping and kissing.
