Weinstein’s cases trump President’s
A WOMAN who claims Donald Trump forcibly kissed her before he became US President says she feels “forgotten” as allegations of sexual harassment engulf Hollywood and Washington.
Rachel Crooks is one of at least 15 women who have accused Mr Trump of sexual misconduct over the decades. He has dismissed the claims as false and a politically motivated smear campaign.
While Ms Crooks says the flood of allegations against men such as Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has been “great”, she is frustrated claims against Mr Trump have refused to stick.
“I do feel forgotten,” she told CNN. “You can’t help but wonder why people aren’t talking about Trump and the people that came forward for him and why is he immune to this.”
Ms Crooks was aged 22 and working as a receptionist for a company inside Trump Tower in 2005 when she would see the businessman “almost daily” as he took the lift to his residence.
“I knew he was a partner of ours so I wanted to introduce myself. I shook his hand and he gave me a kiss on each cheek, which was normal, but he held on to my hand and he continued to kiss my cheeks over and over again as he inserted small talk,” she told CNN.
“He asked me where I was from, if I was a model. He told me he had his own modelling agency, but he kept repeatedly kissing me and then, finally, he kissed me on the lips.
“His elevator arrived and that ended the encounter.
“After that, I ran back into the office and called my sister. I was really upset.”
A stream of other women have accused Mr Trump of unwanted kissing and groping. One of the claims, from former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos, is before the courts.
Ms Crooks’ interview came as Mr Trump threw his support behind a senate candidate accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.
Six women say Alabama judge Roy Moore pursued romantic relationships with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s. Two others accuse him of assault or molestation. He denies all of the claims. The President phoned the candidate from Air Force One on Monday and said: “Go get ’em, Roy!”