Trump attacks senator in tweets

Had called out president for sex allegations

WASHINGTON • Plowing into the sexual harassment debate, President Donald Trump laced into Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Tuesday, tweeting that the New York Democrat would come to his office “begging” for campaign contributions and “do anything” to get them.

Democrats accused the president of making crude insinuations. Gillibrand, who had called for Trump’s resignation a day earlier because of allegations of sexual misconduct, called Trump’s attack a “sexist smear attempting to silence my voice.”

“I will not be silenced on this issue,” Gillibrand insisted. “Neither will the women who stood up to the president yesterday,” referring to women who have accused the president of sexual misconduct.

Standing up for Gillibrand, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., tweeted to the president: “Are you really trying to bully, intimidate and slut-shame @SenGillibrand? Do you know who you’re picking a fight with? Good luck with that, @realDonaldTrump. Nevertheless, #shepersisted.”

The phrase “she persisted” went viral earlier this year after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell silenced Warren as she tried to read a letter from Coretta Scott King about then-attorney general nominee Jeff Sessions.

Trump’s tweet Tuesday did not directly address sexual harassment, but said of Gillibrand: “Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office “begging” for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED!”

A day earlier, Gillibrand said Trump should resign because there were credible accusations against him. And barring that, she said, “Congress should investigate the multiple sexual harassment and assault allegations against him.”

Trump’s tweet Tuesday morning inflamed Democrats who said the president was again debasing a woman. Trump had not responded to earlier resignation calls from three male senators, Independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Democrats Cory Booker of New Jersey and Jeff Merkley of Oregon.

Republicans largely remained silent about the tweet, with Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake being an exception, saying he “didn’t think it was appropriate at all.”

In a heated exchange with reporters in the White House briefing room Monday, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders dismissed accusations against the president and suggested the issue had been litigated in Trump’s favour on Election Day.

JACQUELYN MARTIN/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand holds a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington Tuesday after being the subject of a “sexist” tweet by President Donald Trump that she said was aimed at silencing her voice.