Clinton staff ‘given Weinstein warnings’

HILLARY CLINTON’S presidential election campaign allegedly maintained close ties with Harvey Weinstein even after staff were warned by high-profile supporters about the film producer.

Lena Dunham and Tina Brown claimed they warned Mrs Clinton’s staff about Weinstein’s alleged sex assaults long before they became public knowledge.

Dunham, the creator and star of US drama Girls, claims she told a senior member of Mrs Clinton’s campaign not to work with Weinstein because the director had “a problem with sexual assault”.

Brown, a former Vanity Fair editor who had a tumultuous business relationship with Weinstein, claims she warned a member of Mrs Clinton’s “inner circle” about his “sleaziness” in 2008.

Mrs Clinton was criticised for her close ties with the film producer, who took an active role in fundraising and campaigning for her presidential bid last year, after the allegations came to light.

In October, Mrs Clinton said she was “shocked and appalled” to hear the allegations, suggesting she was previously unaware of any wrongdoing by the Oscarwinner.

Dunham said she told Kristina Schake, the campaign’s deputy communications director in Oct 2016: “I just want you to let you know that Harvey’s a ‘rapist’ and this is going to come out at some point.

“I think it’s a really bad idea for him to host fundraisers and be involved because it’s an open secret in Hollywood that he has a problem with sexual assault.”

In an interview with the New York Times, the actress also said she repeated the warnings to Adrienne Elrod, another campaign aide.

Nick Merrill, Mrs Clinton’s communications director, disputed both women’s account of events.

Ms Elrod and Ms Schake both denied that Dunham mentioned rape.