New sexual misconduct allegations rock Trump campaign
GREENSBORO ( AP) — Battered by sordid new accusations of sexual misbehavior, Donald Trump fought back in ever- more- remarkable fashion Friday, acting out one woman’s allegation onstage and suggesting another was not attractive enough to merit his attention. He defiantly denied a week’s worth of accusations that have all but consumed his presidential bid just over three weeks before the election.
“She would not be my first choice, that I can tell you,” Trump said of one woman in a rambling attack on his female accusers as he campaigned in battleground North Carolina.
The New York businessman said his staff wanted him to avoid the topic altogether, but that he couldn’t resist defending himself. He blamed the growing story on his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton and an international media conspiracy, describing his female accusers as “sick” people seeking fame or money.
“The only thing I can say is hopefully, hopefully, our patriotic movement will overcome this terrible deception,” he declared. Trump assailed The New
York Times in particular, noting its connection to Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, who is a major shareholder in the media company.
Spokesman Arturo Elias Ayub later said Slim doesn’t know Trump at all “and is not the least bit interested in his personal life.”
Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, promised Friday morning the campaign would soon release evidence against the women that would show Trump’s innocence.
Pence remarked at “the enormous coverage of these, of these really unfounded allegations, unestablished allegations compared to an avalanche of emails coming out of Hillary Clinton’s years as secretary of state.”