Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finally responded to a bombshell report that the twice-failed nominee had shielded a senior aide from accusations of sexual misconduct during her 2008 presidential campaign; keeping the man on staff for months despite her aides’ recommendations he should be removed.
Last week, the New York Times published an exposé highlighting Clinton’s role in protecting senior advisor Burns Strider after he was accused of harassing a female subordinate, ignoring campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle and others who urged her to fire Strider.
Clinton broke her silence on the issue over the weekend, saying she was “dismayed” when the incident occurred but insisted the accuser “was heard, and had her concerns taken seriously and addressed.”
I called her today to tell her how proud I am of her and to make sure she knows what all women should: we deserve to be heard.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 27, 2018
Clinton’s hypocritical comments come just months after she publicly denounced longtime friend and Democratic mega-donor Harvey Weinstein in the wake of multiple sexual harassment scandals.
“I was shocked and appalled by the revelations about Harvey Weinstein,” said Clinton last October. “The behavior described by women coming forward cannot be tolerated. Their courage and the support of others is critical in helping to stop this kind of behavior.”
BUSTED: Emails Show CLINTONS SHIELDED Weinstein for Decades
A bombshell report from the New York Times published Wednesday reveals what many had suspected for years; both Bill and Hillary Clinton knew about –and helped conceal- allegations of sexual assault against Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein for decades.
The article, titled “Weinstein’s Complicity Machine,” details the enablers surrounding the studio big-shot, including celebrities as well as prominent political figures; mainly the Clintons.
The author describes the “celebrity shield” that Weinstein had created around himself, noting “Chief among them were Bill and Hillary Clinton.”
“But two prominent women said they warned Mrs. Clinton’s team. In 2016, Lena Dunham, the writer and actress, said she was troubled by the producer’s visible presence during Mrs. Clinton’s presidential run,” the article adds.
Dunham reportedly sent an email to the Clinton campaign ahead of election day, telling staffers that “Harvey’s a rapist” and “it’s going to come out.”
“I just want you to let you know that Harvey’s a rapist and this is going to come out at some point,” the actress told the campaign’s deputy communications director.
Read the full exposé here.