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U.S. NEWS Thursday 23 November 2017

Democrats face hot-potato politics of sexual predation, too

By JULIET LINDERMAN a military plane, combined It reported that his office demanded Moore quit his can’s “liberal” opponent in
CALVIN WOODWARD with her allegations that he paid more than $27,000 to candidacy “if” his accusers a Dec. 12 special election.
Associated Press kissed her forcibly on an- a woman who alleged she have told the truth about In this sexual misconduct
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dem- frenzy , unmasking figures
ocrats have been quick to in entertainment, media,
support the “me too” cho- sports and politics (#MeToo
rus of women — and some on Twitter), all sorts of epi-
men — who have stepped sodes on the spectrum
up to allege sexual miscon- of misbehavior are being
duct and name names. But lumped together, from the
now “me too” stains the boorish and juvenile to the
Democrats, too, putting allegedly criminal.
them in an awkward place Grabbing a woman’s be-
as they calibrate how hind at the state fair isn’t in
forcefully to respond. the same league as molest-
Allegations against Sen. Al ing a child.
Franken of Minnesota and Still, the Democrats have a
Rep. John Conyers of Mich- predicament.
igan are part of the newest “They don’t want to look
chapter in the hot-potato tolerant on this issue by say-
politics of sexual predation ing, ‘He wasn’t as bad as so
for the party, which has its and so,’” said Dan Lublin, a
own fraught history on the political science professor
subject. at American University.
The latest revelations have “They need to appear
prompted a hard look back strong,” he said, and not
at the way Democrats and focus on gradations in mis-
their allies once circled the behavior.
wagons around President In this Nov. 6, 2017 photo, former President Bill Clinton speaks at a symposium in Georgetown “They’re going with ‘unac-
Bill Clinton, dismissing alle- University in Washington. Democrats have been quick to support the “me too” chorus of women ceptable.’
gations that extended to _ and some men _ who have stepped up to allege sexual misconduct and name names. But now And it is a dilemma, be-
serious assault as mere dal- “me too” stains the Democrats, too, putting them in an awkward place as they calibrate how cause you don’t know how
liances or the tales of “loo- forcefully to respond. far that will go.”
ney” women. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Kathleen Dolan, chair of
In her 2016 presidential the political science de-
campaign, Hillary Clinton other occasion, prompted was fired because she re- his approaching teenage partment at the University
drew a clear line on be- swift condemnation from jected his sexual advances. girls. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee,
half of women who allege throughout the party’s On Tuesday, Conyers de- Others have concluded said the party’s history with
sexual assault, saying flatly: ranks and inspired calls for nied he made that settle- the accusations are more this issue is important to re-
“You have the right to be an ethics investigation that ment — but his office later credible than his denials. member.
believed.” But she equivo- the senator-in-hiding sup- acknowledged it while still But a few, like Alabama’s “Certainly, Democrats,
cated when asked if her ported, too. Then a second denying that the allega- GOP governor, have sug- from an ideological per-
husband’s accusers from woman came forward, al- tions were true. The House gested that even if he did spective, and on gender
another decade should be leging Franken grabbed Ethics Committee has initi- prey on a 14-year-old de- egalitarianism, should be
believed, too: “I would say her buttocks during a pho- ated an investigation. cades ago, the need to the party or people we’d
that everybody should be to op at a state fair. Democrats, predictably, protect the Senate’s Re- expect to be taking the
believed at first until they And now, BuzzFeed has have spoken fiercely and publican majority trumps lead on awareness of the
are disbelieved based on published affidavits from with one voice against Roy such concerns. decades-old problem of
evidence.” former employees of Cony- Moore, the Republican President Donald Trump sexual harassment and sex-
The pressure’s on now to ers who said they saw the Senate candidate in Ala- repeatedly noted on ual assault,” she said.
act without equivocation. Democrat inappropriate- bama who is accused of Wednesday that Moore “That’s complicated in part
Franken’s prankish photo ly touching women who disrobing a 14-year-old girl has denied the allegations by the history of the party
of his hands over a nap- worked for him and asking in his house when in his 30s. and insisted that Alabama debate when Bill Clinton
ping woman’s breasts on them for sexual favors. Some Republicans have must not elect the Republi- was in the thick of his stuff.q