‘It’s Not Clear That He — How That Would Occur’
Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) says the actions Donald Trump described taking in the 2005 “Access Hollywood” video, including grabbing women by their genitals and kissing them, both without consent, do not describe acts of sexual assault. Sessions, a former federal U.S. Attorney state Attorney General who today serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“This was very improper language, and he’s acknowledged that,” Sen. Sessions, a top Trump surrogate who signed onto the GOP nominee’s campaign early on, told The Weekly Standard Sunday.
“But beyond the language, would you characterize the behavior described in that as sexual assault if that behavior actually took place?” The Weekly Standard pushed.
“I don’t characterize that as sexual assault. I think that’s a stretch. I don’t know what he meant—,” Sessions stated.
“So if you grab a woman by the genitals, that’s not sexual assault?” The Weekly Standard continued.
“I don’t know. It’s not clear that he — how that would occur,” Sessions concluded.
Vox’s Emily Crockett says Sessions’ remarks and those of other Trump surrogates “have started normalizing sexual assault in a terrifying way.”
Mother Jones notes that “Sessions is a lawyer—one who’s nomination to a federal judgeship three decades ago capsized after critics accused him of racism.”
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