RNC chair Ronna Romney McDaniel on Monday defended President Donald Trump against comparisons to Harvey Weinstein, a day after Weinstein was fired from the eponymous company he co-founded amid a flood of sexual harassment accusations.
McDaniel said Trump’s remarks on the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape bragging about grabbing women “by the pussy,” released almost exactly a year ago, were not relevant to the discussion about the allegations against Weinstein.
“It’s not even comparable, though,” she said on CNN. “To even make that comparison is disrespectful to the President.”
McDaniel said Trump “didn’t have eight settlements” and said Weinstein “admits that he did that.”
She also claimed Trump did not have “women coming forward” with such allegations, though multiple women accused Trump of sexual misconduct after the “Access Hollywood” tape was released.
“Harvey Weinstein brought women into his hotel room,” McDaniel claimed.
Former “Apprentice” contestant Summer Zervos alleged in October 2016 that Trump inappropriately kissed and groped her in 2007 after inviting her to his “bungalow” at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
“Here’s the difference,” McDaniel said. “The President came out and apologized for that and many Republicans came out and said those comments were inappropriate.”
“The difference is Harvey Weinstein is a major bundler for the DNC,” she added.
Trump on Saturday said he was “not at all surprised” about the sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein.
Asked about his remarks on the “Access Hollywood” tape, however, Trump dismissed them—as he repeatedly did on the campaign trail—as “locker room” talk.
RNC chair says allegations about Harvey Weinstein and Donald Trump are “not even comparable” https://t.co/blAHyKbYw8 https://t.co/UreeUn2Pp4
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) October 9, 2017
