Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday afternoon released a statement condemning the behavior of Harvey Weinstein as more women came out accusing the movie mogul of sexual harassment and assault.
“Michelle and I have been disgusted by the recent reports of Harvey Weinstein. Any man who demeans and degrades women in such fashion needs to be condemned and held accountable, regardless of wealth or status,” Obama said in a statement. “We should celebrate the courage of women who have come forward to tell these painful stories. And we all need to build a culture, including by empowering our girls and teaching our boys decency and respect, so we can make such behavior less prevalent in the future.”
Weinstein was a prominent Democratic donor, and Democratic lawmakers have come under pressure to denounce the movie executive. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned Westein’s actions earlier on Tuesday, and several Democratic lawmakers have donated campaign contributions from Weinstein to charity.
