Two more women came forward with allegations that Republican nominee Donald Trump inappropriately touched them sexually, one being a former contestant on The Apprentice, while another was a then-20-something model working in New York City. The former model, Kristin Anderson, who is now a 46-year-old photographer, alleges that Trump touched her vagina when he put his hands up her skirt at a Manhattan nightclub in the early 1990s. The Washington Post broke the story earlier today:
Kristin Anderson was deep in conversation with acquaintances at a crowded Manhattan nightspot and did not notice the figure to her right on a red velvet couch — until, she recalls, his fingers slid under her miniskirt, moved up her inner thigh, and touched her vagina through her underwear.Anderson shoved the hand away, fled the couch and turned to take her first good look at the man who had touched her, she said.
She recognized him as Donald Trump: “He was so distinctive looking — with the hair and the eyebrows. I mean, nobody else has those eyebrows.”
At the time of the incident, which Anderson said took place in the early 1990s, she was in her early twenties, trying to make it as a model. She was paying the bills by working as a makeup artist and restaurant hostess. Trump was a big celebrity whose face was all over the tabloids and a regular presence on the New York club scene.
The episode, as Anderson described it, lasted no more than 30 seconds. Anderson said she and her companions were “very grossed out and weirded out” and thought, “Okay, Donald is gross. We all know he’s gross. Let’s just move on.”
Over the years, Anderson, now 46 and a photographer living in Southern California, has recounted the story to people she knew, casually at first.
One friend, Kelly Stedman, told The Washington Post that Anderson informed her about the encounter a few days after it happened.
Katie wrote about feminist attorney Gloria Allred holding a press conference today with Summer Zervos, who was a contestant on the fifth season of The Apprentice. Zervos alleges that Trump inappropriately touched and forced himself upon her. The Los Angeles Times reported that in 2007, Zervos contacted Trump looking for a job opportunity. They met in New York City; Trump called her his “O.C. angel” and suggested they have dinner:
A former "Apprentice" contestant describes alleged unwanted sexual advancements made by Donald Trump. https://t.co/X4MLlkzyXK
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 14, 2016
Zervos said she was summoned to the Beverly Hills Hotel, where she expected to eat at a restaurant. Instead, she said, she was ushered to Trump’s bungalow.Trump repeatedly tried to kiss her with an open mouth as she darted around the room trying to evade him, Zervos said. He also put his hand on her breast and thrust his genitals at her, she said.
“Dude, you’re tripping right now,” Zervos said she told Trump, as she sought to stop his advances. “Come on, man, get real.”
She said Trump asked her what she wanted, and that she replied she had come to eat dinner.
As they waited for room service, Zervos said, Trump told her that he didn’t think she had ever known love or been in love. Then she said he turned to business, questioning her as though she was on a job interview.
They shared a club sandwich, and Trump advised Zervos to default on her home mortgage, Zervos said, adding that they arranged to meet the next day at Trump’s golf course in Palos Verdes.
[…]
Zervos said she went on a tour of the golf course and was eventually offered a job, but for half the salary she had expected. She said she called Trump, upset, and that he told her he couldn’t talk because he was golfing and to never use his private number again.
She said she continued to pursue a job with Trump until he told her he could not afford to hire her as he was laying off thousands of employees.
With Zervos and Anderson coming forward, the number of women who have alleged that Trump touched them inappropriately has risen to nine. Of course, the Trump campaign vehemently denies the allegations, with Gov. Mike Pence declaring that evidence will be brought forward to refute the allegations.
We’re still waiting.