Trump To Sue New York Times Over Story Claiming He Touched 2 Women Inappropriately, Reports Say
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is firing back at a New York Times report that claims he touched two women inappropriately and will reportedly sue the newspaper over the story.
The Times reported Wednesday evening about two women who claim that Trump was sexually aggressive with them.
Jessica Leeds, 74, told the Times that over three decades ago while on a plane and sitting in first-class next to Trump, he lifted the armrest between them and said he began to grab her breasts and put his hand up his skirt. She said the two had never met before until sitting next to each other on the plane.
"He was like an octopus," Leeds described. "His hands were everywhere."
She said she went to the back of the plane afterwards.
"It was an assault," Leeds told the Times.
Rachel Crooks, who was a 22-year-old receptionist at Bayrock Group in 2005, told the Times when she introduced herself to Trump, they shook hands, but he wouldn't let go. She said Trump kissed her on the cheeks and then kissed her "directly on the mouth." The real estate and development company Crooks worked for at the time was based in Trump Tower.
"It was so inappropriate," Crooks told the Times. "I was so upset that he thought I was so insignificant that he could do that."
The Washington Post recently released a tape from "Access Hollywood" that was recorded in 2005 of Trump bragging to then host Billy Bush on a hot mic that he kisses, gropes and tries to have sex with women who were not his wife.
The tape showed Bush and Trump speaking as the Republican was about to appear on the daytime drama "Days of Our Lives." From the bus they had ridden to the set, Bush pointed out to Trump an actress, Arianne Zucker, who was there to greet them.
Bush called the actress "hot," adding an expletive.
"I've gotta use some Tic Tacs, just in case I start kissing her," Trump said. "You know, I'm automatically attracted to beautiful ... I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything."
"Grab them by the p----. You can do anything," Trump added.
When the Times asked Trump about the women's claims, he said, "None of this ever took place," and called the Times reporter a "disgusting human being."
The Trump campaign called the Times report "fiction" and a "completely false, coordinated character assassination."
"It is absurd to think that one of the most recognizable business leaders on the planet with a strong record of empowering women in his companies would do the things alleged in this story, and for this to only become public decades later in the final month of a campaign for president should say it all," said Jason Miller, the campaign's senior communications adviser.
Gabriel Sherman of New York Magazine and Robert Costa of The Washington Post report that Trump is drafting a lawsuit against the Times over the allegations.
Hillary Clinton's communications director said that Trump lied on the debate stage when he denied groping or kissing women without their consent.
Jennifer Palmieri said the story "sadly fits everything we know about the way Donald Trump has treated women." She also said the story shows that the "disgusting behavior" Trump brags about in a newly released video "is more than just words."
A senior Trump adviser told Bloomberg that they will bring forward new accusers who alleged they were sexually abused by former President Bill Clinton.
"Women are coming to us who have been groped or sexually abused by Bill Clinton," the adviser said, adding that the Republican nominee is considering having these women at his campaign rallies to "give witness to what Hillary Clinton actually did."
Advisers also revealed to Bloomberg that campaign CEO Steve Bannon said they are going to turn Bill Clinton into Bill Cosby.
"She's led a program of victim intimidation," Bannon reportedly told Trump staffers, according to Bloomberg. "This has nothing to do with consensual sexual affairs and infidelities. This is Bill. We're going to turn him into Bill Cosby. He's a violent sexual predator who physically abuses women who he assaults. And she takes the lead on intimidation of the victims."
This comes as CBS News reported Wednesday evening that Trump told a 10-year-old girl in 1992 he would be dating her in ten years.
According to CBS News, the video – which was shot at Trump Tower -- came from an "Entertainment Tonight" Christmas feature from 1992, when Trump was 46.
The video clip shows Trump asking one of the girls if she's "going up the escalator." When the girl said yes, Trump said to the camera, "I am going to be dating her in ten years. Can you believe it?"
The Trump campaign has yet to comment on that video.
CBS2's Dick Brennan reports former Miss USA contestant Tasha Dixon said Trump, who owned the pageant, came into the dressing room in 2001 while she and others were getting ready for rehearsal.
"He just came strolling right in," said Dixon. "There was no second to put a robe on or sort of clothing or anything. Some girls were topless, others were naked."
Trump's own words to Howard Stern in 2005 sounded similar.
"You know, they're standing there with no clothes, and you see these incredible looking women, so I get away with things like that," Trump said at the time.
Trump continued his attacks on the Republican Party, saying something sinister was working against him.
Trump will have a rally in Florida on Thursday, while Clinton will hold a fundraiser in San Francisco.
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