'In an objective setting, without question, a person with this record would have entered the graveyard of political aspirations, never to return. Yet here we are with that man as president.'
Those were the words of Rachel Crooks, a former Trump Tower receptionist who joined Samantha Holvey and Jessica Leeds at a press conference on Monday to petition Congress to investigate sexual misconduct claims concerning Donald Trump. Those claims range from sexual harassment to sexual assault, with at least 15 women coming forward to talk about unsavoury experiences they have endured at the (pussy-grabbing) hands of the current president of the United States.
One woman, Jessica Leeds, described a horrifying incident where she was assaulted by Trump on a flight. 'When he started to put his hands up my skirt - and that was the last time I wore a skirt travelling...I managed to wrestle myself out of the seat and stood up, grabbed my purse and went to the back of the airplane.'
All 15 claims relate to incidents which allegedly took place before the 2016 presidential election, but despite being available to the public as early as October of last year, allegations surrounding the controversial head of state have largely been ignored. The White House have denied all claims against
Trump is not the only Republican Party representative to be accused of inappropriate behaviour. Roy Moore's decision to continue his campaign to join the Alabama Senate despite allegations of child molestation has divided the party, but ultimately the Republican National Committee (RNC) decided that the claims were not significant enough to withdraw financial support.
Democrats have also had their fair share of scandal, although party representatives have largely been expected to sacrifice themselves for the party. Al Franken, the US Senator for Minnesota who has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct, announced his resignation last Thursday after political heavyweights such as Bernie Sanders called for him to step down.
Politics has been slower to weed out abuses of power than the entertainment industry which popularised the #metoo movement, but the women are hoping to capitalise on the movement's momentum to finally bring Trump to justice. 'Let’s try round two,' Holvey said in an appearance on the NBC’s Today show with Megyn Kelly. 'The environment’s different, let’s try again.'
Should Congress investigate the claims and find Trump guilty, it could be grounds for impeachment. It is the second scandal after allegations of conspiring with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential elections that could result in Trump leaving office before 2020.
Follow Ebere on Twitter @NwezeEbere
You might also be interested in...
Here's Why People Are Mad About The Time Magazine Person Of The Year
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.