It has been a week, but Al Gore finally came out with a denial of the sex assault claim that was made against him by a masseuse and was reported in The National Enquirer. Since the story first ran it has pretty much been everywhere so I am wondering why it took Al so long to reply.
His denial comes at a time when the Portland police have decided to reopen the investigation into the woman's claims that she was sexually assaulted by the former Vice-President when she gave him a $540 massage.
Again I keep coming back to that price. Who the heck pays $540 for a massage? Gore's family spokesperson said, "The Gores cannot comment on every defamatory, misleading and inaccurate story generated by tabloids. Mr. Gore unequivocally and emphatically denied this accusation when he first learned of its existence three years ago. He stands by that denial."
I guess this is why they never denied the affair claim because they just don't have time to comment on every inaccurate story. Umm, there have only been two tabloid stories about him. Is he that busy that he can't write a sentence or two? For the record, I believe he had an affair, but I still have not made up my mind about the sexual assault. It always clouds things up when people decide to take money instead of justice. On the other hand, the original statement she gave police was very detailed. Plus, I hate to see anyone get away with sexual assault. Maybe she was scared to try and go against him. What do you think?
Well...she has a friend who says she called him immediately to tell him the story, but she was scared to say anything.
ReplyDeleteShe did save the pants, so his DNA would be on there or it wouldn't. She will be able to prove some type of sexual activity did take place, but will have a very difficult time proving actual assault....unless he denied denied denied to police that he even knew the woman...then he may have a bigger problem.
I have a small problem with the money, but not a big one. We don't know her circumstances -- she may feel she needs the money for lawyers, security, make up for loss of business, etc.
ReplyDeleteOr she could be looking to retire. But in that case, I think she would have filed a huge civil suit against Gore. Unless she wouldn't have because she knows she would lose.
I am just so conflicted. Sigh.
Bill Clinton denied it too.
ReplyDeletePower, whether real or perceived can intimidate. She probably thought she would get crused like a bug at the time.
I wouldn't be too worried about the price of that massage. It's completely irrelevant. Even if she was offering a sexual service for that sort of money, guess what? Sexual workers have a right to say no, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm a massage therapist in Alabama. At that price, more than just a massage went on and he should have known that. When I tell people I charge $70/hr, I get asked all kinds of crazy questions. And some of my male clients do have 'accidents', that's to be expected occasionally so unless the pants had her DNA on it too, it can be tossed out in court.
ReplyDeleteBeing female, I got a massage recently at a top notch spa in PA - it was $150. And where I swear on anything sacred that I did not assualt her, I would have gladly given that man hand woman $390 more dollars for feeling like butter and no clean up needed afterwards.
ReplyDeleteSo I can see a former VP being charged $540. After all he did invent the internet so he has the dough :)
First, I have a little problem wrapping my head around the idea of Al Gore even having sex. Past that - nobody is crying rape. She's claiming he asked her for a blow job and pressed up against her. Last I heard, those are not really criminal activities. Uncouth, yes. Rude, yes. Disgusting, yes. But not against the law.
ReplyDeleteThe timing of it makes me think it's a set-up. I just don't care for the feel of it all.
If she told anyone about it at the time of the assault and was blackballed from getting future employment this could explain her need for money.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Walters keeps pointing out that Monica Lewinsky (sp.?) can not get a decent job and move on with her life because of Bill Clinton.
Maybe the same has happened for this woman.
she kind of lost me at 'sex crazed love poodle.' sorry.
ReplyDeletenot against the law? Syko, you lost me there.
ReplyDeleteI don't for one minute think she was blackballed and couldn't find work. This had NO visibility before she brought it back up THREE YRS LATER. Timing is obviously suspicious. And have you read her statement? So floridly written it sounds like a very bad bosom-heaving novel. Who takes like that???? Unless she thinks she can get a book deal and doesn't realize how stupidly & overly dramatically written it is.
ReplyDeleteThere is either much more to this story --or much less. I think she tried to blackmail him, his lawyers strung her along....Then, when he and Tipper separated, there was less at stake if she went public so they cut her off.
So her only way to get money was to go public, get a book deal, get paid by tabloids, etc. Regardless, I think she is an opportunist trying to profit and he is an asshole. Which makes her like every other scandal's opportunist...Tiger's bedmates, all of them...
I meant "who talks like this" not"take". Sorry.
ReplyDeleteokay, why does she have his pants? how did he explain walking out of the place with no pants?
ReplyDeleteHe did it and he's going down! Couldn't happen to a bigger asshole, and for all the people who are complaining that the police report is "too detailed, too, much information", THAT is how the police MAKE you give a report. They ask all those questions. I have zero doubt that she was telling the truth about her militant lib friends telling her to suck it up and not report it! How dare anyone besmerch the king of the environment.
ReplyDeleteAl Gore is a kind, nice man. My son's friend and his family have known him for twenty years. I''m sure BP is having an orgasm while this is going on, though. How perfect to shut up the primary symbol of environmentalism at this time. And totally he said/she said.
ReplyDeleteTerri, I think she has HER pants, with a stain a la Lewinsky's blue dress. And kcqueen, we still go with "innocent until proven guilty" here in the US.
ReplyDeletePropositioning someone is not illegal, men do it constantly. It becomes sexual harassment if the person you are propositioning is an employee or a subordinate and makes it clear to you that they do not welcome your attention, and you still continue. Rubbing up against someone is also not illegal, but is sexual harassment under the same guidelines as above. Crass, yes. Sickening, yes. But not illegal. If those things were illegal, we'd have cops hauling people out of bars and other singles meccas by the thousands. You can't arrest someone simply for being offensive.
I would think rubbing yourself up against someone would be sexual assault, as it's for the purpose of sexual gratification and generally is made with genital contact on another human being. Sorry sweetie. And by the way, you CAN arrest someone for "simply being offensive". For instance, you can get arrested for running around naked in public.
ReplyDeleteTo Melody, a lot of people seem nice and turn out to be monsters. The "he's so nice" defense is malarkey.
No, Bad Fish, they don't. It's not a matter of "he lived next door, he seems so nice," the Maskell family has known him on a personal, one-to-one basis for a long time. They knew about the trouble between Al and Tipper long ago.
ReplyDeleteI just find this "DNA covered clothing" popping up with unprovable charges pointed at a Democratic political figure and environmentalist VERY convenient for the right-wing "small government for big oil" machine. And right on time for the 2010 elections. Al will not be a good image for those concerned with the environment.
The psychopathic right-wing and the sociopaths that loved them have their fingerprints all over this.
I don't get what this has to do with the 2010 elections AT ALL.
ReplyDeleteThat said he might be a nice man, but he sure fucked over some really pretty TN land.
and if he was PAYING her, then she was an employee. Believe me, I'd be filing charges if I were in his shoes.
He is innocent until proven guilty. But we are not the court, we are the public, and we are entitled to "think" he is guilty or not...heck, we do it all the time on here.
When I am forming opinions, I usually take the side of the victim, until proven wrong, but that is just me--I did that in this case, because I wouldn't put it past ANY politician to act this way--I think they, overall, are out of control and power hungry. Anyway, my distaste of ole Al came a long time before any of this, so I am sticking with my initial opinion of him.
Good God- the ONLY reason you offer a defense of this pig is BECAUSE he's a left wing lunatic! "Oh shit, we can't have Saint Al, king of all the environment, getting caught being a typical lefty pervert". Well, tough tits babe, Al's a pig and he's going down! I am DONE with the excuses the loony left comes up with to excuse their shitass "stars"; This wouldn't have gotten traction without evidence, and Big Al's divorce isn't helping his case. Get a grip and deal with his fall from grace.
ReplyDeleteI meant, I would be filing charges if I were in *her* shoes.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there's a reason he didn't carry his own district. People in Carthage and Middle TN been onto him since he'd wear his brand new jeans to the sheriff's rabbit supper to prove what a "good ole boy" he was.
Syko, rubbing up against someone when they have said no repeatedly (as per her statement) is, in fact, a crime.
ReplyDeleteHe could certainly be a "kind, nice" man while together with family and friends, and a "crazed sex poodle" drunk, late at night, in a hotel room far from home, while his marriage was presumably falling apart.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the two contradict each other at all. People are very different in different circumstances.
And here come the "vast, right-wing conspiracy" accusations again.
As a mildly right-wing person, I'm less concerned about his hotel room behavior and more concerned about the giant energy-eating house he built for two people - now one person, with Tipper moving out.
I think the account was way to detailed for my taste. I've been in situations where I was frightened, and I can't detail them the way this woman did, even if prompted by questioning. I think they reopened the case because of the high-profile nature of Gore. I'm not sure if he's innocent or guilty, but I have a hard time believing this woman didn't time this to make money (true or false).
ReplyDeleteBill Clinton had a lot of women accusing him, way before Monica. I just don't know what to think.
Glad to know you're such an expert on it the subject Melody, and even gladder than a moron such as yourself never met BTK or Ted Bundy.
ReplyDelete