In news likely to get under Donald Trump’s thin skin, two Republican senators have come forward to say that the recent rape allegation against the president should be investigated.
As CNN reported, “Two Republican senators said Tuesday the rape allegation made against President Donald Trump by writer E. Jean Carroll should be explored to determine the veracity of the allegation against the President — even as many Senate Republicans sidestepped questions over the matter and defended Trump.”
The two senators that stepped forward are Mitt Romney of Utah and Joni Ernst of Iowa.
“It’s a very serious allegation,” Romney said, according to CNN. “I hope that it is fully evaluated. The President said it didn’t happen and I certainly hope that’s the case.”
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Surprisingly, Sen. Ernst said that not only does E. Jean Carroll need to be interviewed by investigators, but Trump does as well.
“I think anybody that makes an accusation like that, they should come forward,” the Iowa senator said. “But obviously there has to be some additional information. They need to interview her. They need to visit with him.”
The CNN report added that even Sen. John Thune, the second-ranking senator in Republican leadership, said if the allegation against Trump is true, it is “unacceptable, deplorable behavior.”
“The President is denying them,” Thune added. “I can’t comment on them because I don’t know what the truth is.”
Alleged rape is no longer a disqualifier for Republicans
While it’s good news that a pair of Republican senators are on the record saying E. Jean Carrol’s accusations need to be investigated, it’s sad that it has to be a breaking news event.
In the pre-Trump era, something so disturbing would trigger immediate bipartisan outrage and calls for an investigation. But in 2019, it’s considered a big deal when just two GOP lawmakers show concern over a rape allegation made against a president who shares their political party.
It’s a sad testament to just how far the Republican Party has fallen during the Trump presidency.
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Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
