Today, the Republican Party of Kentucky called on Alison Lundergan Grimes to return her campaign donations from two people: one publicly accused of sexual harassment, former Democrat State House Representative John Arnold, and one accused of sexual assault, Director Woody Allen.
“If Alison Lundergan Grimes really cares about standing up for Kentucky women, she should return both former Representative John Arnold’s and Woody Allen’s donations to her campaign,” said Kelsey Cooper, RPK Communications Director. “If she doesn’t return the donations, we can only assume she either condones sexual harassment and disgustingly inappropriate behavior in the workplace, or she’s more concerned with her liberal allies’ campaign cash than the women of Kentucky.”
Background:
Alison Lundergan Grimes is the only candidate to have received a donation from Woody Allen this cycle:
“Director Woody Allen — whose adopted daughter went public over the weekend about her child molestation allegations against him — donated money recently to Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell’s Democratic opponent. Records indicate that Allen gave $500 in September to Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Democratic Secretary of State in Kentucky. Lundergan Grimes appears to be the only candidate Allen has donated to this cycle, according to Federal Election Commission records.
“Over the weekend in the New York Times, Dylan Farrow — Allen’s adopted daughter with actress Mia Farrow — discussed her allegations in excruciating detail, rehashing her much-publicized claims that originally surfaced in the early 1990s.” (Daily Caller, 02/13/14)
But he’s not the only one of Grimes’ donors who has been accused of sexual harassment.
According to the most recent batch of FEC reports, in October, Alison Lundergan Grimes also received a $250 donation from former Democrat State House Representative John Arnold, who was accused of sexually harassing multiple women in their place of work.
“Retired state Rep. John Arnold of sexual harassment fame donated $250 to Grimes in October. #kysen” (Joe Sonka, Twitter Feed, 2/6/14)
Despite the Grimes campaign’s focus on fighting for Kentucky women and their eagerness to use practically any opportunity to play the Democrats’ “war on women” card, Grimes refused to call for his resignation, and stayed largely quiet on the issue.
Grimes Campaign “Dodged” On Whether A Democrat State Senator Accused Of Sexual Harassment Should Resign. “Republican women in attendance also didn’t spare Grimes, and many took jabs at the first-term secretary of state over what they called a lukewarm response to a sexual harassment scandal against a Democratic lawmaker in state government. When asked this week about the accusations levied at state Rep. John Arnold by two female staffers, a Grimes campaign spokesperson told WFPL harassment of women in the workplace should not be tolerated, but dodged whether Arnold should resign.” (Phillip M. Bailey, “Reaching Out To Women Voters, Mitch McConnell Says Democrats Dividing Kentuckians Along Gender Lines,” WFPL, 8/30/13)
Grimes “Whiffed” When Asked About The Arnold Sexual Harassment Scandal. “Democratic response to the sexual harassment scandal surrounding state Rep. John Arnold last week has been muted, with only a couple of Arnold’s fellow state representatives speaking out forcefully about his alleged misdeeds. … But Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, who mentions virtually every time she speaks that she is the state’s only female constitutional officer and who has been a champion of abused women, whiffed, giving a lawyerly answer rather than a heartfelt one when asked her thoughts on the subject. ‘I strongly believe there is no place for harassment in the workplace whether you are female or male, and such behavior cannot be tolerated. All Kentuckians deserve a safe work environment. Due process must be afforded to protect all parties involved, while also ensuring the public’s full confidence in the ongoing investigation,’ she said in a statement.” (Joseph Gerth, Op-Ed, “House Leaders Slow To Address Sexual Harassment Allegations,” The Courier-Journal, 8/25/13)
Allegations Against Arnold By Three Staff Members Include “Inappropriately Touching Them, Stroking Them, And In One Instance, Grabbing One Woman’s ‘Fancy Red Lace Panties’ As She Was Climbing The Steps To The State Capitol Annex And, In Another, Slapping A Woman On Her Rear.”“Three legislative staff members have accused Arnold, a Sturgis Democrat, of inappropriately touching them, stroking them, and in one instance, grabbing one woman’s ‘fancy red lace panties’ as she was climbing the steps to the state Capitol Annex and, in another, slapping a woman on her rear. The picture of the state legislature painted in the complaints filed with the state Legislative Ethics Commission is a permissive culture more like a fraternity house than a statehouse.” (Joseph Gerth, Op-Ed, “House Leaders Slow To Address Sexual Harassment Allegations,” The Courier-Journal, 8/25/13)
Grimes “Still Declined To Say Whether” Arnold Should Resign. “Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes slightly ratcheted up her rhetoric Fridayabout the allegations of sexual harassment against a sitting Democratic state legislator but still declined to say whether the lawmaker should resign. Instead, Grimes — a lawyer by training who is in her second year as secretary of state – said she agrees with ‘all efforts to hold’ Rep. John Arnold accountable.” (Ryan Alessi, “Grimes Slightly Sharpens Her Concern Over Harassment Saga While Her Campaign Hammers On Women’s Issues,” CN|2’s “Pure Politics,” 9/8/13)
“Grimes Has Said Little Publicly About The Allegations Against Arnold.” “Grimes has said little publicly about the allegations against Arnold, of Union County, even as her Senate campaign continues to make women’s issues a centerpiece of her run against Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell.” (Ryan Alessi, “Grimes Slightly Sharpens Her Concern Over Harassment Saga While Her Campaign Hammers On Women’s Issues,” CN|2’s “Pure Politics,” 9/8/13)
