LAS VEGAS — Donald Trump on Wednesday night vehemently denied sexual assault allegations put forward by at least six women in recent weeks, claiming that the Hillary Clinton campaign is behind the false charges.
“First of all, those stories have been largely debunked. I don’t know those people. I have a feeling how they came. I think it was her campaign that did it,” Mr. Trump said at the final presidential debate here. “I didn’t even apologize to my wife, who is sitting right here, because I didn’t do anything … I think [the women] want either fame or her campaign did it. And I think it’s her campaign.”
Sensing an opening, Mrs. Clinton pounced on her opponent and made a direct appeal to female voters across the country, reciting Mr. Trump’s recent statements that seem to indicate he doesn’t believe his accusers are attractive.
“Well, [Mr. Trump] held a number of big rallies where he said he could have not possibly done those things to those women because they were not attractive enough,” she said. “Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. He goes after their dignity, their self worth, and I don’t think there is a woman anywhere who doesn’t know what that feels like … I think it’s really up to all of us to demonstrate who we are and who are country is, and to stand up and be very clear about what we expect from our next president.”
Mr. Trump quickly pivoted away from the sexual assault allegations to recent revelations that Democratic operatives hired people to disrupt his campaign rallies.
“They’re on tape saying, ’Be violent, cause fights, do bad things,’” he said.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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