Posted on 06/24/2010 10:51:08 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Yes, I know that few political figures on the Left are more disliked than Al Gore, for a number of reasons, not least of which is the ingracious and destructive campaign Gore launched in Florida that has colored American politics ever since. He also routinely blasted the Bush administration on the war while demanding action on climate change, and at the same time fattened his own pocketbook and lived a carbon-emission-rich lifestyle. He’s not a terribly likable figure, but at the same time, this seems very suspicious to me:
Former Vice President Al Gore was accused of “unwanted sexual contact” by a massage therapist in 2006, law enforcement officials said Wednesday, noting that no charges were filed.
In a written statement, the Portland police said “the case was not investigated any further because detectives concluded there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations.”
The statement followed a report in the National Enquirer, which broke the story, and then in the Portland Oregonian, which had earlier decided not to publish it because it could not document it.
Essentially, the story is that Gore wanted a “happy ending” with his massage in 2006, and his legitimate masseuse refused to give it. She alleges that Gore grabbed her hand and attempted to get his game on, and that he became verbally abusive when she refused. There were no witnesses to this incident, which at best makes for a “he said, she said” case, even at that time.
This story began floating to the surface earlier this week, and I’ve been getting e-mail about it since yesterday. The story looks very suspicious, for a couple of reasons. According to the police, the woman reported the incident at the time but refused to press charges, apparently unwilling to be named in the press and get attacked for her accusation. Now, several years later, she returned because she wanted to take the case to the media. That hardly instills confidence in the credibility of the accuser.
Perhaps the story is true, and Gore did assault the masseuse. However, I’d put a lot more stock in the accusation had she gone to a legitimate news organization rather than the National Enquirer (like the Oregonian, which asked her to come forward earlier), revealed her name, and publicly stood by the accusation, instead of hiding for four years only to sell the story to a tabloid. As much as I dislike Al Gore politically, this looks like a smear job.
That (post 18) was from the official police report.
Somebody ought to let Ed know that the story has been picked up by the Wapo, Drudge, and other “credible” outlets, and confirmed apparently by the local DA’s office. All of them echo the details in the Enquirer article. It is more than sad that the National Enquirer has, by the default of the traditional press, become something like the newspaper of record, but it is what it is.
“smear job”....an unfortunate “choice” of words there!
This woman is telling the truth.
Right. Only if an Evergreen tree comes forward will I believe it.
Rape has no place in a romance novel. At least not a normal one.
Really? Lacks credibility? Like the Edwards one did, right? Right?
The police didn't even bother checking out the "stains" which may have contained the creep's DNA!
_________________________________
"Police specifically responded to claims by the woman -- who said she remained clothed through the alleged encounter -- that she had noticed her black slacks had "stains" on them.
Police said they did not collect her attire because they believed it would not provide evidence.
“At this point, the Police Bureau does not consider this an ongoing investigation unless new evidence is received in this case,” Wednesday's police statement said."
Sorry, you lack the ability to reason.
There are multiple, corroborating sources—including a POLICE REPORT.
Idiot.
Tipper apparently believes it.
The details about the chocolates, etc. don't sound contrived. They are too silly to be fake.
My thought is...if Gore acted so arrogantly it wasn't just an isolated event. There are other women out there.
Money quote.
I heard this lady is in her fifties. Is there any photographic evidence available?
Read any textbook specifically about counseling trauma victims, or look in on any rape and sexual assault support group.
This is the textbook perfect response, whether the author finds it credible or not.
Which does not make the accusation true, it just means the author didn't do his homework.
How sad for his (4?) kids to read this stuff about their father....true or not.
“I’d put a lot more stock in the accusation had she gone to a legitimate news organization rather than the National Enquirer”
I’m not a fan of the National Enquirer, but in all fairness it has actually broken several legitimate stories that the so-called respectable news organizations (i.e. New York Times) didn’t want to touch. The John Edwards/Rielle Hunter story is an example of this. I read the police report (available on Smoking Gun), and the accusation against Al Gore seems credible, but I don’t see how a case against Al Gore could ever be proven in court when there is no physcial evidence, and the only evidence is the testimony of the alleged victim. However, if the accusation is true, and if there are other victims of this type of behavior from Al Gore, it is now more likely that these victims will come forward because of this story.
Scientific concensus confirms “scrotal warming.”
Al Gore has a penis?
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