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Lis Bloom Claims that the Media are Ignoring Rape Charges Against Trump
This interview with Attorney Lisa Bloom was conducted in August. Regardless of how one might feel about Herman Cain, who was a presidential candidate, or Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, both reputations were soiled after one or two women accused them of making remarks of an inappropriate sexual nature. In Thomas’s case, patriarchs, who might have a bad reputation with women themselves, have profited from television series, books about the Thomas case, which has become iconic among corporate feminists. According to Atty. Bloom, Donald Trump, who has a chance of becoming president, has gone beyond the alleged inappropriate behavior of Thomas. Not only that, Trump has surrounded himself with racists, anti-Semites and misogynists.
One of his advisors, Roger Ailes, was fired from Fox News for his lewd comments and actions toward women, yet when interviewed by Amy Goodman, some key media male personalities either supported Ailes or gave equivocating responses. One of them, Willie Geist, is doing a feature on Tiger Woods’ consensual relationships with women, but probably won’t do one about Ailes, or about Trump’s behavior toward women.
Ms. Bloom also makes another point, a point that I have tried to make since the late eighties. Yes, Black men can behave callously toward women, the subject of a multi-million-dollar industry that has made profits for patriarchs involved in film, publishing and theater, but feminists from other ethnic groups, academics and public intellectuals, who have been inspired by a Black feminists’ criticism of Black male behavior, have joined attacks on Black males, while remaining silent about misogynistic attitudes among patriarchs in their communities.
Atty. Bloom says that when she criticizes homophobic and misogynist attitudes among members of her ethnic group, she receives a backlash from both men and women. Patriarchs, who have created a “cruel” atmosphere for women at N.B.C. and A.B.C., where Black newswoman Carole Simpson* was assaulted sexually on more than one occasion, have unleashed their faux feminist personnel on Black male celebrities, who have been accused of sexual misbehavior against women, yet, when it comes to Trump, and Ailes, they clam up and go Stepford.
IR: You said that some women were sexually assaulted by Trump. Will they be coming forth?
LB: Jill Harth has had the courage to come forward publicly in the last few weeks, using her real name and face. She's faced vilification on social media, and loss of work as a result. This is why women don't come forward. Ivana Trump said in a sworn deposition years ago that Donald Trump raped her. She hasn't really recanted. (See my Huffington Post article.) The most recent accuser, "Jane Doe," has not come out publicly but has filed a federal court complaint.
IR: On July 22, 2016, Amy Goodman asked newsmen Chris Matthews, Willie Geist, Shepard Smith, Jake Tapper and John Heilemann to comment about Roger Ailes predicament as a sexual harasser (See Democracy Now, July 22, 2016). They either took the fifth or praised him. Would you classify this as good old boys sticking together?
LB: I love that Amy Goodman did this. This is why we need more assertive feminist reporters getting out there and getting in people's faces and asking important questions. Is the media an old boys' network? For sure, just like every industry. But women's numbers are increasing, and change is happening. Joy Reid at MSNBC is a powerful voice, as is Jami Floyd at WNYC, both of whom had me on to talk about Jill Harth. I will also say that it is very difficult to call out someone in your own group. My friend Irshad Manji, a powerful lesbian feminist Muslim voice, taught me this. In her case, standing up to oppression in her own religion has been very painful. In my case, calling out ultraconservative Jews violently opposing gay rights in Israel has been met with my Jewish brothers and sisters telling me to hush. It's much easier to point the finger at another group than to hold our own accountable. So asking media people to call out one of their own is asking a lot. The questions should be asked. I am very pleased she asked. But the answers don't surprise me. They'd be risking their jobs if they answered. How many of us would be willing to sacrifice our job, maybe even our career, to call out someone in our industry?
IR: You said that many women were sexually assaulted by Trump. Will they be coming forth?
LB: Jill Harth has had the courage to come forward publicly in the last few weeks, using her real name and face. She's faced vilification on social media, and loss of work as a result. This is why women don't come forward. Ivana Trump said in a sworn deposition years ago that Donald Trump raped her. She hasn't really recanted. (See my Huffington Post article.) The most recent accuser, "Jane Doe" has not come out publicly but has filed a federal court complaint.
IR: The media loop stories about the alleged unwanted aggression toward women by Black men, often by feminist broadcasters, who have been silent about the alleged unwanted aggression by their patriarchal bosses. These on air women are reluctant to accuse Roger Ailes of sexual transgression. Do you think that this is the reason that your charges against Donald Trump haven't received the attention from the American media that they deserve? I remember when Herman Cain was accused of sexual aggression, he was toast.
LB: The reasons the Donald Trump sexual assault allegations have only received minimal media coverage are: 1. Yes, bias against reporting these types of claims against rich white guys; 2. Fear that Donald Trump will deny access to those outlets that cover it, consistent with his threats; 3. Refusal to believe victims of sexual assault.
IR: What has been the response by the media to your charges about Donald Trump as a rapist?
LB: Some media outlets have covered it. Kudos to the Huffington Post,** which accepted my article after many others rejected it. It immediately went viral, #1 on the site, and got over 600,000 likes. As to my client Jill Harth's sexual harassment lawsuit against Donald Trump filed in 1997, LawNewz.com*** did an interview with us, as did The Guardian. **** WNYC, a public radio station, did a two-part series. A few small outlets interviewed me. Everyone else ignored it.
IR: Have you heard from the Trump campaign?
LB: They responded to the media that Jill had no credibility, was lying, etc. This was very upsetting to Jill. No response to the other accusers that I know about.
IR: Thank you, Lisa.
LB: Thank you.
Host of her own national live daily talk show on Court TV for eight years, Lisa Bloom is now a legal analyst for NBC News, appearing frequently on the Today Show, Nightly News, CNN, HLN and many other television and radio shows. As a legal analyst for the biggest legal website, Avvo.com, Lisa writes a popular weekly column on civil rights issues.
This interview with Attorney Lisa Bloom was conducted in August. Regardless of how one might feel about Herman Cain, who was a presidential candidate, or Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, both reputations were soiled after one or two women accused them of making remarks of an inappropriate sexual nature. In Thomas’s case, patriarchs, who might have a bad reputation with women themselves, have profited from television series, books about the Thomas case, which has become iconic among corporate feminists. According to Atty. Bloom, Donald Trump, who has a chance of becoming president, has gone beyond the alleged inappropriate behavior of Thomas. Not only that, Trump has surrounded himself with racists, anti-Semites and misogynists.
One of his advisors, Roger Ailes, was fired from Fox News for his lewd comments and actions toward women, yet when interviewed by Amy Goodman, some key media male personalities either supported Ailes or gave equivocating responses. One of them, Willie Geist, is doing a feature on Tiger Woods’ consensual relationships with women, but probably won’t do one about Ailes, or about Trump’s behavior toward women.
Ms. Bloom also makes another point, a point that I have tried to make since the late eighties. Yes, Black men can behave callously toward women, the subject of a multi-million-dollar industry that has made profits for patriarchs involved in film, publishing and theater, but feminists from other ethnic groups, academics and public intellectuals, who have been inspired by a Black feminists’ criticism of Black male behavior, have joined attacks on Black males, while remaining silent about misogynistic attitudes among patriarchs in their communities.
Atty. Bloom says that when she criticizes homophobic and misogynist attitudes among members of her ethnic group, she receives a backlash from both men and women. Patriarchs, who have created a “cruel” atmosphere for women at N.B.C. and A.B.C., where Black newswoman Carole Simpson* was assaulted sexually on more than one occasion, have unleashed their faux feminist personnel on Black male celebrities, who have been accused of sexual misbehavior against women, yet, when it comes to Trump, and Ailes, they clam up and go Stepford.
IR: You said that some women were sexually assaulted by Trump. Will they be coming forth?
LB: Jill Harth has had the courage to come forward publicly in the last few weeks, using her real name and face. She's faced vilification on social media, and loss of work as a result. This is why women don't come forward. Ivana Trump said in a sworn deposition years ago that Donald Trump raped her. She hasn't really recanted. (See my Huffington Post article.) The most recent accuser, "Jane Doe," has not come out publicly but has filed a federal court complaint.
IR: On July 22, 2016, Amy Goodman asked newsmen Chris Matthews, Willie Geist, Shepard Smith, Jake Tapper and John Heilemann to comment about Roger Ailes predicament as a sexual harasser (See Democracy Now, July 22, 2016). They either took the fifth or praised him. Would you classify this as good old boys sticking together?
LB: I love that Amy Goodman did this. This is why we need more assertive feminist reporters getting out there and getting in people's faces and asking important questions. Is the media an old boys' network? For sure, just like every industry. But women's numbers are increasing, and change is happening. Joy Reid at MSNBC is a powerful voice, as is Jami Floyd at WNYC, both of whom had me on to talk about Jill Harth. I will also say that it is very difficult to call out someone in your own group. My friend Irshad Manji, a powerful lesbian feminist Muslim voice, taught me this. In her case, standing up to oppression in her own religion has been very painful. In my case, calling out ultraconservative Jews violently opposing gay rights in Israel has been met with my Jewish brothers and sisters telling me to hush. It's much easier to point the finger at another group than to hold our own accountable. So asking media people to call out one of their own is asking a lot. The questions should be asked. I am very pleased she asked. But the answers don't surprise me. They'd be risking their jobs if they answered. How many of us would be willing to sacrifice our job, maybe even our career, to call out someone in our industry?
IR: You said that many women were sexually assaulted by Trump. Will they be coming forth?
LB: Jill Harth has had the courage to come forward publicly in the last few weeks, using her real name and face. She's faced vilification on social media, and loss of work as a result. This is why women don't come forward. Ivana Trump said in a sworn deposition years ago that Donald Trump raped her. She hasn't really recanted. (See my Huffington Post article.) The most recent accuser, "Jane Doe" has not come out publicly but has filed a federal court complaint.
IR: The media loop stories about the alleged unwanted aggression toward women by Black men, often by feminist broadcasters, who have been silent about the alleged unwanted aggression by their patriarchal bosses. These on air women are reluctant to accuse Roger Ailes of sexual transgression. Do you think that this is the reason that your charges against Donald Trump haven't received the attention from the American media that they deserve? I remember when Herman Cain was accused of sexual aggression, he was toast.
LB: The reasons the Donald Trump sexual assault allegations have only received minimal media coverage are: 1. Yes, bias against reporting these types of claims against rich white guys; 2. Fear that Donald Trump will deny access to those outlets that cover it, consistent with his threats; 3. Refusal to believe victims of sexual assault.
IR: What has been the response by the media to your charges about Donald Trump as a rapist?
LB: Some media outlets have covered it. Kudos to the Huffington Post,** which accepted my article after many others rejected it. It immediately went viral, #1 on the site, and got over 600,000 likes. As to my client Jill Harth's sexual harassment lawsuit against Donald Trump filed in 1997, LawNewz.com*** did an interview with us, as did The Guardian. **** WNYC, a public radio station, did a two-part series. A few small outlets interviewed me. Everyone else ignored it.
IR: Have you heard from the Trump campaign?
LB: They responded to the media that Jill had no credibility, was lying, etc. This was very upsetting to Jill. No response to the other accusers that I know about.
IR: Thank you, Lisa.
LB: Thank you.
Host of her own national live daily talk show on Court TV for eight years, Lisa Bloom is now a legal analyst for NBC News, appearing frequently on the Today Show, Nightly News, CNN, HLN and many other television and radio shows. As a legal analyst for the biggest legal website, Avvo.com, Lisa writes a popular weekly column on civil rights issues.
