Two Say Trump Touched Them Inappropriately

WASHINGTON (AP) - The New York Times on Wednesday evening published interviews with two women who say they were touched inappropriately by Donald Trump without their permission.

The Times says Jessica Leeds of New York told the newspaper she encountered Trump on an airline flight three decades ago. Leeds says Trump grabbed her breasts and tried to put his hand up her skirt.

Rachel Crooks of Ohio told the newspaper she met Trump at Trump Tower in 2005. Crooks says Trump kissed her "directly on the mouth" against her will.

The Times reports both women told others about what happened with Trump.

Trump denies the accusations. He tells the Times, "None of this ever took place."

In a lengthy statement released at 7:30 p.m., the Trump campaign said: "This entire article is fiction, and for the New York Times to launch a completely false, coordinated character assassination against Mr. Trump on a topic like this is dangerous. To reach back decades in an attempt to smear Mr. Trump trivializes sexual assault, and it sets a new low for where the media is willing to go in its efforts to determine this election.

"It is absurd to think that one of the most recognizable business leaders on the planet with a strong record of empowering women in his companies would do the things alleged in this story, and for this to only become public decades later in the final month of a campaign for president should say it all," the statement said.

"Further, the Times story buries the pro-Clinton financial and social media activity on behalf of Hillary Clinton's candidacy, reinforcing that this truly is nothing more than a political attack. This is a sad day for the Times," the statement concluded.

Trump's presidential campaign has been reeling since the release Friday of a 2005 videotape in which he is heard talking about grabbing women's genitals.

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