Possible 2016 contender Sen. Rand Paul isn’t letting up in his recent characterization of Bill Clinton as a “sexual predator” who should be disowned by his party.
In an interview on C-SPAN’s Newsmakers, set to air Sunday, the Kentucky Republican lobbed another shot across the bow against Clinton, whose wife Hillary is considered to be the most likely Democratic presidential nominee in 2016. Paul, who is considering his own bid for the GOP nod, said that all Democrats who have raised campaign funds with the former president should return the money because of his past relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky.
“I really think that anybody who wants to take money from Bill Clinton or have a fundraiser has a lot of explaining to do. In fact, I think they should give the money back,” Paul said. “If they want to take position on women’s rights, by all means do. But you can’t do it and take it from a guy who was using his position of authority to take advantage of young women in the workplace.”
Paul also characterized Clinton as "an abusive boss" who engaged in the same kind of "sexual harassment" Democrats decry.
The potential GOP presidential hopeful called Clinton a “sexual predator” during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, accusing him of “taki[ing] advantage of a young girl in his office.”
Lewinsky, then an unpaid intern, was 22 when her relationship with Clinton began.
Clinton was impeached for the behavior in 1998 but eventually acquitted of charges of wrongdoing.
Paul has argued repeatedly that Democrats are turning a blind eye to Clinton’s behavior even while accusing Republicans of waging “a war on women.”
Democratic National Committee deputy communications director Lily Adams responded:
If his claims of concern for women are sincere he should start by rethinking his opposition to the Violence Against Women’s Act, paycheck fairness and the right of women to make their own health care decisions.