A new poll released Wednesday shows that 70 percent of Americans would support a congressional inquiry into the serious allegations by multiple women who say President Donald Trump sexually harassed, sexually assaulted, or otherwise made unwanted sexual advances against them.
According to the Quinnipiac survey, 70 percent polled agree the "U.S. Congress should investigate accusations of sexual harassment against President Trump." Only 25 percent disagreed.
While more than a dozen women have come forward over the years saying that Trump mistreated or assaulted them in a sexual nature, Trump has so far remained immune from facing accountability or consequences for these alleged acts. Meanwhile, Trump has openly embraced and endorsed Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama despite the numerous and credible accusations that he sexually abused young teenage girls.
Amidst a wave of new revelations in which women are coming forward and speaking out about the men in the workplace or elsewhere who have sexually assualted or harassed them, the president has continued to deny the consistent accounts of his accusers. Trump's denials, however, have lacked credibility especially givent the infamous Access Hollywood tape in which he bragged openly about assaulting women.
In addition to the majority who support a probe into the allegations against him, 73 percent of those polled agreed it remains "hypocritical for President Trump to criticize men accused of sexual harassment"--as he did with Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Harvey Weinstein, a Hollywood producer and long-time Democratic donor--while continuing to deny the charges levied against him and openly backing Moore.
"The message to President Donald Trump on calling out offenders: People who live in glass houses, even if it's the White House, shouldn't point fingers," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
Though the survey found troubling statistics about the number of men and women who say they've been sexually assualted themselves in their lives (47 percent of women; 17 percent of men), Malloy said that a bright spot in the findings was the widespread agreement (52 percent) among those surveyed in the belief that exposing the issue of sexual harassment and sexual violence, and having individuals held to account for their behavior, is a positive and healthy development for contemporary society.
"There is a ray of sunshine here," he said. "Most Americans believe that shining a light on the problem, rather than sweeping it under the rug, will help make us a better people."
