As the former president runs for reelection, George Conway, the ex-husband of former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway, is aggressively drawing attention to claims of sexual assault against Donald Trump. Conway’s political action committee (PAC) released advertisements on Wednesday, September 25, that featured two women who had come forward and accused Trump of sexual assault. These advertisements, which highlight the individual tales of Trump’s accusers, are directed toward major regional media outlets as well as local ones.
Ads Highlight Accusations by Natasha Stoynoff and Jessica Leeds
The first advertisement centers on Natasha Stoynoff, a former magazine writer who claims Trump attacked her in December 2005. In an interview at Mar-a-Lago with Trump and his spouse Melania, Stoynoff asserts that the event happened while Melania was out of the room. Trump once said, ‘I want to show you this magnificent artwork, this beautiful space.’ Melania had gone upstairs to change for the next photo shoot. In the advertisement, Stoynoff remembers, “He leads me to this room, pushes me against the wall, and starts kissing me forcefully.” “I attempted to shove him. He continued to target me.”
Stoynoff goes on to detail her emotional reaction, stating, “He had his hands here against my shoulders, and I felt smothered and in shock.” I was internally sick. Thank god the butler bursts into the room because I was horrified.” She also revealed Trump’s reaction to the event: “So Melania was approaching, and Trump turned to me and said, ‘You know we are going to have an affair, do not you?'” I was appalled.
In the second advertisement, Jessica Leeds is shown accusing Trump of making advances at her during a 1979 first-class flight in a 2016 New York Times article. Leeds, who was 38 at the time, told of how Trump reportedly reached for her breasts and tried to reach up her skirt. Leeds describes the incident in the advertisement, saying, “Just as the jet was taking off, Donald Trump started making out with me. He was practically overwhelming me as he tried to kiss me, but I was attempting to push him away.” She says, “When he started putting his hand up my skirt I got out of the seat, grabbed my purse, and went back to my original seat and I certainly was shook up by the whole thing.”
National Broadcast of Ads During Key Events
The advertisements are arranged in a way that targets Trump’s favorite media outlets in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Bedminster, New Jersey: Fox News, ESPN, and The Golf Channel. Nationwide, the advertisements are running in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state, on networks like CNN, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Hallmark, Lifetime, and several streaming services. Additionally, they will air on NewsNation on Tuesday, October 1, during the vice presidential debate.
Over the years, at least 26 women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct; however, he has consistently denied any wrongdoing. The majority of these accusations came to light after the statute of limitations had passed, and Trump has not been charged with a crime. However, in 2023, a civil trial judged him accountable for sexually abusing former Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s. Carroll called the decision a “momentous achievement” and pointed out that it represented global vindication for women. She admitted that Trump’s popularity is still high in the public eye despite the decision.
Natasha Stoynoff and Jessica Leeds, the women portrayed in Conway’s advertisements, testified during Carroll’s trial regarding sexual abuse.
Image by Wikimedia Commons
