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Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Sunday accused former President Clinton of “predatory” sexual behavior, saying he used the Oval Office to take advantage of Monica Lewinsky.
{mosads}“I think, really, the media seems to have given President Clinton a pass on this,” Paul said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “He took advantage of a girl that was 20 years old and an intern in his office. There is no excuse for that and that is predatory behavior and … we shouldn’t want to associate with people who would take advantage of a young girl in his office.”
In an interview with Vogue magazine, Paul’s wife, Kelley, said Hillary Clinton’s potential presidential run could be derailed by her husband’s “predatory” behavior while in office.
“I would say his behavior was predatory, offensive to women,” she said.
Paul on Sunday said he agreed with his wife.
“The Democrats, one of the big issues they’ve concocted is saying Republicans are committing a war on women,” he said. “One of the workplace laws and rules that, I think, is good is that bosses shouldn’t prey on young interns in their office.”
“This isn’t having an affair. I mean, this isn’t me saying, ‘He’s having an affair, and we shouldn’t talk to him,’ ” he continued. “Someone who takes advantage of a young girl in their office? I mean, really, and then they have the gall to stand up and say, ‘Republicans are having a war on women?’ ”
However, Paul said former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shouldn’t be judged by her husband’s actions, and it likely wouldn’t be an issue if she decides to run for president in 2016.
“But, I think, it is a factor in judging Bill Clinton in history,” he said.
“With regard to his place in history, it certainly is a discussion, and I think in my state people tend to frown on that. If there was someone in my community who did that, … we would disassociate with someone who took advantage of a woman in the workplace.”
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Hillary Clinton has established her own identity, separate from her husband, and voters will be able to distinguish between the two.
“Hillary Clinton has established her own reputation, her own name, and her own basis for running for president should she choose to do it,” he said on “Meet the Press.” “And the issues that … Sen. Paul raised have been litigated in the public square for over a decade. For goodness sakes, let’s judge Hillary Clinton based on her talents and her vision for America should she run for president.”
“There are people who believe that though he may have done the wrong thing, he paid a heavy price for it in terms of the impeachment trial and beyond,” Durbin continued. “And if the Republicans like my friend … want to dwell on these problems from the past, I don’t think it’s going to resonate.”
— This report was updated at 11:52 a.m.