GOP senator: ‘Trump’s problems were vetted during the campaign’

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said on Thursday that President Trump’s “problems” regarding sexual misconduct accusations were an open matter during the 2016 presidential election, which he won regardless.

“Trump’s problems were vetted during the campaign,” Johson told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “New Day.” 

“All these allegations were certainly understood during the campaign and the American people elected President Trump,” he continued. 

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Trump has been accused of sexual harassment or inappropriate groping or kissing by at least 16 women. 

In a 2005 “Access Hollywood” tape made public by The Washington Post just weeks before Election Day, Trump can be heard bragging about kissing and groping women without their consent.

“When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything,” Trump says on the recording.

Johnson went on to say that only allegations of misconduct against Trump that took place during his presidency should be investigated. 

“If it’s something during his presidency, absolutely we have to provide oversight. Prior to that, the voters spoke.”

Johnson’s comments come as congressional Democrats have called for investigations into the accusations against Trump, with some going so far as to call for him to step down. 

“President Trump should resign. These allegations are credible, they are numerous,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) told CNN on Monday. 

Three of the women who accused Trump of sexual harassment called on Congress in a Monday news conference to investigate their stories. 

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) tweeted after the news conference, saying that if Trump will not resign, Congress should investigate the allegations.  

These women are right. If @realDonaldTrump won’t resign, Congress must investigate allegations by many, many women that he sexually assaulted and harassed them. No one is above the law. https://t.co/ySP9DVUgLP

— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) December 11, 2017

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) introduced a resolution on Tuesday that called on Congress to probe the sexual misconduct accusations against the president. 

The president has denied the allegations and the White House has maintained that its official position on the matter is that the accusers are lying. 

The renewed attention on the accusations against the president come as women across the country have come forward to accuse powerful men in various industries of sexual misdeeds. 

Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) and Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) announced last week they would be resigning amid accusations of sexual misconduct.