Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush apologized through a spokesman on Wednesday for what an actress described as a sexual assault but which Bush said was intended as a friendly pat and a joke to put her at ease during a picture-taking session.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush apologized through a spokesman on Wednesday for what an actress described as a sexual assault but which Bush said was intended as a friendly pat and a joke to put her at ease during a picture-taking session.
Heather Lind, who starred in the AMC cable television network&rsquo-s historical drama &ldquo-Turn: Washington&rsquo-s Spies,&rdquo- accused Bush of groping her as they posed for photos together with his wife and others during a promotional event for the show in 2014.
The allegation surfaced in an Instagram post from Lind featuring a photograph of Bush, 93, shaking hands with former President Barack Obama during an appearance of all five living former presidents at Saturday&rsquo-s hurricane fund-raising benefit.
In the post, Lind, 34, said that seeing that photo reminded her of her own meeting with the 41st president three years earlier, when, according to her, &ldquo-he sexually assaulted me while I was posing for a similar photo.&rdquo-
&ldquo-He didn&rsquo-t shake my hand. He touched me from behind from his wheelchair with his wife Barbara Bush by his side,&rdquo- Lind wrote. &ldquo-He told me a dirty joke. And then, all the while being photographed, touched me again.&rdquo-
Lind said the former first lady &ldquo-rolled her eyes as if to say, &lsquo-not again.’&rdquo-
The Instagram post, since deleted, carried the &ldquo-MeToo&rdquo- social media hashtag spawned by the recent outpouring of sexual assault and sexual harassment accusations leveled against former Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein has denied engaging in non-consensual sex with anyone.
Bush&rsquo-s spokesman Jim McGrath, issued a statement in response to Lind&rsquo-s post that sought to explain the former president&rsquo-s behavior as an attempt to make light of social awkwardness posed by his own physical disability during photo sessions.
Confined to a wheelchair, as Bush has been for about the past five years, &ldquo-his arm falls on the lower waist of people with whom he take pictures,&rdquo- McGrath said.
&ldquo-To try to put people at ease, the president routinely tells the same joke – and on occasion, he has patted women&rsquo-s rears in what he intended to be a good-natured manner. Some have seen it as innocent- others clearly view it as inappropriate,&rdquo- McGrath wrote. &ldquo-To anyone he has offended, President Bush apologizes most sincerely.&rdquo-
Representatives for the actress were not immediately available for comment on the president&rsquo-s response to her allegations, and it was not clear what prompted her to take down the Instagram post in question.