President Trump's charge that Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand would "do anything" for campaign contributions prompted a fierce backlash Tuesday, as critics said the president made an outlandish and sexually suggestive accusation against the Senate's foremost fighter against sexual harassment.
The dust-up between the president and a possible Democratic challenger for his job started shortly after dawn, as Trump took to Twitter to attack both Gillibrand and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, like Gillibrand a New York Democrat.
"Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office 'begging' for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump," the president's tweet said.
Trump's attack came a day after Gillibrand called for his resignation in light of the fact that during his campaign last year, more than a dozen women accused him of inappropriate sexual behavior in years past. Trump's tweet prompted a heated response not only from Gillibrand, but also from a number of other top Democrats who read it as implying that Gillibrand would do sexual favors in return for campaign cash.
"It was a sexist smear attempting to silence my voice. And I will not be silenced on this issue," Gillibrand told reporters at a press conference on an unrelated topic.
Gillibrand also responded to the president on Twitter, saying: "You cannot silence me or the millions of women who have gotten off the sidelines to speak out about the unfitness and shame you have brought to the Oval Office."
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