Lena Dunham says she warned Hillary Clinton's campaign about Weinstein
“I just want you to let you know that Harvey’s a rapist and this is going to come out at some point."
That's what Lena Dunham says she told the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign about Harvey Weinstein, reports the latest New York Timespiece on the disgraced producer, who is facing sexual assault and harassment accusations from over 100 women.
SEE ALSO:Women in Film launches help line for victims of sexual harassmentThe piece, titled "Weinstein’s Complicity Machine," unpacks his "enablers, silencers and spies," recruited to warn potential accusers against speaking out, and his courtship of those in power (especially in politics) to increase his influence.
Then Secretary of State Clinton and Weinstein attend the TIME 100 Gala, TIME'S 100 Most Influential People In The World, cocktail party at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City.Credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images for TIMEAccording to the Times, during the 2016 presidential race, Girls writer and actor Dunham was one of two women — magazine editor Tina Brown was the other — who reportedly warned Clinton aides about Weinstein's behaviour, but no action was taken.
Dunham was apparently "troubled" by Weinstein's presence at Clinton presidential campaign events.
She had heard stories, both directly and secondhand from other actresses, about disturbing encounters with him, she said. So in March last year, Ms. Dunham, a vocal Clinton supporter, said she warned the campaign.
In the Timesinterview, Dunham says she approached Clinton's team point blank — not Clinton herself, though — with a strong warning to an apparently "surprised" Kristina Schake, deputy communications director for the Clinton campaign.
“I just want you to let you know that Harvey’s a rapist and this is going to come out at some point,” Ms. Dunham said she told Kristina Schake, the campaign’s deputy communications director. She recalled adding, “I think it’s a really bad idea for him to host fund-raisers and be involved because it’s an open secret in Hollywood that he has a problem with sexual assault.”
Dunham also says she warned Adrienne Elrod, a spokeswoman for Clinton who associated with celebrities during the campaign. Both Schake and Elrod "denied that Ms. Dunham had mentioned rape" at all, while Dunham told the Timesshe believes Clinton never received any of her warnings from the campaign team.
Dunham, of course, has recently faced some complicated backlash after defending a Girlswriter accused of sexual assault.
But she wouldn't be the only one who warned people about Weinstein.
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