SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 28, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Famed attorney Gloria Allred has agreed to represent former Miss Utah Temple Taggart in the case that Donald Trump follows through with his threat to sue all the women who have accused him of non-consensual and inappropriate sexual behavior.
“I am here with Temple Taggart today in Utah to support her, because Mr. Trump has called her a liar and threatened to sue her,” Allred said at a Friday afternoon news conference she and Taggart called at Little America, in Salt Lake City.
“Women who come forward about what they allege is Mr. Trump’s inappropriate sexual behavior should not be intimidated into silence by threats of lawsuits … Temple was very brave when she spoke out about Mr. Trump. She has conducted herself with dignity.”
“This issue is not about sex,” Allred said. “It is about the attitude and behavior of a man who seeks the highest office in our country, and who has already been caught on tape suggesting that he is entitled to grope and sexually assault women whenever he wishes to.”
Taggart was a contestant in the 1997 Miss USA contest, then owned by Trump. Taggart told reporters on Friday that Trump greeted her at a pageant rehearsal with a handshake and a kiss on the lips.
“I was so young and naive, 21, but 21 going on 16,” said Taggart, now the mother of three. “I thought maybe that’s how east coasters greet each other.”
Taggart said Trump offered to help her launch her modeling career. Taggart and her father met Trump at his New York office, and Trump again kissed her on the lips, making her uncomfortable, she said.
Trump helped Taggart plan a few weeks worth of modeling interviews, she said, but she ended up leaving New York early.
“I was very young,” she told reporters. “I didn’t want to feel like that was something I had to give him (Trump) in exchange for what he was giving me.”
Taggart said that before the primaries, she posted her Trump experience to Facebook to warn her friends of Trump’s character should he become the nominee. Soon after, the New York Times contacted her for an interview about Trump and his behavior with women.
Taggart knew she was one of dozens of women interviewed by the Times, but was surprised she was one of several women featured. in the May 15 article, titled “Crossing the Line: How Donald Trump Behaved with Women in Private.”
Taggart fielded an onslaught of press calls, and even found a reporter on her doorstep before the frenzy eased off.
Then came the Oct. 7 leak of a 2005 “Access Hollywood” video in which Trump was heard making lewd comments about women.
“I’m automatically attracted to beautiful women — I just start kissing them, it’s like a magnet,” Trump told reporter Billy Bush. “Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the p***y.”
Taggart said she understood then why Trump kissed her.
“This went along with what what he said on the tape,” she told reporters.
Taggart said she wasn’t surprised Trump would threaten to sue the increasing number of women coming forward to share their stories of his misconduct, “… because in his debates, he attacks everyone that comes after him.”
With the addition of Taggart, Allred has now offered to represent four of the women who have shared stories of unwanted advances made by Trump.
“Groping women is completely unacceptable,” Allred said. “Threatening women who come forward to speak up is also unacceptable. Many attorneys will come to their aid, and I will be one of them.”
Allred is known worldwide for taking on high-profile civil rights cases, many of which focus on women’s rights. Allred first came to fame representing the family of Nicole Brown Simpson at the murder trial of O.J. Simpson.
Allred said she can’t even guess if Trump will follow through with threats to sue his accusers.
“We don’t know which Donald Trump will show up, the one who says he will file a lawsuit or the one that won’t,” she said. “I’m not sure Mr Trump can even predict his own behavior, with certainty.”
If Trump wins the election, Allred said she can’t imagine how he would find the time to run the country and give the number of depositions needed by so many defendants.
If Trump does sue, Allred said she will advise all clients to file counter suits for defamation, she said, because “… he called them all liars.”
Answering a reporter’s question, Allred said she is not taking on the potential cases because she favors Clinton in the election, which she freely admits she does. It’s about women’s rights to make their own choices and not be subject to the whims of aggressive men, she said.
Taggart is a longtime Republican, she said.
“I wish we had better candidates to choose from,” Taggart said, adding that she is thinking of voting for Utah Independent candidate Evan McMullin.
Taggart said that whatever happens, she is moving forward with confidence.
“I want to be strong and dignified in how I react. I want to face him (Trump) head on. I know I am telling the truth.”
Hope new President TRUMP DRAINS YOUR SWAMP. You and Hillary should be ashamed of yourselfs with all the lies and set ups. the world didn’t fall for it . what a shitty lawyer you are.