Governor Scott Walker says he’s not going to comment on recent sexual assault allegations that have targeted elected officials, even though he has previously called on Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore to drop out of the race.
Walker previously joined many Republicans who said Moore should drop out, following accusations that he had sexually assaulted teen girls in the 1970s. However, when asked by reporters about assault claims against Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic Minnesota U.S. Senator Al Franken, the governor declined to weigh in – saying he hasn’t seen all the facts.
On Franken specifically, who has been accused of forcibly kissing a woman during a USO tour before he was elected and has resisted calls to resign, Walker said “I think that’s something that should be left up to people who have specific facts – not just a flash of what you read online or in the news somewhere – and I think it should be taken very seriously.
Walker said he’s concerned people may be losing sight of the problems facing victims of sexual assault by those trying to play a game of “political gotcha.”
The governor also declined to comment on the stance of legislative leaders in the state Assembly and Senate, who this week said they would not be releasing any information about sexual assault complaints involving lawmakers or staff. Walker said it’s a decision made by a separate branch of government, adding that it’s one his administration has taken seriously since taking office in 2011.