Posted on 06/30/2010 5:11:23 PM PDT by Arec Barrwin
Portland police will investigate accusations that Al Gore groped woman
Published: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 4:55 PM Updated: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 5:03 PM
The Oregonian
A Portland massage therapist accused former Vice President Al Gore of "unwanted sexual contact" at a hotel during an October 2006 visit, but no charges were filed due to lack of evidence, law officials said last week. Today, Portland police officials say they will reopen the investigation.
Portland police announced today that it will re-open and investigate a Portland massage therapist’s allegations that former Vice President Al Gore sexually assaulted her at a downtown hotel in October 2006.
The announcement comes as the therapist went public for the first time, telling the National Enquirer that she demanded a full police investigation of her complaint.
Molly Hagerty is photographed in the latest edition of the National Enquirer, holding the black pants she wore that night. She’s quoted saying she paid for a DNA analysis of a stain on the pants. The paper also mentioned videotape footage from the Hotel Lucia, where the encounter occurred, and named a computer consultant who told the tabloid that Hagerty called her at about 4 a.m. Oct. 24, 2006, and told her immediately about details of the attack.
Portland police said last week they considered the case closed unless new evidence surfaced. Police did not explain their decision today.
"Consistent with our policy regarding open investigations, the Police Bureau will not be commenting on any additional specifics regarding this case at this time,'' Portland Det. Mary Wheat, bureau spokeswoman, said in a news release.
A Gore family spokeswoman released a statement disputing Hagerty’s account.
"The Gores cannot comment on every defamatory, misleading, and inaccurate story generated by tabloids," said the response issued by spokeswoman Kalee Kreider. "Mr. Gore unequivocally and emphatically denied this accusation when he first learned of its existence three years ago. He stands by that denial."
More on Gore
» More stories about the accusations against Al Gore
» Read the Portland police reports
» Hear the police interview with the massage therapist Hagerty first filed a complaint through her attorney two months after the 2006 encounter, but then refused to meet with detectives on three occasions. Then in January 2009, she presented a detailed statement to Portland sexual assault investigators.
She told investigators that Gore groped her, kissed her and made unwanted sexual advances during a late-night massage session in a suite at the upscale Hotel Lucia. She said she told two friends and kept the clothes she wore that night, including her black pants with stains on them. But Portland police didn’t contact any of the woman’s friends, obtain the potential evidence or interview anyone at the hotel, records show.
"The case was not investigated any further because detectives concluded there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations," the Portland Police Bureau said in a prepared statement last week.
The Oregonian generally does not name people who report sexual assaults, but is naming Hagerty because she has made her allegations public.
Today, the district attorney’s office said it had no further comment, but stands by its statement issued last week. In that, Multnomah County District Attorney Michael Schrunk said: "If the complainant and the Portland Police Bureau wish to pursue the possibility of a criminal prosecution, additional investigation by the Bureau will be necessary and will be discussed with the Portland Police Bureau."
-- Maxine Bernstein
© 2010 OregonLive.com. All rights reserved.
When you’re staying in a hotel out of town, and you phone for a woman to come up at 11:30 at night, and say you “want a massage” -
who do you expect to show up, a masseuse?
Al apparently didn’t.
He wanted a rub and tug but he went for the hotel massage lady instead of using the yellow pages which, it seems, he should have done.
She is saying that it is Gore juice sorta like Clinton and Monica.
Ooooo, I was gonna say chlorophyll, but yours is better! Tree Sap is sticky stuff.....perfect! Let's hope the infamous "Tree-HugGORE" gets his due...at long last.
Beautious Maximus! LOL
Let’s retire “Slick Willy” and impose “Slimy Willy.” Suits the POS better, don’t you think?
“But it won’t establish whether or not this pathetic frottage was consensual, which is the essence of whether or not a crime occurred. “
Even if consensual, then he hired a prostitute. Which is illegal.
The facts that she is a licensed massage therapist; with a history of working as a legitimate massage therapist; has no record of prostitution; worked through a luxury hotel (not a pimp palace); is actually a political liberal; was 50 plus years old and not dressed like a ho; brought her (expensive) massage table; told a friend (who corroborates) immediately afterwards; saved the pants (not the PANTIES!) and tried to get police action on it twice is ALL very convincing in my opinion.
The massage table is what pushed it over to credibility for me. There is video. Do prostitutes often lug their massage tables to their assignations?
“I was wondering, don’t most hotels have a special room for such massages where guests go for such things? I mean a room equipped with a massage table and all. “
The licensed massage therapist, which is a real career, bring her own table. This one brought her own table. Not the action of a typical prostitute.
I believe that actor in the photo is a young William Shatner, aka Captain Kirk, not James Broderick.
“A defense attorney will make her look like a predatory prostitute, who saw an opportunity to take down the Great Man.”
No history of prostitution.
A documented history of legitimate massage therapy.
Licensed and on the hotel’s referral list for licensed massage therapy.
Brings her equipment.
50 plus years old, dressed normally.
Immediately reports the incident.
DNA on the pants (do johns usually mess up your pants?)
Known as politically liberal; not an activist out to entrap somebody.
If I were on the jury, I’d believe her.
“The fact she received $500 from him is evidence of guilt on the part of Algore.”
Agreed.
If I were on the jury, I’d believe her.
********************
You are a poster on Free Republic.
Al’s jurors (if it reaches that point, which I doubt) will be greens from Portland, Oregon.
I happen to agree with you on her credibility. I still think she will be tanked.
How dare you show that woman respect?! I expect you to refer to her as "Molly" from now on! </sarc>
Even without this incident, I’ve always viewed Al Core as one creepy looking, talking, and acting dude! What woman in her right mind would even want to be alone in the same room as Al?
I think the investigation is being reopened because of evidence. I don’t believe that her story alone, which seemed a little sketchy to me, would cause the investigation to be reopened.
I also think it’s speculation for anyone to say how this will turn out. Anything could happen.
Thanks for the analysis on this thread, although the potential case of state v Al Gore doesn’t interest me in the least. But I am interested in how the warming alarmists will spin this. She was probably on the payroll of some oil company or something
Yes, of course it is William Shatner in that classic episode. Perhaps James Broderick played the role in some later remake of it?
The only Twilight Zone episode I think Broderick (no relation to Bill Clinton's "Juanita") appeared in was "On Thursday We Leave for Home"
Yahoo search results for "twilight zone" Broderick
Monica and Bill were two consenting adults having fun in the Oval Office. If Gore’s case really happened, it’s sexual assault to a non-consenting woman. The impact would be different, IMO.
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