Liberal comedian Chelsea Handler wrote Wednesday that she believes Juanita Broaddrick, the woman who has long stated that Bill Clinton raped her in 1978.
Handler, a committed activist who is ending her Netflix show to pursue progressive causes, had written Sunday about the swirl of sexual misconduct allegations against Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore.
"Imagine being molested by an older man," she wrote. "Then that man denies ever doing it and then goes on and gets elected to United States senate. What kind of message does that send to young girls everywhere? And men to all the men who abuse women?"
Imagine being molested by an older man. Then that man denies ever doing it and then goes on and gets elected to United States senate. What kind of message does that send to young girls everywhere? And men to all the men who abuse women?
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) November 12, 2017
Broaddrick responded with her own tweet, writing, "Yeah, @chelseahandler I can imagine. I was raped by the Arkansas AG who then becomes Governor & President and NBC held my interview explaining the rape until after his impeachment hearing. But I'm sure you don't want to go there," she wrote.
Yeah, @chelseahandler I can imagine. I was raped by the Arkansas AG who then becomes Governor & President and NBC held my interview explaining the rape until after his impeachment hearing. But I'm sure you don't want to go there. https://t.co/s9W8NZsaZ3
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) November 13, 2017
Handler waited until Wednesday night to respond, but she told Broaddrick she was right and apologized.
"You are right and I apologize to you for not knowing your story," Handler said. "Democrats along with Republicans and the rest of the worlds’s political parties all need to do better and respect the firsthand accounts of victims. I believe you."
I’m sorry I’m just seeing this, @atensnut. You are right and I apologize to you for not knowing your story. Democrats along with Republicans and the rest of the worlds’s political parties all need to do better and respect the firsthand accounts of victims. I believe you. https://t.co/VDIFmCvg7g
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) November 16, 2017
Handler did respond to a tweet criticizing Clinton's past misconduct last year, however. A month before the 2016 election, she had criticized Donald Trump over the "Access Hollywood" tape of him making crude sexual comments about women, and she was criticized for not going after Hillary Clinton's husband.
"Bill Clinton isn't running for office. Hillary is," she wrote.
bill Clinton isn't running for office. Hillary is.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) October 8, 2016
Broaddrick's account has long been doubted in the press, but with the recent sexual harassment claims made against a wide variety of public figures, her accusation has gained new credence among the left.
Reporters from MSNBC and ABC have previously called her charge "discredited," and doubt had also been cast against Kathleen Willey and Paula Jones for their claims of harassment at Clinton's hand. Now figures at outlets like MSNBC, Vox, The Atlantic, Politico, and the New York Times have written critically this month about Clinton's past behavior and liberal excusing of it.
UPDATED 8:18 A.M.: This article was updated with Handler's tweet from last year about Clinton.