GOP Rep. Jason Chaffetz: ‘In the context of Hillary Clinton,’ Trump’s sexual assault isn’t so bad
GOP Congressman Jason Chaffetz defended his decision to vote for Donald Trump, despite previously insisting he would not put his “good name and reputation” behind the Republican nominee.
“I’m out,” Chaffetz said in October after a tape surfaced featuring Trump boasting about sexual assault. “I can no longer in good conscience endorse this person for president. It is some of the most abhorrent and offensive comments that you can possibly imagine.”
“My wife, Julie and I, we have a 15-year-old daughter,” he continued. “Do you think I can look her in the eye and tell her that I endorsed Donald Trump for president when he acts like this and his apology? … So I’m not going to put my good name and reputation and my family behind Donald Trump when he acts like this, I just can’t do it.”
Pressing Chaffetz on his reversal, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked the Utah representative if he understands “why some people are now calling [him] a hypocrite?”
Chaffetz told Blitzer everybody “is struggling with their own decision,” adding he does not endorse and cannot defend Trump’s actions.
“Last week, my wife and I both voted for Donald Trump to be the next president of the United States,” he said. “I think Hillary Clinton is that bad. She is so bad and so wrong for the United States of America.”
“Its a tough decision,” Chaffetz added, noting he likes “the idea of Donald Trump” but finds his words “unacceptable.”
Blitzed remained unconvinced. “After that initial Access Hollywood video came out, more than a dozen women have publicly come out and accused Donald Trump of doing exactly the kind of behavior that he described in the video tape,” Blitzer said. “What has changed between then and now when you said you couldn’t look your wife and your daughter in the eye and support Donald Trump?
Chaffetz responded by casting doubt on the validity of Trump’s accusers before insisting “you have to put it in the context of Hillary Clinton.”
“It’s the true definition of a dilemma,” he added.
Watch the video below, via CNN.