Paul McLaughlin. (Twitter)
A Canadian professor and journalist says People Magazine writer Natasha Stoynoff confided in him at the time about her allegations that Donald Trump subjected her to unwanted physical contact.
Paul McLaughlin posted a string of tweets in an effort to back up Stoynoff’s story, which Trump has adamantly denied. According to The Toronto Star, McLaughlin is “a former journalism professor at Ryerson University who now teaches at York University.”
McLaughlin says that he was a mentor to Stoynoff, so she came forward at the time to seek his advice about what to do about Trump. The Huffington Post says Stoynoff was a former student of McLaughlin’s, and she decided not to report the incident after speaking with him.
Natasha Stoynoff is an author who is accusing Donald Trump of sexual assault. (Goodreads)
Stoynoff is one of a string of women who have come forward to accuse Trump of unwanted physical contact in the waning days of the campaign. She wrote about her claims in People Magazine, alleging in part of Trump: “I turned around, and within seconds, he was pushing me against the wall, and forcing his tongue down my throat.” She had gone to Trump’s Florida estate to write about Donald and Melania’s first wedding anniversary.
Trump has fired back, forcefully denying the claims of all of the women and alleging the election is being rigged.
Nothing ever happened with any of these women. Totally made up nonsense to steal the election. Nobody has more respect for women than me!
According to CBC, McLaughlin says that Stoynoff told him how Trump “had come onto her very strongly, very aggressively, and that it could have been much worse if someone who worked for him had not come into the room and interrupted them.”
“She was really rattled, as you can understand,” said McLaughlin to CBC. “She didn’t know what to do, she was very conflicted, she was angry, she was really confused about how to deal with this.”
Here’s what he tweeted:
In 2005, Natasha Stoynoff phoned me, distraught, crying. Said Trump assaulted her. She is telling truth. #natashastoynoff
I was her former jlsm prof/mentor. She didn’t know what to do and wanted advice. She was crying and angry. #natashastoynoff.
Natasha/I discussed what to do re Trump. We both thought he would try to destroy her if she charged him. #natashastoynoff
It was tough decision but in a he said/she said we believed she would lose. He seemed rather nasty at the time.
Some of McLaughlin’s previous tweets are political in nature and anti-Trump, although more of his tweets are about journalism, writing, and other issues. Examples of the political tweets:
if you can stand more proof of the madness that is Trump:
NY Daily News nails Trump’s war record.
In addition to adamantly denying the account of Stoynoff and other women, Trump has said of Stoynoff, “Look at her, look at her words. You tell me what you think. I don’t think so. I don’t think so,” according to CBC.
Melania Trump has posted a letter from her lawyer on Twitter, threatening People Magazine with litigation if it does not remove Natasha Stoynoff‘s claims about meeting Melania after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by Donald Trump.