- Actress Heather Lind made allegations Tuesday claiming when she met former President George H.W. Bush that he ‘sexually assaulted’ her from his wheelchair
- She also claimed the incident happened during a photo-op with wife Barbara Bush standing by his side, and claims his wife saw the incident unfold
- Lind says the incident happened four years ago while she was promoting a movie
An actress is alleging that President George H.W. Bush ‘sexually assaulted’ her and touched her from behind while in his wheelchair.
Heather Lind, who starred in AMC’s series Turn: Washington’s Spies made the shocking allegations on Instagram in a lengthy post as part of a caption to a photo.
‘When I got the chance to meet George H. W. Bush four years ago to promote a historical television show I was working on, he sexually assaulted me while I was posing for a similar photo. He didn’t shake my hand. He touched me from behind from his wheelchair with his wife Barbara Bush by his side. He told me a dirty joke,’ Lind alleges.
Her allegations continued ‘And then, all the while being photographed, touched me again. Barbara rolled her eyes as if to say ‘not again’. His security guard told me I shouldn’t have stood next to him for the photo.’
‘We were instructed to call him Mr. President. It seems to me a President’s power is in his or her capacity to enact positive change, actually help people, and serve as a symbol of our democracy. He relinquished that power when he used it against me and, judging from the comments of those around him, countless other women before me,’ she wrote to Instragram.
Her post goes on to say: ‘What comforts me is that I too can use my power, which isn’t so different from a President really. I can enact positive change. I can actually help people. I can be a symbol of my democracy. I can refuse to call him President, and call out other abuses of power when I see them. I can vote for a President, in part, by the nature of his or her character, knowing that his or her political decisions must necessarily stem from that character. My fellow cast-mates and producers helped me that day and continue to support me. I am grateful for the bravery of other women who have spoken up and written about their experiences. And I thank President Barack Obama for the gesture of respect he made toward George H. W. Bush for the sake of our country, but I do not respect him. #metoo’