Ahead of debate, Donald Trump holds event with Bill Clinton's accusers

Donald Trump's surprise press conference.
(Image credit: Screenshot/Facebook.com/DonaldTrump)

Donald Trump, hoping to get the attention off of him and the video that leaked on Friday showing him bragging about forcing himself on women without their consent, held a panel Sunday in Missouri with four women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct.

Juanita Broaddrick, Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, and Kathy Shelton appeared onstage with Trump about 90 minutes before the start of Trump's second presidential debate with Hillary Clinton. Trump called them "four very courageous women," and said it was "our honor to help them." In 1999, Broaddrick claimed Clinton raped her in 1978, an allegation he denied. On Sunday, Broaddrick said that Trump "may have said some bad words, but Bill Clinton raped me and Hillary Clinton threatened me. I don't think there's anything worse."

Jones, who sued Clinton for sexual harassment in 1994 and settled without Clinton admitting guilt, called Trump a "good person," who is "not what other [people] have been saying he has been." In 1998, Trump called Jones a "loser."

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Catherine Garcia

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.