Police said Wednesday they are reopening an investigation into a Portland massage therapist’s allegations that former Vice President Al Gore groped her at an upscale hotel in 2006.
In a brief statement, the Portland Police Bureau did not say why it was reopening the investigation. Police earlier said they considered the case closed because there was no evidence.
Kalee Kreider, a spokeswoman for Gore, said the former vice president “unequivocally and emphatically” denied making unwanted sexual advances toward the woman and that he welcomed the investigation.
“Further investigation into this matter will only benefit Mr. Gore,” Kreider said.
She also said “the Gores cannot comment on every defamatory, misleading and inaccurate story generated by tabloids.”
The masseuse alleges Gore made unwanted sexual advances during a massage appointment on Oct. 24, 2006, at the downtown Hotel Lucia, where Gore was reportedly registered as “Mr. Stone.” Gore was in Portland to deliver a speech on climate change.
The story first broke when the National Enquirer reported the allegations a week ago.
The AP does not generally identify people who say they are victims of sex crimes.
Portland police last week said the woman’s lawyer came to them with the allegations in 2006 but that the woman canceled appointments with detectives. The case reopened in January 2009, when detetectives interviewed the woman but determined there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations.
According to transcripts of the 2009 interview, the masseuse described the allegations at length. She said Gore groped, kissed and pinned her down on a bed. She told Gore he was acting like a “crazed sex poodle,” according to the transcript.
The woman said she felt there would be consequences if she didn’t cooperate.
“I feared that if I ran for the door to get out, I could or would be violently accosted by some security detail,” she said. “I felt certain that any, even the smallest complaint from him to the hotel, could also destroy my work reputation.”
While trying to pack up, she said Gore “wrapped me in an inescapable embrace,” looked her in the eyes and touched her back, buttocks and breasts. She said she asked Gore to stop several times.
“I finally told him and said, you’re being a crazed sex poodle, hoping he’d realize how weird he was being, yet he persisted,” she told Det. Molly Daul.
The woman said Gore’s “Mr. Smiley Global Warming” persona differed from his actions and made her afraid.
“I did not want to get hurt and I did not want to get raped,” she said.
She said Gore demanded she drink cognac, though she told him she doesn’t drink alcohol. She said Gore became enraged when she refused his advances.
“This is like people going nuts on the MAX (Portland’s public transit system) and you want to get off before they beat you up,” she said.
During the interview, the woman mentioned working as a masseuse for the lead singer of the Counting Crows, members of former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan’s family and NBA players.
After the alleged incident, the woman said she was dissuaded from contacting the police by liberal friends of hers, whom she refers to as “The Birkenstock Tribe,” and of which she counts herself a member.
“It’s like being the ultimate traitor,” the woman said.
One friend “was basically asking me to just suck it up, otherwise the world’s going to be destroyed from global warming,” she said.
Gore and wife Tipper announced that they are separating on June 1 in an e-mail to friends.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press
9 thoughts on “Cops reopen Gore sex probe”
I have no idea whether these sexual allegations are true or not. But Gore was right about global warming.
1. Hagerty waited six weeks to make her initial complaint to police.
2. Hagerty canceled three different interviews with detectives in order to be interviewed about her criminal complaint. Her attorney told the police that she was dropping the criminal case to seek civil remedies.
3. Three years later, Hagerty changed her mind again and decided to pursue criminal charges. She has since produced pants she claims she wore on the night of the alleged incident and kept in a safe deposit box.
4. In the past week, Hagerty has twice been interviewed by the National Enquirer, who routinely pay their sources.
5. Hagerty’s first cousin is Karl Rove.
Just kidding on the last one.
But consider the first four FACTS and then place yourself on the jury.
Rape and sexual assault victims often wait or never report the crime at all. It’s embarrassing and intrusive and it’s hard for them to re-live that situation and those feelings of helplessness. These are established facts in rape and sexual assault cases and are not at all unusual.
It will be interesting to see what evidence, if any, those pants produce. If his DNA is on it, it will be fun to watch his story change from “I didn’t do it” to “well she wanted it” just like most other sexual predators do when facing evidence against their statement.
The results from the police DNA analysis was “inconclusive” so she is paying for her own lab tests.
This has all the earmarks of a shakedown.
My wife still suffers panic attacks from her rape from a decade ago. For nearly 3 years she would not leave the house alone. She has never been the same as before. It changed her permanently.
I’ve never known a scam artist to pay an independent lab for testing. They usually avoid such situations.
The only one in this story that has been shaking people down is Mr. Gore and his lies on man-made global warming that he stands to make TRILLIONS off of if carbon trading is made into law.
Can’t help but wonder if this is why Tipper left.
Yes, rape and sexual assault victims often wait or never report the crime. That’s unfortunate as the waiting often destroys any evidence. That being said, it is highly unusual that a rape or sexual assault victim would decline to press criminal charges in favor of taking civil action. So I’m not sure we can infer anything at all from this woman’s not having pursued a criminal case.
On the other hand, she commented that “I felt certain that any, even the smallest complaint from him to the hotel, could also destroy my work reputation.” I find it curious that she does not seem to be concerned about any harm that might be caused to her work reputation through bringing her story to the National Enquirer, which has a sketchy reputation at best, and is known to pay their sources.
I’m not seeing the difference except one is physical rape, the other financial rape and scientific fraud. Both use fear and confusion to get what they want. Man-made global warming alarmists are basically a cult. I believe the masseuse.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
It’s another sad case of “Can’t Keep the Pecker in the Pants Syndrome”. Seems to be a prevalent problem with politicians.
I see that you love to take sides against him just because he was a politician, I followed this case and I do not believe he is even slightly guilty, she just is looking for fame and fortune.
P.S. I am neither a democrat or a fan of Mr.Gore, however I believe in facts and justice when it is warrented, not here!
Comments are closed.