“I have also been told by an expert in child psychology that children in early adolescence tend to exaggerate or romanticize sexual experiences and that adolescents in disorganized families, such as the complainant’s, are even more prone to exaggerate behavior.”
That’s from a sworn affidavit from Hillary Clinton, representing a man accused of raping a 12-year-old in 1975, in a stunning new report from Alana Goodman of the Washington Free Beacon.
While the case is nearly 40 years old, some Americans may feel discomfort at the thought of a potential president who attacked the credibility of a girl who was raped. Yes, every American accused of a crime deserves the best defense they can get. But many outside the legal arena will conclude that attacking the victim crosses a line, and contributes to why some rape victims are so reluctant to come forward.
If asked about it — and I’ll bet a doughnut right now that the Clinton machine is working the phones, claiming the report is the work of a vast right-wing conspiracy, insisting that this is a long-ago non-story that “Hillary’s enemies” are trying to bring back into the media bloodstream — it will be a fascinating no-win situation for Hillary.
If asked, Hillary will presumably attempt to revert to “everyone is entitled to the best legal defense/legal ethics,” spin and try to keep it there, try to make it a boring story of two legal professors arguing abstract principles. The more interesting question will be whether anyone asks how she feels about attacking the credibility of a 12-year-old rape victim — particularly when, as Hillary later said on the tapes, she believes her client committed the crime.
This story could change the race if this blows up big enough. If Hillary says, “Yes, I regret it,” she’s admitting to an unpardonable sin in the eyes of the feminists, the Left, and honestly, a lot of Americans.
But if she says, “No, I didn’t do anything wrong, I did what every good lawyer would do” she looks callous and harsh and ruthless, confirming all of the old 1990s stereotypes.
Some may wonder how this aggressive legal strategy squares with Hillary’s declaration, “the Bible was and remains the biggest influence on my thinking.”