More Al Gore Rumors-Allegations of Sexual Misconduct-Review and Commentary

Portland, Oregon Police Chief, Michael Reese report Portland authorities are re-opening a case from October 24, 2006 (Fox News website) regarding a massage therapist stating Al Gore made unwanted sexual advances toward her. The incident reportedly occurred at the Portland hotel, Hotel Lucia, (Fox News website) after Gore called a massage therapist, who did arrive later that same evening.

USA Today website reports the massage therapist, 54 year old Molly Hagerty, has no doubt sold her story to the tabloid, National Enquirer. It's reported Hagerty had hoped to receive $1 million for her story of the incident, yet not known how much she was actually paid. The UK Guardianwebsite reports the Enquirer said they made no payment for the story. Ironically, USA Today also reports Hagerty voted for Al Gore in the 2000 Presidential election.

Police have looked into the massage therapist's allegations against Al Gore twice before and reported finding no evidence. Having received information from Hagerty and/or her attorney twice regarding the allegations against Al Gore, Portland police said the massage therapist was not "credible."

No sources reviewed have indicated any new evidence surfacing recently in the case. Apparently, Portland authorities decided to re-open the file to dot i's and cross t's regarding how they handled the matter previously. Chief Reese said that in the prior 2 investigations of the charges, upper-ranking officers did not receive, review, and sign off on the case closure documentation, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Gore's spokesman, Ms. Kalee Kreider, states Al Gore "strongly denies" the allegations and virtually welcomed further investigation of the situation as she maintained doing so would reveal Al Gore's innocence in the matter (Fox News, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal).

Commentary

Some will say these allegations are fueled by some sinister plot by the more conservative political party in the U.S. Others will assert that these allegations just don't seem to fit the Al Gore we know and admire.

What a tragedy it would be for someone to simply step forward for attention, fame, or money and make up such trashy, disgusting charges about anyone. It is even harder to believe that such people walk amongst us yet our experiences show they are out there.

Al Gore's exhaustive work to teach the world about climate change using scientific facts has inspired many. His unprecedented work producing the film, An Inconvenient Truth even won Gore a Pulitzer Prize. Citizens of the world are just not ready to believe Al Gore could have committed the behaviors alleged by Hagerty.

Let's await the results of Portland authorities' investigation before judging Al Gore or Ms. Hagerty.

Sources

Emanuel, Mike. July 1, 2010. Gore 'Unequivocally' Denies Allegations that He Groped a Massage Therapist. Fox News website.

Pilkington, Ed. July 1, 2010. Al Gore Sexual Assault Claim: U.S. Police Re-Open Massage Therapist's Case. Guardian website.

USA Today website. July 1, 2010. Al Gore Breaks Silence as Police Re-Open Sexual Assault Case.

Woo, Stu. July 1, 2010. Police Cite 'Procedural Issues' in Re-opening Al Gore Investigation. Wall Street Journal Online.