Local GOP blasts Trump’s lewd comments vs women

The local GOP has condemned the remarks made by Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump against women. A video and taped recording in 2005 recently surfaced where the businessman-turned-politician used explicit and vulgar language against women.

The CNMI Republican Party, in a statement, said demeaning women is unacceptable, especially in a tightly knit community of Pacific islanders. “It is not in our culture as Pacific islanders to utter or accept comments that demean or disrespect women.”

“The CNMI GOP strongly condemns the distasteful and disrespectful remarks made by the party’s presidential candidate,” said an email from local GOP spokesperson Ivan Blanco, who is also running for one of the six seats for Precinct 3 in the CNMI House of Representatives. “Furthermore, the CNMI GOP and all its candidates are unconditionally committed to stopping sexual harassment/violence in all forms.”

Blanco said the CNMI GOP, during the Republican primary, worked hard in ensuring the inclusion of several policies that are important to the insular areas. “The CNMI GOP worked very hard to ensure that policies important to the insular areas were included in the GOP Presidential Campaign Plan.”

“This plan, if adopted, will improve our standards of living and ensure a seat at the decision-making table for the CNMI and sister insular islands at the White House.”

The GOP, if they retake the White House, would appoint an advisory committee consisting of representatives from the five U.S. territories—American Samoa, the CNMI, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“We call for the appointment of a Commonwealth and territories advisory committee consisting of representatives from all five U.S. territories,” according to the adopted resolution by the national GOP.

“The committee will be integrated into the president’s transition team and be tasked with performing a holistic review of all federal regulations affecting the territories and commonwealths.”

The advisory committee is separate from the planned appointment of the Special Assistant to the President, who would be the direct representative of the territories to the White House.

“We further call for the appointment of a Special Assistant to the President responsible for day-to-day interaction with the territories and commonwealths. This position will be the direct connection for the Office of Insular Affairs, the citizens of the territories and commonwealths, and the White House.”

Trump’s latest

Trump, in the taped recording that dates to more than 10 years ago but resurfaced only last week, was having a lewd conversation with then Access Hollywood correspondent Billy Bush. The GOP nominee had drawn some flak for making controversial comments against women.

Several prominent conservatives and GOP members called for Trump to drop out of the presidential race with the campaign nearing its homestretch before U.S. voters troop to the polls on Nov. 8.

Talk show host Hugh Hewitt, Carly Fiorina—who lost the GOP primary nomination to Trump—Republican senators Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire), Mike Crapo (Idaho), John McCain, and Jeff Flake (Arizona), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Rob Portman (Ohio), Rep. Martha Roby (Alabama), Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have called on Trump to withdraw, based on NPR.org and CNN.com reports.

Trump has already issued an apology and said that he won’t drop out or quit from the presidential race. Yahoo.com reported that Trump said he’s not a perfect person and then diverted the issue to former U.S. President Bill Clinton, whose wife Hillary is running against him.

“I’ve never said I’m a perfect person nor pretended to be someone that I’m not. I’ve said and done things I regret and the words released today, on this more than a decade old video, are one of them.”

“I was wrong and I apologize. I’ve said some foolish things but there is a big difference between the words and actions of other people. Bill Clinton has actually abused women,” added Trump in a video message released by his campaign.

While some are calling for Trump to withdraw, there are other Republicans who stood by him. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trump’s running mate, Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), House majority leader Kevin McCarthy and Whip Steve Scalise, and former surgeon and GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson are some, to name a few, who continue to support Trump’s bid for the White House.