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Reichert Says He Would Have Arrested Trump

If Trump had made infamous ‘Access Hollywood’ comments in former sheriff’s jurisdiction

Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., on President Donald Trump’s “Access Hollywood” tape: “There was no reasonable explanation for those words.” (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., on President Donald Trump’s “Access Hollywood” tape: “There was no reasonable explanation for those words.” (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Retiring Republican Rep. Dave Reichert said if President Donald Trump had made his 2005 comments about grabbing women in Washington when he was a cop, he would have arrested him.

Reichert was speaking in an interview with Vice News about the difficulty moderate Republicans face. 

Reichert, a former sheriff in King County, Washington, said he never endorsed Trump last year. He also said that as a former police officer, Trump’s “Access Hollywood” comments revealed in October resonated with him.

“When somebody says that — you know, those recordings came out regarding sexual assaults,” he said. “If the statute of limitations was still in existence, and he made those comments in King County, and you know it happened in King County, that’s a person that I would have to arrest.”

Reichert said Trump’s comments were “sort of an admission of guilt from him.”

“There was no reasonable explanation for those words,” he said.

The retiring congressman also criticized gridlock in Congress.

“I don’t think anybody who’s been here would say they’re not frustrated … I’m certainly frustrated by the fact that things don’t seem to be moving ahead to make the country better,” he said.

But Reichert was hesitant to blame increased partisanship on the president.

“I don’t agree with the way that he’s phrased some of his comments,” he said. “What’s in his heart, I don’t know. I don’t know if the man’s a prejudiced man or not. I don’t know him. But I know that he’s used some words that have indicated — that to me are troubling.”

Reichert announced last week that he would not seek re-election next year in Washington State’s 8th District. Shortly thereafter, fellow moderate Republican Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania announced his retirement.

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