Spotlight: White House rejects calls for Congress to probe Trump's alleged sexual misconduct

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The White House on Monday rejected calls for a congressional investigation into multiple accusations that U.S. President Donald Trump had sexually harassed women in the past years, dismissing the claims as "false."

"The timing and absurdity of these false claims speaks volumes, and the publicity tour that has begun only further confirms the political motives behind them," a White House statement said.

At the daily press briefing on Monday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump had addressed these accusations directly and denied all of these allegations.

"This took place long before he was elected to be president and the people of this country had a decisive election, supported President Trump," Sanders said. "We feel like these allegations have been answered through that process."

Earlier on Monday, four women who publicly accused Trump of sexual misconduct during the 2016 presidential campaign, came forward again, urging the Congress to investigate their allegations.

Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks, appearing together on NBC's "Megyn Kelly Today" program on Monday, described separate interactions with Trump in past years. Lisa Boyne, who also made similar accusations last year, joined them via phone for a news conference hours later.

The four women said Congress should investigate the accusations against the president, expressing concern that even as other powerful men are being held accountable, Trump remains exempt.

Holvey claimed Trump came backstage when she and other contestants in the 2006 Miss USA pageant were dressing. Crooks said Trump forcibly kissed her on the mouth after she introduced herself to him at Trump Tower in 2005. Leeds accused that she was groped and forcibly kissed by Trump on a commercial flight decades ago.

According to Boyne, she met Trump, a modelling agent and some other women in 1996 at a New York restaurant. During the dinner, Trump tried to look up the women's skirts and comment on their underwear and genitals. She also claimed that though Trump did not make any advances toward her, he asked for her input on which of the other women he should sleep with.

The Trump side has forcefully dismissed all the sexual misconduct allegations made by 16 to 19 women during last year's highly divisive presidential campaign.

To many's surprise, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Sunday that any women claiming to be victims of sexual harassment, including those accusing Trump, "should be heard."

Tens of thousands of American women have broken their long-time silence about sexual abuse by powerful men in the worlds of entertainment, media, business and politics since October following explosive reports about Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's abusive behaviour for years.

The #metoo social media movement, aimed at exposing sexual abusers and supporting their victims, has already forced the resignations of three influential lawmakers -- two Democrats and one Republican -- from the Capitol within last week. Enditem