Al Gore Sex Abuse Allegations Lack Sufficient Evidence, Say Portland Police
Officials release graphic report of alleged 'unwanted sexual touching.'
June 24, 2010— -- Law enforcement authorities in Portland, Oregon said Wednesday they had investigated complaints by a 54-year-old masseuse that she was "subjected to unwanted sexual touching" by former Vice President Al Gore in 2006, but that the case was closed for insufficient evidence.
The District Attorney said the woman, who was not identified by name ,had refused to cooperate with police after her attorney made the initial complaint six weeks after the alleged incident.
A spokesperson for the former Vice President said the family had no comment on the case.
According to a 73-page "Confidential Special Report" made public by authorities Wednesday, the "licensed massage therapist" stated she was summoned to a suite at the upscale Lucia Hotel at the request of a guest, where "during the course of this massage session Al Gore did sexually assault me in his room."
In a detailed statement given to police more than two years after the alleged incident the woman described her surprise at arriving for the VIP massage appointment to find Al Gore drinking beer and opening his arms in a hug saying "Call Me Al."
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL POLICE REPORT AND THE WOMAN'S STATEMENT
But she said her VIP client later turned "angry and threatening" when she resisted Gore's efforts to force her hand to his inner thigh and lower abdominal area during the massage and then attempted to rip her clothes as she struggled against him, she told police.
Gore "flipped me flat on my back and threw his whole body face down over atop me pinning me down and outweighing me by quite a bit," injuring her back and legs, she claimed. "He kept trying to have sex with me," said the woman, who described the situation as "frightening."
According to the report, the woman said Gore booked the appointment using the pseudonym "Mr. Stone."
In a statement accompanying the report, Portland Police said that after initially refusing to cooperate in early 2007, the masseuse returned in 2009, finally offering to be interviewed by investigators, bringing a prepared statement and the clothes she said she had worn that night as evidence.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE POLICE STATEMENT
Police said investigators did not collect the clothes she offered at that time because "they did not feel there was any evidentiary value" to them, and the case was "not investigated further because detectives concluded there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations."
There's no indication in the report the police ever interviewed Gore about the allegations.
The Portland District Attorney's office said it only learned Wednesday of the follow-up 2009 investigation when it received the 73-page report released to the media.
"If the complainant and the Portland Police Bureau wish to pursue the possibility of a criminal prosecution, additional investigation by the Bureau will be necessary and will be discussed with the Portland Police Bureau," said the District Attorney's office.
The allegations were first reported by the National Enquirer, which frequently pays news subjects for their first-hand stories.
The Portland Tribune said it had investigated the allegations in 2007 after receiving the police report through a public records request but chose not to publish a story because it said attorneys for the former vice president categorically denied the charges.