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Wis. Governor Won't Comment On Allegations Against Franken, Trump

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker refused to comment Friday on allegations of sexual misconduct lodged against President Donald Trump and Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, even though he's called for Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore to step aside.

Walker said he didn't know the details of numerous allegations of sexual assault and harassment that have been made against Trump, who carried Wisconsin on his way to the White House despite charges of groping women and an "Access Hollywood" tape of him boasting about grabbing women's private parts.

"I don't know all the details of that," Walker said when asked generally about accusations made against Trump, including the "Access Hollywood" tape. "I haven't seen most of the things they've reported."

Walker told reporters that he doesn't comment on "things in the past. I comment on things that are before me right now."

Walker said two weeks ago that Moore, a Republican running for Senate in Alabama, should get out of the race amid reports that he preyed on teenage girls in the 1970s when he was in his 30s.

But Walker said that his weighing in on that race was different than commenting on allegations made against Trump and Franken, since neither of them are in the middle of a campaign. Franken, a Democrat, has apologized following reports that he groped multiple women and forcibly kissed one. He now faces a Senate ethics probe.

Walker said he would leave Franken's fate "up to the people in the Senate and the voters."

Walker also refused to comment on whether the Wisconsin Legislature should release details of sexual misconduct complaints that have been lodged against staff and lawmakers. Republican and Democratic legislative leaders are united in keeping the records secret.

Walker said he'll leave it to the Legislature to decide whether to release the records, but that his office has an "aggressive policy" on sexual harassment and takes the issue "very seriously." Walker said no one in his office has been reprimanded for sexual harassment since he became governor in 2011.

"We take it very seriously in state government and we expect the same from other employers in the state of Wisconsin," Walker said.

The Associated Press on Friday requested copies of any sexual misconduct complaints filed by anyone who has worked in Walker's office since 2011. A similar request for complaints made by employees of the Legislature was refused by the Senate and Assembly clerks, who work for the Republican leadership.

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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