FACT CHECK

DNC on Trump Lawyer: ‘Rape Is Rape’

Contrary to what Trump lawyer says.

A day after Democratic Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill lambasted Donald Trump’s special counsel for claiming “you cannot rape your spouse,” Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz called the comments “despicable.” “This is a new low. Rape is rape. Full stop. End of story. There is no difference or division between ‘forcible,’ ‘legitimate,’ ‘marital’ or any other label Republicans slap on before the word ‘rape.’ All rape is a disgusting violation, and Americans have fought too long and hard for that to be acknowledged to still have it questioned in 2015. It’s a pattern of outrageous comments that must stop, and Republicans should call it what it is—despicable.”

In a Daily Beast report about past rape allegations made by Trump’s ex-wife Ivana Trump, Michael Cohen said, legally speaking, “you cannot rape your spouse.” McCaskill tweeted it is “incompetent for any lawyer to not know that rape is rape.” Donald Trump’s camp also responded to Cohen’s comments, distancing the candidate from his own special counsel. “Nobody speaks for Mr. Trump, but Mr. Trump,” a campaign source said, according to ABC News’ John Santucci.