GROSS

Top 2016 Campaign Adviser to Bernie Sanders Accused of Forcibly Kissing Subordinate

A former female staffer told Politico she decided to come forward now because the same adviser became involved in plans for 2020.

A top Bernie Sanders adviser from the 2016 presidential campaign has been accused of forcibly kissing a subordinate, Politico reports. The alleged incident is said to have occurred on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in July of 2016, when a former female staffer alleges that Robert Becker told her he had always wanted to have sex with her and made a reference to riding his “pole,” according to Politico. Becker allegedly approached the woman later that night and grabbed her wrists before putting his tongue in her mouth, the woman and three other sources cited by Politico claim. Becker has denied any wrongdoing. Friends of Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator's main campaign committee, issued a statement in response to the allegations against Becker saying that he "would not be a part of any future campaigns."

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