A new book claims that Harvey Weinstein had a much closer relationship to the Clintons than previously known, with Weinstein allegedly giving then-President Bill Clinton advice on how to navigate the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
Ken Auletta’s Hollywood Ending: Harvey Weinstein and the Culture of Silence recounts the rise and fall of the disgraced movie mogul who is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence after being convicted of rape and sexual assault.
The volume chronicles Weinstein’s working-class beginnings in Queens, New York, and continues through his ascent to the top of Hollywood with movies like Shakespeare in Love and Chicago.
Along the way, the book chats with Bill Clinton and those who worked for the former first couple.
Harvey Weinstein was allegedly so close with Bill Clinton that he spent a weekend at Camp David and even gave the president advice about how to handle the Monica Lewinsky scandal, according to excerpts published in the Daily Mail. Weinstein claimed to be a “shoulder’ for Clinton to lean on in 1997 as they vacationed in Martha’s Vineyard during the scandal.
Weinstein had extensive experience “being in the doghouse” with his own extramarital affairs and gave his advice to Clinton on how to deal with Hillary.
Producer Harvey Weinstein and actress Jennifer Lawrence presents Former President of the United States Bill Clinton with the Advocate for Change Award onstage during the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards presented by Ketel One and Wells Fargo at JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE on April 20, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevin Tachman/Getty Images for GLAAD)
The accounts comes from Marcy Granata, the former president of publicity and corporate communications at Miramax, which was Weinstein’s movie company.
Bill Clinton told Auletta that he and Weinstein bonded over a “deep yearning” to get a lot of things done in their life, motivated by family traumas.
The book also provides a glimpse into how the Clintons responded — or didn’t respond — to Weinstein’s predatory behavior.
“Over the years when Hillary Clinton’s aides were reportedly warned of Harvey’s abusive ways, particularly with women, those warnings had no obvious effect on the Clintons’ fealty towards Harvey,” the book states.
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Georgina Chapman and Harvey Weinstein attend the TIME 100 Gala celebrating TIME’S 100 Most Infuential People In The World at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2012 in New York City. (Kevin Mazur/WireImage for TIME)
This stands in stark contrast to Hillary Clinton’s comments after the Weinstein scandal first broke in early 2017. At the time, the former first lady said she was “shocked and appalled” by the news.
“The behavior described by women coming forward cannot be tolerated,” she said in a statement. “Their courage and the support of others is critical in helping to stop this kind of behavior.”
Harvey Weinstein was a major fundraising bundler for the Clintons, funneling big-ticket celebrity donations to both Bill and Hillary’s presidential campaigns.
Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com
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