A rather disturbing claim has been made against the NSW Labor Leader forcing his sudden resignation after an ABC journalist came forward with sexual misconduct claims against him. ABC journalist Ashleigh Raper claims Foley put his hand down her underpants in 2016 at a Christmas Party.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Former NSW Labor Leader Luke Foley: The allegations made against me are false.<br><br>I can’t fight to clear my name and fight an election at the same time. Therefore, I am resigning the leadership of the Labor party.<br><br>MORE: <a href="https://t.co/ykweMevBOK">https://t.co/ykweMevBOK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Speers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Speers</a> <a href="https://t.co/ixOiUu2kTe">pic.twitter.com/ixOiUu2kTe</a></p>— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/1060422225122156544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Foley claims the accusations are false, but despite saying he is innocent, he has announced Thursday he will be quitting the post after the statement by Raper was made public in great detail. Raper claims she wanted to "set the record straight" about the incident involving the state opposition leader at the 2016 NSW Parliament Christmas party.
Raper says the incident took place at a bar in Sydney's CBD where he allegedly put his hand down her underpants. The statement says Foley called her on a Sunday after to apologize saying, "I'm not a philanderer, I'm not a groper, I'm just a drunk idiot". He told her in a statement last Sunday that he would resign as leader of the NSW Labor Party by Monday or Wednesday.
Related coverage: <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/26973-Australia-Opposition-Leader-Slammed-For-Sydney-White-Flight-Comments">Australia - Opposition Leader Slammed For Sydney 'White Flight' Comments</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">And Foley was so brazen he challenged Elliott to bring it up outside the parliament. They aren’t used to their actions having consequences. Today would been a nasty shock. <a href="https://t.co/0kSAXsdwBE">https://t.co/0kSAXsdwBE</a></p>— Eliza Barr (@ElizaJBarr) <a href="https://twitter.com/ElizaJBarr/status/1060372918385819648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Foley then called back on Tuesday to say he would not be resigning because of legal advice. Raper's statement said the incident had been the source of widespread speculation involving Foley putting his hand down the back of her dress at a bar in Martin Place. The event was following the function where politics, their staff, and journalists all mingled at Parliament House.
<a href="http://about.abc.net.au/statements/statement-8-november-2018/">Raper's statement said,</a> "He stood next to me. He put his hand through a gap in the back of my dress and inside my underpants. He rested his hand on my buttocks. I completely froze." She claims she wasn't the only person to witness Foley's behavior, another journalist also witnessed his hand go down her dress but did not make a complaint because of the fear of losing her job and how that would affect her family.
The matter was thought to be in his past, but it resurfaced in Foley's life in October when Liberal minister David Elliott raised it in NSW parliament. "The matter then became a state and federal political issue and resulted in intense media attention. This occurred without my involvement or consent," Elliott said.
Related coverage: <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/41223-Australia-Rock-Star-Angry-Anderon-s-Son-Identified-As-Victim-In-Brutal-Beating-Death">Australia - Rock Star Angry Anderon's Son Identified As Victim In Brutal Beating Death</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: The ABC has issued a statement about allegations State Opposition Leader Luke Foley harassed an ABC journalist, including a statement from her: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nswpol?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nswpol</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Lio7HIsYr">https://t.co/6Lio7HIsYr</a></p>— Sarah Gerathy (@sarahgerathy) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahgerathy/status/1060352231852040192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Raper herself warns women "should be able to go about their professional lives and socialize without being subject to this sort of behavior. And I want it to stop." ABC put out a statement of their own saying it was "extremely unfortunate" that Raper didn't come forward sooner until she faced pressure from the media and the public to comment on it.
ABC's statement added, "There is absolutely no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Ms. Raper and her career should not be affected in any way."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ashleigh Raper has put out a statement claiming Luke Foley "put his hand through a gap in the back of my dress and inside my underpants" at a function in 2016<a href="https://t.co/6AMhF3hoEf">https://t.co/6AMhF3hoEf</a></p>— The Australian (@australian) <a href="https://twitter.com/australian/status/1060368130772484096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<i>On Twitter:</i>
<a href="https://twitter.com/MAGASyndicate">@MAGASyndicate</a>
Tips? Info? Send me a message!
Twitter: #NSW #Australia #Perth #LaborParty #LukeFoley #JobsNotMobs #MAGA
