Former 'Apprentice' contestant accuses Trump of sexual assault

Washington, Oct 15: Joining the increasing list of women accusing Donald Trump of inappropriate behaviour, a former contestant of a reality TV show has alleged that the Republican presidential nominee had made unwanted sexual advances at her at a Los Angeles bungalow.

At a news conference in Los Angeles yesterday, Summer Zervos alleged that the incident took place after she was eliminated from "The Apprentice" show and approached Trump for work at one of his golf courses.

"In 2007 I was going to New York for a social obligation. I contacted Trump's office to see if he was available for lunch. I was informed that he could not have lunch, but that he would like to meet me in his office. When I arrived he kissed me on the lips. I was surprised, but felt that perhaps it was just a form of greeting. We sat and spoke. He was extremely complimentary," she alleged.

Accompanied by her lawyer Gloria Allred, Zervos said during the meeting, she requested for a job, to which Trump agreed.

"He said that he was impressed with how I handled myself on 'The Apprentice'. He said he was allowed to have me work for him. Trump said he would be coming to Los Angeles soon and he would contact," she told reporters.

"I felt as though I was reaching for my brass ring. I was very excited. I felt as though my dream of working for Trump might come true. As I was about to leave, he again kissed me on the lips. This made me feel nervous and embarrassed. This is not what I wanted or expected. "He asked me for my phone number. I left hurriedly and called a friend who lived in New York because I was upset by the kiss. I also called my parents to let them know what had happened," she said.

Trump called Zervos when he came to Los Angeles and asked her to meet him at the Beverly Hills Hotel, besides enquiring where she would like to have dinner.

"When I arrived, his security guard greeted me at the hotel. He walked with me to greet Trump. I assumed we were going to a restaurant in the hotel. Instead, I was taken to a bungalow," she said.

"I was standing in the entryway. To my left was a bedroom and clothes on the bed. I did not see him, but he greeted me with hello in a singsong voice that sounded like hello. I thought the mistake had been made and Trump thought he was speaking to someone he was more familiar with. I walked further into the living room, away from the bedroom, and sat down," she said.

Zervos said Trump emerged 15 minutes later and started kissing her "open-mouthed" while pulling her towards him.

"I walked away and I sat down in a chair. He was on the left seat across from me and I made an attempt at conversation. He then asked me to sit next to him. I complied. He then grabbed my shoulder and began kissing me again very aggressively and placed his hand on my breast," she alleged.

"I pulled back and walked to another part of the room. He then walked up, grabbed my hand and walked me into the bedroom. He put me in an embrace and I tried to push him away," she alleged.

PTI