LANSING — Last Friday, Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido joined WKAR’s ‘Off The Record’ and ‘Off the Record: Overtime’ with panelists Lauren Gibbons, Chad Livengood and Rick Pluta. The interview covered a number of topics like Lucido’s politically motivated ploy to attack Governor Whitmer over her handling of Michigan’s coronavirus response and his refusal to condemn MI GOP Chair Ron Weiser’s quest to “assassinate” Republicans and burn “three witches” at the stake, along with a brutal back-and-forth over the numerous sexual harassment allegations he is facing.
When reporter Chad Livengood asked Lucido why he never publicly apologized to the multiple women that accused him of sexual harassment during his time as a state Senator, he immediately got combative. Lucido proceeded to give a masterclass in gaslighting and blame-shifting, accusing the women for coming forward for political reasons and saying it was their fault for misinterpreting his grabby behavior.
Lucido argued that the real crime was the investigation launched by his fellow Republican colleagues in the state Senate that uncovered his “unfortunate pattern of behavior that requires little to no interpretation to be understood as inappropriate workplace behavior.”
Livengood kept the pressure on and Lucido became incensed, at one point yelling “shame on you!” at the reporter multiple times. He later attempted to change the story of his first allegation on Pluta, denying that he ever told a group of high school boys that they could “have a lot of fun” with reporter Allison Donahue, but then saying that it was taken out of context.
“Peter Lucido’s disastrous interview made it even more clear he’s a partisan hack who cannot be trusted,” said Rodericka Applewhaite, MDP spokesperson. “Lucido’s hostility and refusal to answer basic questions confirmed that the four women who came forward to accuse him of sexual assault displayed a great deal of bravery in doing so. Lucido requested that the Senate investigation be made public in its entirety. Majority Leader Mike Shirkey should grant access to it immediately.”
Click here to watch and see below for the most damning quotes from Lucido’s disastrous interview::
- “I had indicated that if they misinterpret or if they felt that they were offended, I said I am sorry. Unfortunately, they don’t accept that. […] At the end of the day, it was unfounded and I want to move on. […] What is the motive for people to continue this? I didn’t do anything other than what they interpreted.”
- “At this point, I’ve moved on. I hope that they can.”
- “I don’t know why Allison Donahue [reporter, accuser #1] even wants to communicate with me anymore. If she makes this allegation she should stay away.”
- [In response to Lauren Gibbons’ question of if he plans on modifying his behavior in light of allegations]: “I’ve had multiple women work for me at the law firm and I’m surprised that you as a reporter wouldn’t have at least gone and dug in and said, ‘Let’s see what his past is all about.’”
- [On the closeness of subsequent women coming forward following Allison Donahue’s allegation]: “It was just impeccable timing I think.”
- [In response to Livengood’s question of how these allegations could all be fabricated]: “I don’t know. You tell me, Chad. You seem to have all the answers. They’re all coming to you. Why are you the target that they want to come to? The only rationale as to why they want to come to you, Chad, what’s your involvement with the Michigan Advance newspaper? […] A question to you, Chad: why does the Michigan Advance have this young lady who made the first allegation, and they blew it up, and everyone comes to Chad? What’s your causal connection between the two? […] They sensationalize it by coming to you. […] I’ll debate you on that anytime Chad because it seems very suspect that they came to you.”
