Heitkamp Apologizes for Outing Sexual-Assault Survivors

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First it was Democratic Sen. Diane Feinstein outing Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, and now Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota is apologizing for identifying a number of her constituents as victims of sexual assault without their permission.

National Review reports Heitkamp’s campaign published an open letter ad directed at her Republican re-election challenger, Rep. Kevin Cramer.

In it, the names and hometowns of 127 women are identified as “survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or rape.”

After the ad ran Monday, several women wrote on Facebook that they never agreed to sign the letter.

One woman says her name was placed on the letter after she was tagged on Facebook. She added that “the damage is done…and a simple ‘sorry’ isn’t going to cut it.”

The North Dakota Republican Party said “This is another example of Heidi Heitkamp exploiting whoever she can for political gain.”

Corrie O'Connor