Anita Hill's Role With Time's Up Irks Conservatives

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Five prominent conservative women have called on leaders of the Time's Up movement to replace Anita Hill as head of a commission on sexual harassment in Hollywood because of comments she once made about former President Bill Clinton, it was reported Tuesday.

Led by Penny Nance, president and chief executive of Concerned Women, a socially conservative public policy organization, the women charged that, in a 1998 interview with the late Tim Russert on NBC's "Meet the Press," Hill appeared to defend Clinton's inappropriate behavior toward women, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The move comes as the MeToo movement has led to a broad reassessment of Clinton's treatment of women, with even some prominent Democratic women saying he was too easily forgiven.

The Commission for Eliminating Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace was created by film industry executives and others to examine women's treatment in Hollywood in light of the scandals involving Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men in the entertainment industry.

In an email, Nance said Hill's appointment had made the panel "a political club" rather than a bipartisan effort.

"Hill is not trusted by conservative women," she said, according to The Times. "Hollywood had the opportunity to own their sin and clean up their mess but instead chose to make political points. That's disappointing. They should replace Hill."

Russert had asked Hill about an incident in which Clinton reportedly made a pass at a supporter. Russert asked whether it should have been deemed acceptable because Clinton backed off when he was told no. Hill didn't defend the behavior but said it needed to be considered in light of the "totality" of Clinton's presidency.

The letter from Concerned Women was sent Jan. 25 and signed by evangelist Alveda King of Civil Rights for the Unborn; Kay Coles James, a former director for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management under President George W. Bush; Jenny Beth Martin, president and co-founder of Tea Party Patriots; and Cleta Mitchell, a former member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, The Times reported.

City News Service

Photo: Anita Hill speaks at a discussion about sexual harassment and how to create lasting change from the scandal roiling Hollywood at United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, Calif. Hollywood executives and other major players in entertainment have established a commission to be chaired by Hill that intends to combat sexual misconduct and gender inequities across the industry. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)