What started as a lurid National Enquirer exclusive has now broken through to the mainstream headlines, as the Portland police announced late last night that they will reopen the investigation into whether Al Gore had “unwanted sexual contact” with a massage therapist in 2006.
Adding fuel to the publicity fire was also the release of audio from the original police complaint. In these files, one can hear the massage therapist, Molly Hagerty- who has now been identified publicly by the Enquirer – recounting her interactions with the former Vice President. (Listen to the first of several lengthy excerpt below).
The police department would not disclose why it had now decided now, after an extended hiatus, to reopen the case. But given all the official statements that have been released in response to the National Enquirer article, and a newly-ongoing police investigation of one of the world’s most famous politicians, we can be sure of one thing: What started as a mere tabloid rumor has exploded into a salacious, substantiated headline for the 24/7 cable news channels, one that will not be going away any time soon. (Does Gore stack up to our Top 10 Political Sex Scandals?)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLzvC366_OI]