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Trump accuser was 'rattled' after alleged sex assault, former teacher says

The journalism instructor who taught the woman accusing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump of sexual assault says he spoke to his former student over the phone soon after the incident.

'She didn't know what to do, she was very conflicted,' Natasha Stoynoff's former instructor says

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has called the sexual assault allegations against him 'outright lies.' (Evan Vucci/Associated Press)

The journalism instructor who taught the woman accusing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump of sexual assault says she was "really rattled" after hespoke to his former student over the phone soon after the incident.

Paul McLaughlin, who taughtNatasha Stoynoff at RyersonUniversity in Toronto, told CBC's The Current that Stoynoffcalled him in 2005, crying.

"She didn't know what to do," he said. "She was very conflicted. She was angry."

Journalism instructor Paul McLaughlin. (Paul McLaughlin)

As a People magazine reporter,Stoynoff wrote she was "attacked" in 2005 by Trump, who she says kissed her, "forcing his tongue down my throat" during a tour of Mar-a-Lago, a private club owned by the Trump Organization in Palm Beach, Fla.

Trump has called the allegations "outright lies."

McLaughlin saidStoynoffwas "really confused about how to deal with" the incident because of Trump's status.

"She was writing for People magazine, and Donald Trump was a cover story person," he said.

McLaughlin said he toldStoynoff the incident "basically was going to be a he-said-she-said," andhe believed that, if she did come forward, Trump would "come at her with guns a-blazing."

Responding toMcLaughlin's account, Mica Mosbacher, former finance co-chair of the Republican National Convention and Fox News commentator, dismissed it as "hearsay."

Trump defends Trump

8 years ago
Duration 2:02
Republican presidential candidate makes startling counter claims about allegations of sexual impropriety made in the New York Times

"It is one individual, one person, whose credibility I don't know," shetold The Current. "This is not a court room. We're playing this out in public media. I don't think that that's fair."

Mosbacheralso said the media should focus attention on the sexual assault allegation laid against Bill Clinton, the former U.S.president and husband to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

"I also don't think it's fair, the fact that we have not heard one tape or one comment about Bill Clinton and what he has done and the women who have come forward alleging rape, alleging actual assault on the record, versus this kind of hearsay with Donald Trump," she said.

As allegations of sexual assault against Donald Trump continue to drive the media cycle, The Current convenes women political observers to share their thoughts on the campaign race and what it says about the state of democracy in the U.S.