George H.W. Bush apologizes after actress accuses him of groping her with wife nearby

A former president is accused of sexually assaulting an actress from his wheelchair while his wife stood right next to him, multiple outlets have reported.

George H.W. Bush apologized for the incident, according to Fox News. Actress Heather Lind, in a now deleted Instagram post, wrote that the 41st president “touched me from behind from his wheelchair with his wife Barbara Bush by his side. He told me a dirty joke. And then, all the while being photographed, touched me again.”

Bush’s spokesman, Jim McGrath, said in a statement that “President Bush would never — under any circumstance — intentionally cause anyone distress, and he most sincerely apologizes if his attempt at humor offended Ms. Lind.”

The incident occurred about four years ago, according to multiple outlets, during a TV show promotion event.

A group including Barbara, George H.W. Bush and Lind were posing for a photograph, People reported.

In her Instagram post, Lind went on to write that Bush’s security guard told her “I shouldn’t have stood next to him for the photo.”

Lind is known for her role as Anna Strong in the AMC series “Turn: Washington’s Spies.”

She is yet another woman to come forward with allegations of sexual assault against men in positions of authority in recent weeks.

She joins Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Cara Delevingne and multiple other women who have accused Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault.

While many have shown support to the women, others have defended Weinstein.

Alyssa Milano started a resurgence of the “Me Too” movement as a way to elevate the Weinstein conversation. She wrote on Twitter, “If you've been sexually harassed or assaulted write 'me too' as a reply to this tweet.”

In response, tens of thousands have taken to Twitter to declare they, too, have endured sexual assault.

At the end of her post on Instagram, Lind wrote:

“We were instructed to call him (H.W. Bush) Mr. President. It seems to me a President’s power is in his or her capacity to enact positive change, actually help people.”

This story was originally published October 25, 2017 at 8:04 AM with the headline "George H.W. Bush apologizes after actress accuses him of groping her with wife nearby."