#MeToo and Megyn Kelly with Trump accusers on Monday (Updated)

Well this may get her fired today: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley says Trump’s accusers ‘should be heard’:

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Sunday that the women who have accused President Trump of touching or groping them without their consent “should be heard.”

As a matter of fact, this is going to happen this morning. This is going to be a manic Monday from out Twitter-troll-in-chief, his Twitter rage is going to ‘splode.

As the #MeToo movement reckoning continues on sexual harassment, NBC News will be airing a live TV interview with three women who have accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct on “Megyn Kelly TODAY,” at 9 a.m. Monday ET.

Kelly is the former FAUX News (now Trump TV) anchor whom Donald Trump frequently attacked on Twitter and in public statements during the 2016 campaign, including this memorable quote:

On Twitter Sunday night, Kelly announced plans to interview Jessica Leeds, Samantha Holvey and Rachel Crooks on Monday morning. Megyn Kelly’s dismal ratings rise with focus on sexual harassment. Next up: Trump accusers.

After the show, the women will participate in a news conference “calling for an investigation by Congress of sexual misconduct by the president,” according to a news release by Brave New Films, which is hosting the event. The media company released a documentary on Trump’s accusers in November.

UPDATE: In addition to the three who plan to share their stories with Kelly on Monday, 16 accusers will be joining a press conference hosted by Brave New Films at 10:30 a.m. eastern time. According to a tweet from the filmmakers, the women will “share firsthand accounts of sexual misconduct by Trump and demand an investigation.”

At least 13 women have accused Trump of sexual harassment, according to The Washington Post. (Vox.com puts the number at 15. Sexual assault allegations against Donald Trump: 15 women say he groped, kissed, or assaulted them. Others say at least 19 women have publicly accused Trump of sexual misconduct to date, e.g., Brave New Films’ count.)

Leeds told the New York Times that Trump groped her breasts and tried to put his hand up her skirt on an airline flight more than 30 years ago, while Crooks told CNN that Trump kissed her against her will in 2005. Holvey, a former Miss USA contestant, told CNN that Trump personally inspected contestants as though they were sexual objects during the 2006 pageant. It was “the dirtiest I felt in my entire life,” she said.

The interviews with Trump’s accusers are emblematic of the shifting identity of Kelly’s morning talk show, which has struggled in the ratings since its debut.

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Things began turning around on Oct. 23 after Kelly delivered a pointed monologue critical of her former employer, Fox News, for its handling of sexual abuse allegations. She targeted former talk show host Bill O’Reilly, who was forced out of the network in April amid various sexual harassment allegations, as The Washington Post reported.

She railed against comments he made during a CBS News interview before his ousting. When asked about the culture of sexual harassment at Fox News, O’Reilly said he wasn’t interested in having a conversation “that makes my network look bad.” He also said no one ever complained about his behavior.

“O’Reilly’s suggestion that no one ever complained about his behavior is false,” Kelly said. “I know because I complained.” (Kelly has previously accused the network’s ousted chairman Roger Ailes of sexual harassment. Ailes died in May.)

“Women everywhere are used to being dismissed, ignored or attacked when raising complaints about men in authority positions,” she continued. “They stay silent so often out of fear. Fear of ending their careers. Fear of lawyers, yes. And often fear of public shaming, including through the media.”

The monologue was widely praised. Vanity Fair’s Emily Jane Fox noted that Kelly “brought some of her old cutthroat flair” to the show. During an interview with Kelly on “Late Night,” Seth Meyers thanked her for the speech, which he called both “impassioned” and “wonderful.”

Kelly addressed sexual harassment on the next several installments of her show, discussing various powerful men accused of misconduct, including Trump, former president George H.W. Bush and NBC political analyst Mark Halperin. She also interviewed Halperin accuser Eleanor McManus, and two of the dozens of Weinstein accusers: actress Dominique Huett and former production assistant Mimi Haleyi.

Audiences responded immediately. The show’s ratings jumped by 10 percent, according to Nielsen data obtained by the Wrap. It was Kelly’s best-rated week.

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When her “Today” colleague Matt Lauer was fired last month after an employee complained about “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace,” Kelly noted “this one does hit close to home.” Then she opined about the plight of sexual harassment victims.

“When this happens, what we don’t see is the pain on the faces of those who found the courage to come forward. And it is a terrifying thing to do,” she said. “We don’t see the career opportunities women lose because of sexual harassment or the intense stress it causes a woman dealing with it when she comes to work each day. I am thinking of those women this morning and hoping they are okay. The days to come will not be easy.”

Last week, her interviews also included actress Alyssa Milano, who encouraged women to share their personal stories of sexual harassment with the hashtag #MeToo.

Tune in and post an update about the interviews in the comments.

In the wake of three  members of Congress resigning over sexual harassment charges in the past week, In Franken’s wake, three senators call on President Trump to resign:

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and Cory Booker (N.J.) suggested that the “#MeToo moment” should prompt another look at the women who accused Trump of sexual harassment during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Sen. Al Franken “felt it proper for him to resign,” Sanders said in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday morning, referring to the Democrat from Minnesota. “Here you have a president who has been accused by many women of assault, who says on a tape that he assaulted women. He might want to think about doing the same.”

“The president should resign because he certainly has a track record with more than 17 women of horrific conduct,” Merkley said last week in an interview for the weekday version of “Meet the Press.”

On Saturday, Booker told Vice News , “I just watched Sen. Al Franken do the honorable thing and resign from his office.” “My question is, why isn’t Donald Trump doing the same thing — who has more serious allegations against him, with more women who have come forward. The fact pattern on him is far more damning than the fact pattern on Al Franken.”

In a Quinnipiac University poll released last week, 70 percent of respondents said Congress should “investigate the accusations of sexual harassment against President Trump.”

UPDATE: Oddly enough, president Trump did not respond to any of these male Democratic senators.

On Monday, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) wrote, “President Trump should resign. But, of course, he won’t hold himself accountable. Therefore, Congress should investigate the multiple sexual harassment and assault allegations against him.”

And that’s when Trump lashed out.

“Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office ‘begging’ for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED!”

Trump’s impulsive misogyny and sexism towards women just cannot be contained. If a woman challenges him, he will always attack her.

Trump is going to have to tweet a whole lot more about Democratic women challenging him. Fifty-six female Democratic lawmakers ask House to investigate Trump sexual misconduct claims:

More than 50 female Democratic lawmakers on Monday asked the House oversight committee to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against President Donald Trump.

In a letter to committee chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., and ranking member Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the Democratic Women’s Working Group wrote that the country deserves “a full inquiry into the truth of these allegations.”

“At least 17 women have publicly accused the President of sexual misconduct,” the letter, which was signed by 56 lawmakers, said. “We cannot ignore the multitude of women who have come forward with accusations.”

Three of the lawmakers leading the effort — Lois Frankel of Florida, Brenda Lawrence of Michigan and Jackie Speier of California — planned to speak at a news conference Tuesday.