The Kentucky Democratic Party says revelations about Rand Paul in a GQ Magazine excerpt "call into question his moral qualifications to be Kentucky's voice in the United States Senate."
Though both the GQ writer and the woman he interviewed both say the story has been blown out of proportion, and Paul has denied exaggerated versions of a college incident that happened about 30 years ago, he has yet to address the main elements of the woman's story.
In the GQ article, the woman said she knew both Paul and another Baylor University student when they came to her door and blindfolded her. After she refused to smoke marijuana, she says they took her to a creek where she was made to bow and to worship "Aqua Buddha."
After some media outlets characterized the incident as a "kidnapping" or alleged that Paul forcibly drugged the woman, both GQ writer Jason Zengerle and the unidentified woman clarified the incident as a prank, albeit one that prompted the end of the woman's friendship with Paul and the other student. And, Paul denied "kidnapping" or forcibly drugging anyone.
In a statement, the Kentucky Democratic Party focuses on the elements of the story that Paul has not addressed.
"It is important to note the woman did not retract any of her statements regarding Paul and an associate binding and blindfolding her, offering her drugs or making her worship the 'Aqua Buddha.'" the statement reads.
"In denying he kidnapped anyone, Rand Paul is bobbing and weaving like a punch-drunk prizefighter," said Dan Logsdon, Chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party. "He is playing a word game with the people of Kentucky when he should be telling the Commonwealth whether or not he ever tied a young woman up, tried to push drugs on her and then made her engage in a sacrilegious act she described as 'sadistic.' Paul can't pretend like these questions are even close to being answered to Kentuckians' satisfaction. Come clean, Rand. The truth shall set you free. Nothing is going to make any of this go away except the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
Here are the questions that the KDP says remain unanswered:
THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS OF RAND PAUL AND THE AQUA BUDDHA
Does Rand Paul deny being a member of the organization the NoZe Brotherhood while a student at Baylor University? UNANSWERED BY RAND PAUL
Did the NoZe Brotherhood actively promote blasphemy at Baylor University as his classmate has claimed? UNANSWERED BY RAND PAUL
Does Rand Paul deny binding and blindfolding a young woman in college? UNANSWERED BY RAND PAUL
Does Rand Paul deny pushing the young woman to take illegal drugs? UNANSWERED BY RAND PAUL
Does Paul deny forcing a young woman attending a Baptist College to worship to the "Aqua Buddha?" UNANSWERED BY RAND PAUL
What is Rand Paul's reaction to the young woman's claim that his actions were "sadistic?" UNANSWERED BY RAND PAUL
Is Rand Paul willing to state that he believes his former classmate is lying about this incident? UNANSWERED BY RAND PAUL
Does Paul have any other activity in his background that could affect his ability to be a moral leader in the United States Senate? UNANSWERED BY RAND PAUL
Does this incident relate to Paul's early departure from Baylor University? UNANSWERED BY RAND PAUL
