Thread by @BuzzFeedNews

NEW: College classmates of Madison Cawthorn say he harassed women students. BuzzFeed News spoke with more than 30 people, who described and corroborated instances of sexual harassment and misconduct by the now–member of Congress. buzzfeednews.com/article/addyba…

The allegations by his former classmates include calling women derogatory names in public, asking them inappropriate questions about their sex lives, forcing women to sit in his lap, and kissing and touching them without their consent.

Two RAs at Patrick Henry College began warning women students in their dorms to avoid Cawthorn, and ten people described stories where Cawthorn used his car as a way to entrap and harass female classmates.

Cawthorn exuded a jock persona at school and his tight circle of friends was known around campus as “the douche crew,” former students said. Two of his best friends from Patrick Henry later joined his congressional campaign and are now among his top aides in Congress.

As Cawthorn’s political career took off, former classmates expressed shock and dismay to each other. They organized an open letter denouncing his 2020 campaign. One organizer felt discouraged after voters elected him.

Some classmates also came forward during the campaign to share allegations against Cawthorn. He unequivocally denied the accusations. He also responded to the open letter from the PHC community, saying it was based on rumors.

Cawthorn's communications director did not respond to the specific allegations in our reporting and referred to comments Cawthorn made during the campaign. “I have never done anything sexually inappropriate in my life,” he said then.

As a show of evidence for his support, Cawthorn’s campaign in October wrote on Facebook he had the endorsement of a “significant number of PHC alumni and former students who knew him well.”

It was signed by six people, two of whom were part of his team. buzzfeednews.com/article/addyba…