Barack and Michelle Obama 'disgusted' by allegations against Harvey Weinstein

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Barack and Michelle Obama have broken their silence on the sexual misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein, issuing a statement on Tuesday that they're "disgusted" by the reports.

"Michelle and I have been disgusted by the recent reports about Harvey Weinstein," they wrote. "Any man who demeans and degrades women in such fashion needs to be condemned and held accountable, regardless of wealth or status. We should celebrate the courage of women who have come forward to tell these painful stories. And we all need to build a culture -- including by empowering our girls and teaching our boys decency and respect -- so we can make such behavior less prevalent in the future."

Weinstein was a major Democratic donor, holding fundraisers for several prominent politicians on the left, some of which Barack Obama attended while he was president. The Obamas' daughter, Malia, also interned for the Weinstein Co., which Harvey Weinstein was forced out of on Sunday.

The Obamas are only the latest Democrats to denounce Weinstein. Most recently, on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton released a statement saying that she's "shocked and appalled" by the allegations against Weinstein, hours after the New Yorker published a report alleging that the movie mogul sexually assaulted multiple women.

Democratic politicians have steadily come out against Weinstein ever since last Thursday, when the New York Times published an article detailing dozens of sexual harassment allegations against him. In the immediate aftermath, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) announced that they were donating campaign contributions from Weinstein to charitable nonprofit groups.