Harvey Weinstein's lawyer claims she is often made to 'feel uncomfortable' by powerful men but handles issues 'on her own' after being grilled on Australian TV
- Harvey Weinstein's lawyer was grilled by Today Show hosts on Wednesday
- Lawyer admitted she is often made to feel uncomfortable by powerful men
- But Donna Rotunno claimed she knows 'how to handle herself' as strong woman
- 'I'm a strong independent woman who knows how to say no,' she said on show
Defence lawyer Donna Rotunno (pictured) was grilled by Today Show hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon on Wednesday
Harvey Weinstein's lawyer has admitted she is often made to feel uncomfortable by powerful men but claims she 'handles it on her own'.
Defence lawyer Donna Rotunno made the startling confession while being grilled by Today Show hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon on Wednesday.
Throughout the interview Rotunno continued to defend the disgraced Hollywood producer who was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting two women.
Stefanovic questioned whether it was difficult as 'a woman to defend a man who is a sexual predator'.
Rotunno said it wasn't difficult to represent someone who has been charged with a crime.
When Langdon questioned if Rotunno had ever been made to feel uncomfortable by a man in a position of power, she admitted she had.
But she claimed she handled it herself.
'I'm a strong independent woman who knows how to say no,' she said.
'I'm a strong independent woman who knows how to have a conversation and say you know, not going to happen.'
Today Show hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon questioned how, as a woman, Ms Rotunno could defend the rapist
The bulldog defence lawyer has repeatedly courted controversy since taking on Weinstein's case as she was accused of blaming the victims and saying women should take responsibility for their actions.
Rotunno, who is known to loathe the #MeToo movement, sparked controversy when she told a New York Times podcast she'd never been assaulted because she wouldn't 'put herself in that position'.
In an ABC interview earlier this year, Rotunno said of the victims: 'If you don't want to be a victim, don't go to the hotel room.'
In a separate interview with Vanity Fair, Rotunno said: 'If women want equal rights and equal pay and equal opportunity, then you have to also take equal responsibility.
'I think it's easy to look back and say, ''Oh, you know, maybe I didn't love that experience''. Well, okay. Regret sex is not rape.'
Rotunno, who is not married and lives alone, has previously said she does not support the #MeToo movement because it can unfairly sway public opinion against defendants.
She routinely represents accused rapists.
Rotunno said her belief that unproven allegations and media scrutiny had eroded Weinstein's right to a fair trial motivated her to take the case.
Rotunno took on Weinstein's case in June 2019 - two years after dozens of allegations against Weinstein fueled the #MeToo movement.
During his trial, Rotunno appeared each day at Weinstein's side, unflinching in the face of flashing cameras.
Rotunno, who is not married and lives alone, has previously said she does not support the #MeToo movement because it can unfairly sway public opinion against defendants
Donna Rotunno, Weinstein's 'secret weapon', was photographed at his side in July before his trial began
Rotunno, who comes from a large Italian-American family and has 14 godchildren, has made a career out of representing men accused of sexual assault.
A former Chicago prosecutor, Rotunno has represented some 40 defendants accused of sexual assault since she opened her own firm in Chicago in 2005.
Weinstein had cycled through several high-profile lawyers since his indictment in 2018, including Jose Baez and Benjamin Brafman. He nixed Brafman over differences in legal strategy and Baez quit claiming Weinstein's behavior made the job 'unreasonably difficult'.
But Rotunno - the first woman to lead his defence - said she found Weinstein 'very easy to work with'.
Her clients have included Senegalese fashion designer Elhadji Gueye and Stanley Stallworth, a former partner at Chicago law firm Sidley Austin, who were both accused of rape and acquitted.
Taking on Weinstein's case catapulted Rotunno into the spotlight as she geared up to defend the Hollywood producer against allegations he raped onetime aspiring actress Jessica Mann in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and forcibly performed oral sex on film production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006.
In addition to the two main accusers, four additional women - including Sopranos actress Annabella Sciorra, were called to testify as witnesses to bolster the case against him.
