Hillary Clinton has been a champion for women and a staunch advocate for believing women survivors and punishing perpetrators of sexual harassment, assault, and rape — at least, according to her base. Seriously. Why else would she tweet about it?

Hillary's message to survivors of sexual assault: We're with you.https://t.co/qhLpgr3Iac — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2015

Every survivor of sexual assault deserves to be heard, believed, and supported. https://t.co/mkD69RHeBL — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 23, 2015



While most of her supporters can't think of anyone who's a bigger and better champion for women than Clinton, here comes the bucket of salt to pour in that 2016 wound that never really healed. According to the New York Times, Clinton shielded one of her advisers, Burns Strider, from being fired for repeatedly sexually harassing a younger staffer during her 2008 presidential campaign.

Surely, this is just a mistake, and Clinton had no say in the matter, her base might add.

"Mrs. Clinton’s campaign manager at the time recommended that she fire the adviser, Burns Strider. But Mrs. Clinton did not. Instead, Mr. Strider was docked several weeks of pay and ordered to undergo counseling, and the young woman was moved to a new job," reads the New York Times.

This can't be real, you say. Clinton ran an inspiring 2016 campaign for president filled with love and inclusion against the serial misogynist womanizer with wandering hands, Donald Trump. Clearly, this is the work of the Trump campaign.

The funny thing for most people in politics is that sooner or later evidence will present itself that completely undercuts everything they stand for. In the case of Clinton, her time of being a champion for women is up.

The fact that Clinton would position herself as a wholesome, principled woman who only wants to fight for women's rights and amplify their voices, particularly when it comes to sexual misconduct, is incredibly rich.

And it's not just that Clinton kept Strider on her campaign as an adviser because it was politically advantageous for her to keep him on. He stayed in Clinton World by serving as the senior adviser to the pro-Clinton super PAC, Correct the Record, where he was fired for workplace harassment. Additionally, the young staffer who he repeatedly sexually harassed was moved to a different job. Why should the staffer be punished for the sins of Strider?

Clinton hasn't been able to escape the reputation that "she is whatever you want her to be," but with this troubling and deeply concerning revelation, she is what many always thought she was: a fraud. It only adds to the legend that Clinton tried to silence the accusers of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, after he was accused of sexual assault and rape by Juanita Broderick, Paula Jones, and Kathleen Wiley.

Time's up for Clinton and her position of being a champion for women. She never cared about women (plural) because she only cares about one woman (singular): herself.

Siraj Hashmi is a commentary video editor and writer for the Washington Examiner.