Three women who have publicly accused President Donald Trump of sexual misconduct shared their stories with NBC's Megyn Kelly Monday and spoke of the backlash they faced after coming forward with their claims. 

"It was heartbreaking last year. We're private citizens and for us to put ourselves out there to try and show America who this man is and how he views women, and for them to say 'eh, we don't care,' it hurt," said Samantha Holvey, who claims Trump walked into the contestants' dressing room during the Miss America pageant in 2006. She competed that year in the pageant.

Holvey, Jessica Leeds and Rachel Crooks detailed their interactions with Trump, which ranged from groping to forcible kissing and making lewd propositions, in an exclusive interview on "Megyn Kelly Today.”  The interview came hours before a news conference where the three women will join several other Trump accusers to demand that Congress investigate their claims.

Holvey, the former Miss North Carolina, told Kelly she felt like "a piece of meat" as Trump inspected the women backstage in an area that was off limits to men. 

Kelly noted Trump once bragged during an interview on Howard Stern's radio show about being able to "get away with" seeing pageant contestants naked, saying, "I'm the owner of the pageant."

The White House said in a statement that the "timing and absurdity of these false claims speaks volumes" and reiterated that the American people "voiced their judgment" by electing Trump president.

"These false claims totally disputed in most cases by eyewitness accounts, were addressed at length during last year’s campaign," the White House statement said. "And the American people voiced their judgment buy delivering a decisive victory. The timing and absurdity of these false claims speaks volumes and the publicity tour that has begun only further confirms the political motives behind them."

Crooks said she introduced herself to Trump in 2005 outside an elevator in Trump Tower in Manhattan, where she worked as a receptionist, and that he kissed her on the lips.

"He held onto my hand and he kept kissing me," Crooks said. "I was shocked. Devastated,” Crooks recalled.

Crooks said at the time, she believed she would have lost her job if she said anything about the interaction to her company because “Trump was an important partner.”

"I wish I had been stronger then," she said.

She said the denials from the White House are "laughable" and "crazy."

"I can’t imagine anyone wanting to come into the spotlight about this," she said. "The things that happened to us spanned decades, states — all over — how could we have possibly colluded to come up with these tales that all sound eerily similar."

Leeds said she was on a flight in the the late 1970s when she claims that Trump, who was seated next to her, started groping her. 

“All of a sudden he was all over me kissing and groping,” she recounted to Kelly. “Nothing was said. It was just this silent groping going on. When his hands started going up my skirt, I managed to wiggle out, stand up and go to the back of the airplane.” 

Asked if coming forward with her story during the election was part of a politically motivated attempt to stop Trump from being elected, Leeds, a self-proclaimed Democrat, said, “I didn’t think I had that kind of power.” 

“I wanted people to know what kind of person he is. What a pervert he is,” she said.

Later Monday, the women were set to hold a press conference with other Trump accusers featured in the documentary "16 Women and Donald Trump," according to a press release from Brave New Films, the media company that produced the film.  More than a dozen women stepped forward during the 2016 elections to allege sexual misconduct by Trump in the wake of a recording where he boasted about grabbing women by their genitals and made other crude remarks.

According to The New York Times, Trump has recently denied to some political allies that it was him in the 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape, even though he directly confirmed the remarks and apologized for them a month before the presidential election last year.

The women’s press conference comes amid a torrent of sexual misconduct allegations that have toppled high-profile men in news, politics and entertainment, among them, Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose, Louis C.K., Russell Simmons and Kevin Spacey.

Holvey said now that the environment surronding sexual misconduct has changed, "let's try round two."

This past week alone three U.S. politicians announced their resignations over allegations of misconduct. 

Democratic Rep. John Conyers, of Michigan, a civil rights hero who'd been the House's longest-serving current member, resigned after facing sexual harassment allegations.

Republican Rep. Trent Franks, of Arizona, resigned as well, effective Jan. 3, after admitting he had asked two female staff aides about becoming a surrogate mother.

Senator Al Franken, a rising political star only weeks ago, reluctantly announced he's resigning from Congress, succumbing to a torrent of sexual harassment allegations and evaporating support from fellow Democrats. But he fired a defiant parting shot at Trump and other Republicans he said have survived much worse accusations.

Last week, Time Magazine named the people who spoke up about sexual misconduct as its Person of the Year for 2017.

On Tuesday, Alabama residents will vote in a U.S. Senate election in which the Republican candidate, Roy Moore, has been accused of sexual misconduct with teenagers decades ago when he was a county prosecutor. Moore has denied the allegations, and he has found support from President Trump in recent days.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Sunday broke the Trump administration line when she said 16 women who have accused Trump of sexual impropriety have the right to be heard.

"I know that he was elected," Haley said on CBS’ "Face the Nation." "But, you know, women should always feel comfortable coming forward. And we should all be willing to listen to them.”

Pedestrians and early morning commuters were evacuated from the Port Authority Bus Terminal after a suspect detonated an IED in an underground passageway. The terminal is the world's busiest, according to its agency. 

Famed chef Mario Batali is taking leave from his restaurant empire and ABC talk show "The Chew" after several sexual misconduct allegations, food website Eater reported.

Four women have accused Batali of touching them inappropriately, according to Eater, and the alleged behavior spans at least two decades.

One woman, who was not identified by Eater, told the website she met Batali at a party in New Orleans 10 years ago. She was a chef, and in their conversation, he asked her to work for him for double her current pay.

She claimed that after spilling wine on her shirt, Batali groped her breasts to "help" clean up the wine.

Batali confirmed to NBC that he is taking leave from his businesses for an unspecified period of time.

In a statement to NBC, Batali said, "I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt. Although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. ... I have work to do to try to regain the trust of those I have hurt and disappointed. For this reason, I am going to step away from day-to-day operations of my businesses."

The hospitality group is bringing on an independent investigation firm to receive complaints from staffers about restaurant owners, according to Eater.

The chef will also step away from ABC's "The Chew," which he has co-hosted since it premiered in September 2011, while the network reviews the allegations, a network spokesperson told Eater.

A request for comment from ABC was also not immediately returned to NBC.

As recently as two months ago, Eater reported, Batali was required to have training after an employee for his Batali and Bastianich Hospitality Group reported inappropriate behavior by Batali. "It was the first formal complaint about Batali..., according to the company," Eater reported.

Eater uncovered the accusations by the women, who all remained anonymous, through an investigation that included interviews with dozens of industry professionals, as well as current and former employees of Batali. Three of the accusers worked for Batali at some point in their careers, Eater said. 

Batali said in his statement that he knows his actions "have disappointed many people."

"To the people who have been at my side during this time — my family, my partners, my employees, my friends, my fans — I am grateful for your support and hopeful that I can regain your respect and trust," he said. "I will spend the next period of time trying to do that."

A Branford man was killed in a crash Sunday and Branford police are looking for witnesses to help in the investigation.

Police said 54-year-old Gerald Peterson was driving a pickup on South Montowese Street around 4:15 p.m. when the truck veered off the road and hit a tree.

Peterson was rushed to the hospital where he died of his injuries.

Investigators said neighbors and other drivers stopped to help before first responders arrived and they are looking to speak with them. Any witnesses can contact police at 203-481-4241.

The crash remains under investigation.

Guilford police are investigating a rash of overnight vehicle break-ins Monday.

Police said the thefts occurred sometime in the early morning hours in the Mulberry Point area. Neighboring towns reported similar incidents. Car break-ins have been an ongoing issue.

Police remind drivers to take precautions including:

• Locking your car
• Removing keys from the vehicle (including any valet keys)
• Hiding valuables from sight or removing them completely

All of the vehicles targeted in the recent incidents were left unlocked, police said.

Guilford police continue to investigate. Residents should report incidents or any suspicious activity to police at 203-453-8061.

Connecticut State Police are searching for two men accused of leaving halfway houses in Waterbury earlier this year.

Police have an arrest warrant for 22-year-old Zachary Foster, who faces a first-degree escape charge after leaving a halfway house in September 2017. He is described as 5-foot-5, 130 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.

Troopers are also searching for 47-year-old James Shea, who is wanted on larceny, failure to appear and escape charges after leaving a Waterbury halfway house in April 2017. Shea is described as around 5-foot-9, 250 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair.

Anyone with information on either suspect is asked to contact Troop A in Southbury at 203-267-2200 or text TIP 711 with information to 274637. Any tips will remain confidential.

A 30-year-old Middletown man is dead after the car he was in crashed into a UPS truck on Interstate 91 South in Rocky Hill early Saturday morning, according to state police.

Police said the United Parcel Services tractor-trailer was parked on the side of I-91 South when a Ford Fusion rear-ended it just after 3 a.m.

The truck driver was not injured.

State police said the driver of the Ford Fusion suffered injuries and was transported to Hartford Hospital. The injuries are not life-threatening.

The passenger in the Ford Fusion, 30-year-old Justin Wilkie, of Middletown, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to state police.

Police are investigating.

Grammy award-winning singer Sheryl Crow has written a song for the Sandy Hook Promise group, which formed shortly after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012.

The song, "The Dreaming Kind" was released on Monday, according to Crow's website.

"I felt compelled to write "The Dreaming Kind" for the incredible people at Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) who work so hard every day to combat gun violence," Crow said in a post on the site.

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Crow has won multiple Grammys and had hits with songs such as "All I Wanna Do," "Leaving Las Vegas," and "Everyday is a Winding Road."

"The Dreaming Kind" is available for a $1 donation, but buyers can also donate more if they wish. The money raised benefits Sandy Hook Promise, according to Crow.

Thursday marks the 5-year anniversary of the mass shooting.

The Liquor Control Commission decided Friday not to renew the liquor permit for Los Imperios on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford, so the establishment can no longer serve alcohol. 

This comes after a public hearing Nov. 30 held after at least 10 West Hartford residents filed a formal document objecting to the renewal of the existing liquor permit. 

“Public input is very valuable to us at DCP. We know we do our best work protecting public health and safety when we hear from local residents,” Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle Seagull said in a statement. “The Liquor Control Commission takes these decisions very seriously, and I’m pleased they were able to reach a decision quickly. I’d also like to thank those who attended the hearing, and the West Hartford Police and town officials for their cooperation in this process.”

A member of the jury in the Kate Steinle murder trial said the prosecution failed to prove that Jose Ines Garcia Zarate intentionally killed the 32-year-old woman and believes the evidence showed that shooting was a "freak accident."

In an exclusive interview with NBC Bay Area, the juror, who did not wish to be identified, talked about the panel's decision to acquit the undocumented Mexican national.

He said the backlash from critics — including President Donald Trump — who have pointed to the case as evidence of the need for tougher immigration policies, propelled him to speak out.

"If I was not a juror on this trial, I would probably think the same way: 'Why did you let him go free?'" said the juror. "But again, the reason is, they could not prove to us that he intentionally killed her. And through all the evidence, I really think that it was a freak accident."

NBC Connecticut meteorologists are continuing to monitor a storm system that will bring a wintry mix Tuesday morning. 

Snow will quickly transition to sleet and freezing rain for inland parts of the state. 

Southern Connecticut can expect primarily rain, however there could even be a bit of icing for shoreline communities with temperatures at or just below freezing. 

A Winter Weather Advisory has been posted for northern Litchfield County.

Temperatures in the upper atmosphere will rise above freezing during the morning. This will allow ice crystals to melt and fall to the surface as plain rain.

Temperatures during the overnight hours will fall into the 20s. A light wind out of the north will allow for the cold surface temperatures to stay below freezing for much of inland Connecticut. 

This is where the freezing rain threat is the highest. 

Cold air will be trapped longer in the valley locations. With little to no wind the cold air basically sinks into the valley.

As the rain falls it will freeze on contact this is known as freezing rain. 

The primary threat with this system is freezing rain although precipitation might start out as snow before transitioning to sleet and freezing rain.

A man who applied to be a school crossing guard in Vernon was arrested after police learned he is a registered sex offender in Massachusetts and did not register in Connecticut after moving here, according to police. 

Vernon police arrested 35-year-old Damont Whitaker, of Vernon, Monday and charged him with failure to register as a sex offender and making a false statement. 

Police said the arrest was in connection with Whitaker’s application in October to be a school crossing guard for the Vernon Police. 

During the background investigation, Whitaker said he had never been arrested and signed a form that contains a warning that any intentional misstatements or omissions constitute grounds for criminal prosecution, according to police. 

Police said a background check revealed that Whitaker is on the Massachusetts sex offender registry. 

Police said Whitaker, who now lives in Vernon, was required to register as a sex offender in Connecticut. 

Police said he has also been arrested several times in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. 

Whitaker’s application to be a school crossing guard was denied and he never worked in that capacity, according to Vernon Police.

Whitaker is being held in lieu on a $20,000 cash-surety bond.

Officers shot and killed a 24-year-old Connecticut man Sunday after the man had broken into a Sunset Cliffs home and armed himself with a knife. 

Residents on Trieste Drive called San Diego Police Department officers at about 6:07 a.m. to report that a man was banging on their doors and windows in the Point Loma neighborhood "demanding a knife so he could kill himself," SDPD Lt. Mike Holden said. 

When SDPD officers arrived they found a man in the front yard of an elevated home in the 1200 block of the street. The man picked up bricks and threw them towards officers from above, Holden said.

Then, the suspect ran towards the home. Police officers heard the sound of glass breaking and discovered that the man had broken a door to the house.

There were two residents who were upstairs sleeping at the time. Officers followed the suspect, who did not live there, into the home. 

That is when they saw the man in the kitchen with a fixed-blade knife pointed at his throat, Holden said. He refused several orders to drop the knife and instead, turned it towards officers. 

"The suspect pointed the knife at officers and quickly walked toward them," Holden said. 

At that moment, two officers — one armed with a less-lethal bean bag shotgun and the other armed with an AR-15 rifle — fired their weapons at the suspect, SDPD said. 

The suspect was struck by at least one bullet.Despite efforts to resuscitate him, the suspect died at the scene, police said.

He was identified as 24-year-old Kyle Zahacefski of Colchester, Connecticut.

Zahacefski arrived in San Diego by bus on December 9, police said. Investigators say they're not sure on why he traveled to California.

The two residents and the two officers were not injured. 

The officer who fired his weapon is a 15-year-veteran of the San Diego Police Department, Holden said. 

The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Anyone with information was asked to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

A previous version of this story erroneously reported the incident occurred in the 1600 block of Trieste Drive. 

A Quinnipiac University student returning to Connecticut was catching a train in Times Square Monday morning around the time of what authorities are calling an attempted terror attack. 

“I was in Times Square. I was about two blocks away from the explosion,” Marie Trapani, a freshman from Staten Island who is majoring in TV and film, said. 

Trapani was going to board a train for Grand Central Terminal when the NYPD said a 27-year-old man detonated a device he was wearing in the tunnel between the subway station and Port Authority bus terminal. 

“First, when people were like running I was like OK, something is definitely wrong because people don’t run like this in Times Square,” Trapani said. 

She watched ambulances and first responders rush to the scene. 

“It’s amazing what they all do, risking their lives every day,” Trapani said. 

When Trapani arrived at Grand Central to catch her train to New Haven, she noticed additional security. 

“It was swarmed with NYPD, state troopers, military,” she said, “I felt very safe there.” 

At New Haven’s Union Station, Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Amtrak Police are on patrol with K9s. 

Shanbrelle Green, of Hartford, said police presence is reassuring. When taking a bus or train with her 9-month-old baby girl, she said situational awareness is key. 

“Who you’re around, who’s next to you, especially if you have a child and they’re very young. You don’t know what can happen,” Green said. 

The final leg of Trapani’s trip was a shuttle ride from Union Station to the Hamden campus. 

“My mom, my grandma, my dad, they’re like just, ‘Come home,’ but I have finals so had to come back,” Trapani said. 

Gov. Dannel Malloy issued a statement in response to the attempted suicide bombing near Times Square. 

“Our thoughts are with New York City today, especially with the first responders and the injured innocent bystanders,” the governor said. “Keeping our citizens safe is our number one priority, and the public’s vigilance and partnership is critical to keeping authorities informed. Please be aware of your surroundings at all times and report questionable behavior to law enforcement. If you see something suspicious in your daily travels, say something.” 

If it is urgent, citizens can call 911 or contact the state’s 24/7 Homeland Security Tip Line by dialing 1-866-HLS-TIPS (1-866-457-8477). 

Firefighters have responded to a condominium that is on fire on Richards Avenue in Norwalk, according to police who said they are evacuating an adjacent condo complex.

Officials from the Norwalk Police department said firefighters responded to a large fire at a condominium complex at 100 Richards Avenue and crews are fighting the fire from the outside after being ordered to evacuate the building.

Norwalk police said they are evacuating an adjacent condo complex.

Firefighters from Norwalk, Rowayton and Darien have responded and police are urging people to avoid the area.

As another round of winter weather heads our way, road conditions are expected to take a hit and drivers said they are not excited about the possibility of a messy commute because of a wintry mix Tuesday morning. 

"I'm not a big fan, I'm not a big fan," said Carmela Savvas, of Newington. 

State police said they responded to hundreds of car accidents after the snow Saturday. 

"Three hundred fifty crashes, 31 of them had injuries, and there were just over 200 motor assists," Connecticut State Trooper Kelly Grant said. 

Police are advising drivers to be cautious as they head on wet and slippery roads Tuesday. 

"Everybody drives how they shouldn't be driving, and they think it's safe, and it's not," Savvas said.

A Hartford police sergeant has been arrested and suspended without pay after using a police vehicle without permission while he was on leave, according to police. 

Police arrested Justin Torniero, 10-year veteran assigned to the patrol division, after an internal Hartford Police Department investigation. 

Internal affairs detectives said they learned that Torniero repeatedly took a police vehicle while out of work on accrued leave, filled it with City of Hartford gas and drove it for extended miles without any authorization or permission, according to police. 

Investigators said a computer modem and an automatic vehicle locator were tampered with in one of the vehicles. 

Torniero was charged with using a motor vehicle without permission, larceny in the sixth degree and a computer crime in the fifth degree. He has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the criminal and administrative investigations. 

Torniero was issued a $1,000 non-surety bond and released. He is due in court on Dec. 21.

Police have canceled a Silver Alert for a 16-year-old Norwalk girl who police said has autism and was last seen today at Brien McMahon High School. 

Noelia Baker-Ortiz is autistic with limited speaking abilities, according to police. 

Police said she has been located and she's safe.

When battling addiction, one of the biggest challenges is finding where to seek treatment and Ashley Shaw knows that first-hand. 

“I would call and call and call and when there wasn’t a bed available, I would give up,” Shaw said. “Or, I would try the next day and the next day and just keep calling.” 

Now working with Community Speaks Out -- a non-profit that helps families get the help and support needed regarding addiction – she helps make calls for others looking to battle drug addiction. 

Shaw said a new, stand-alone website launched by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) can help change the game. 

The site, ctaddictionservices.com, allows people to see what beds are available at DMHAS-funded facilities. That includes detox programs, residential treatment and recovery houses. 

Providers are asked to update the site multiple times throughout the day so people have a semi real-time perspective of whether beds are available. 

“If I knew about other facilities that were open, I think I would have had a better chance of getting in some place faster,” Shaw said. 

There are about 1,000 state-funded beds. 

Diana Lejardi, a DMHAS spokesperson, said they usually operate at 90 percent full. 

Jack Malone, the executive director of the Southeastern Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SCADD) in New London, knows that first-hand. 

SCADD is often at capacity, according to Malone. That’s why he thinks a site like this can help save lives. 

“One of the things that’ll scare someone off, get them back using, is if they hit a road block. If they can’t get into a treatment program at that very important moment where they’ve said, ‘I’ve had enough,’” Malone said. 

The website is funded through a federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant, which provides the state $1 million annually to “expand medication assisted treatment as well as strengthen outpatient resources and improve statewide infrastructure,” according to a news release by DMHAS. The grant runs from Sept. 1, 2016 to Aug. 31, 2019. 

New London Human Services Director Jeanne Milstein said addiction services assistance is needed, especially in this city. 

“We have the bus station, we have the ferry, we are the I-95 corridor between essentially Washington and Boston. It’s a hub here. And we’re really committed to eradicating and at least diminishing the devastation,” Milstein said. 

As for next steps, Milstein said she’d like to see a breakdown of the specific services provided at each state-funded facility. Eventually, the site could possibly show some of the other non-DHMAS-funded services available, Milstein suggested. 

About four months after hurricanes ravaged parts of the Caribbean, evacuees who’ve come to Connecticut are still looking for a place to live. 

Wilson Torres has been living with his grandmother in a small two-bedroom apartment on North Main Street in Waterbury for years. Though, after Hurricane Maria destroyed much of Puerto Rico, their apartment is filling up quickly. 

His parents, Louis and Lourdes; his sister, Ana; and her 15-year-old daughter have found refuge in Connecticut since they arrived November 28 and there’s not a lot of room in the apartment for the family of six. 

“Well, my grandmother has been sleeping here in this lounge here,” Wilson Torres said as he showed us his living room. 

A small hallway leads to the first bedroom. 

“This is my grandmother’s room and this is the room my sister and my niece are using right now,” Torres said, showing the apartment to NBC Connecticut. 

Space was taken by bags in every corner to fit their items. Then, Wilson took us into his second bedroom. 

“This is my room where my mom and dad sleep now,” he said. 

Wilson sleeps on the floor of his living room. 

He said his family has applied for apartments through the Housing Authority in Waterbury. 

“They’re on a waiting list for six months to a year, two years. Yes it’s tough,” he said. 

The need is great. Connecticut’s online resource guide for people arriving in our state from Puerto Rico has been downloaded more than 4,300 times. 

As of December, 1,485 students from the island have enrolled in Connecticut public schools since the hurricanes hit. 

But to have housing, Wilson’s sister, Ana, has found she needs income, which means she needs a job and it’s something she is desperately trying to find. 

“We need help. We need space where we can be like living comfortable and we want to work,” she said. 

Finding housing is a challenge many cities across the state are experiencing with an influx of people coming from hurricane-ravaged areas. 

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Monday that the federal government needs to address financial burdens. He is hoping there is relief on the way for states like Connecticut helping hurricane victims, such as the Torres family. 

“I’m championing a relief bill which would provide about $154 billion and a major part of it for communities, like Connecticut, where housing is necessary for people who are coming here to escape the ravages,” he said. 

There is a local effort in Waterbury to help those in need. 

A hurricane relief center on the first floor of 236 Grand St. assists evacuees with services like ESL classes, job information and housing. 

“We’re going with the aspect that if we can find employment and they’re gainfully employed, we’ll be able to find them apartments,” said Roxanne Augelli, Waterbury’s hurricane relief coordinator. 

Until there is either more housing or more financial help, the Torres family will be in a tight space.