National Leader Simon Bridges was "gutted" to read about allegations of sexual impropriety by Jami-Lee Ross and has praised the women who have come forward with their stories.
This morning, Newsroom reported Ross had relationships with four women, with some claiming they were groomed and used for access to information and power.
Newsroom reporter Melanie Reid, who broke the story, told RNZ the women "got under the spell of" Ross.
"They were in a power control, a manipulation sort of situation," she said.
Speaking to media in Hawke's Bay, Bridges said he was "gutted about this story and everything that it's about".