Democrat Joe Biden denies alleged sexual assault, requests release of Senate records

[rooster59]

Democrat Joe Biden denies alleged sexual assault, requests release of Senate records

By Trevor Hunnicutt and John Whitesides

 

FILE PHOTO: Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the 11th Democratic candidates debate of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign, held in CNN's Washington studios without an audience because of the global coronavirus pandemic, in Washington, U.S., March 15, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Friday asked the Senate to find any documents tied to an allegation he sexually assaulted a former aide in 1993, after personally denying the accusation publicly for the first time.

 

"No, it is not true. I'm saying unequivocally it never, never happened," Biden told MSNBC in an interview when asked about the accusation, which his campaign had also previously denied.

 

A California woman named Tara Reade, who worked as a staff assistant in Biden's Senate office from December 1992 to August 1993, had accused Biden in media interviews of pinning her against a wall in 1993, reaching under her skirt and pushing his fingers inside her.

 

Biden, 77, who will be the Democratic nominee to face Republican President Donald Trump, 73, in the Nov. 3 U.S. election, had faced growing pressure from within and outside his party to directly address the accusation.

 

"This is an open book. There's nothing for me to hide," Biden said in the interview, conducted from his home in Delaware where he is self-isolating during the coronavirus outbreak.

 

In a letter, Biden asked the Secretary of the Senate, Julie Adams, to locate and make public records containing any complaint or other documents relating to Reade's allegation, if they exist, according to a copy of the document seen by Reuters.

 

During the interview Biden said personal papers from his Senate years, which were donated to the University of Delaware and have yet to be made available to the public, do not contain any personnel files.

 

He said he was unaware of any complaint against him by Reade, and he had never asked anyone to sign a non-disclosure agreement. He said he would not question Reade's motive and did not know why she had made the complaint.

 

In the past Biden has suggested that women making accusations of sexual assault should be given the benefit of the doubt, and on Friday he said he was not being hypocritical by rejecting Reade's charges.

 

"Women have a right to be heard and the press should rigorously investigate claims they make. I'll always uphold that principle," he said. "But in the end, in every case, the truth is what matters."

 

Reuters has not been able to independently confirm Reade's accusation and also was unable to reach Reade or a representative for her comment.

 

"We appreciate Vice President Biden finally addressing Tara Reade's allegations," said Heather Drevna, the vice president of communications at the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, an anti-sexual violence organization. "These allegations deserve a rigorous investigation."

 

TRUMP ACCUSATIONS

 

Trump has been accused in recent years by more than a dozen women of making unwanted sexual advances. In all instances, they claimed the purported misconduct occurred years before he entered politics. Trump has denied the accusations, accusing rival Democrats and the media of a smear campaign.

 

In an interview on Friday with conservative radio host Dan Bongino, Trump said if the accusations were false, Biden should deny them.

 

"Just go out and fight it, it's one of those things," Trump said he would advise Biden. "I've been a total victim of this nonsense, false accusations."

 

Trump's re-election campaign accused Biden of exercising a double standard. "In a dramatic shift, Biden now says ‘believe women’ doesn’t actually mean 'believe women,'" said campaign spokeswoman Erin Perrine.

 

"We do not know what, if anything, was done to Tara Reade, but there cannot be one set of rules for Joe Biden and another set for everyone else."

 

Several news outlets that have published Reade's account, including the New York Times and the Washington Post, have interviewed a friend who said Reade told her about the alleged assault at the time. Another friend told the Times that Reade told her in 2008 about a previous traumatic incident involving Biden. Reade's brother also confirmed parts of Reade's account to The Intercept and the Post.

 

On Monday, the Business Insider news website published an interview with a former neighbor who said Reade told her in the mid-1990s that Biden had put his fingers inside her.

 

Reade, 56, told media interviewers she complained at the time about sexual harassment, though not sexual assault, to three of Biden's Senate aides. The Biden campaign released a statement from one, Marianne Baker, who said she never received any report of inappropriate behavior in nearly 20 years of working for Biden.

 

The Post and Times interviewed the other two aides, both of whom told the newspapers they had no recollection of Reade's complaint.

 

Reade was one of eight women who last year came forward to say Biden had hugged, kissed or touched them in ways that made them uncomfortable, though none accused him of sexual assault. Reade publicly accused him of the assault on a podcast in March.

 

Some prominent Democratic women had stepped forward to defend Biden, who was President Barack Obama's vice president, and others had asked him to address the accusation.

 

"It can't appear that she's being ignored just because it's an inconvenient truth for certain people in the Democratic Party," said Nina Turner, who was national campaign co-chair for the presidential campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders, who dropped out of the Democratic race and endorsed Biden.

 

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in New York and John Whitesides in Washington; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Steve Holland and Susan Cornwell; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Howard Goller and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-02

 

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[TopDeadSenter]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

In the past Biden has suggested that women making accusations of sexual assault should be given the benefit of the doubt

That's right Joe. When your party was using the Christine Ford allegations to troll and bash justice Kavanaugh, his family , and the GOP just 18 months ago, that was the position. Believe women always. No ifs no buts.

 So sad to see it all backfiring like this. This must be humiliating knowing his own party made the rod that is now being used to beat him. It is the absolute last thing Joe needs after the Ukraine "son-of-a he got fired" video, his son Hunter's terrible and seemingly corrupt activities, the spurious rumors Joe not having his wits about him, and now this. Doesn't seem like Joe is having a good run here.

Edited May 2, 2020 by TopDeadSenter

[mr mr]

this fossil needs to shew away with the rest of his old useless generation.

[Cryingdick]

The dems have a great "insurance" card to play should they want it. Let's see if they begin to feign outrage.

[Tug]

My oh my wants everything public an open book sorry trump supporters it’s a nothing burger that’s not a guilty dude I think he handeled it just right

[Cryingdick]

1 minute ago, Tug said:

My oh my wants everything public an open book sorry trump supporters it’s a nothing burger that’s not a guilty dude I think he handeled it just right

 

We haven't got the FBI involved yet...

[Chomper Higgot]

7 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

We haven't got the FBI involved yet...

I’m not sure on what basis you make that claim.

 

Eitherway, Biden welcomes the record to be opened and the accusations to be examined.

 

 

[Slip]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

That's right Joe. When your party was using the Christine Ford allegations to troll and bash justice Kavanaugh, his family , and the GOP just 18 months ago, that was the position. Believe women always. No ifs no buts.

 So sad to see it all backfiring like this. This must be humiliating knowing his own party made the rod that is now being used to beat him. It is the absolute last thing Joe needs after the Ukraine "son-of-a he got fired" video, his son Hunter's terrible and seemingly corrupt activities, the spurious rumors Joe not having his wits about him, and now this. Doesn't seem like Joe is having a good run here.

trump and his minions got away with a ton of revolting behaviour so I doubt that this smear campaign against Biden will go far.

[Cryingdick]

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I’m not sure on what basis you make that claim.

 

Eitherway, Biden welcomes the record to be opened and the accusations to be examined.

 

 

I was joking. I am not as petty as a dem. Let Joe try to stand on his own two feet, I am fine with it. 

[Cryingdick]

1 minute ago, Slip said:

trump and his minions got away with a ton of revolting behaviour so I doubt that this smear campaign against Biden will go far.

 

So you think Biden should get a free pass because you don't like Trump? Do you people ever listen to yourselves? #metoo that's your stupid movement. 

[Slip]

Just now, Cryingdick said:

 

So you think Biden should get a free pass because you don't like Trump? Do you people ever listen to yourselves? #metoo that's your stupid movement. 

feel free to read my comment again and not misunderstand/ misrepresent it this time.

[Cryingdick]

1 minute ago, Slip said:

feel free to read my comment again and not misunderstand/ misrepresent it this time.

 

It seems you think because Trump was investigated and nothing stuck you think Biden should be exempted from the same sort of scrutiny. Was that your point?

[metisdead]

A post using a trolling meme and a reply has been removed.

 

An off topic deflection post has been removed. 

[PatOngo]

4 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

I was joking. I am not as petty as a dem. Let Joe try to stand on his own two feet, I am fine with it. 

I think he needs a Detol injection and some internal UV light! ????????????

[BobBKK]

4 minutes ago, Sujo said:

I believe he is out because of the virus. Probably being looked at for a position with trumps inner circle, he’d fit right in.

Nice try but wrong Party you know full well they were Dems.

[Tug]

Sounds like a bunch of very disappointed trump supporters over here lol and just wait till we get to the issues not the distractions as in this case lol

Edited May 2, 2020 by Tug

[TopDeadSenter]

1 hour ago, Slip said:

trump and his minions got away with a ton of revolting behaviour so I doubt that this smear campaign against Biden will go far.

Right, so it should be easy to post a credible link detailing your "ton of revolting behaviour" claim as per forum rules, although I'm not convinced a Biden thread is the right place to post yet more fairy tales about Trump. Particularly after the 10 million Trump bashing threads we had.

 

 At let us be very clear, far fetched allegations of "revolting behaviour" by petulant losers, is NOT the same as factual evidence. As we saw with the long list of desperate hoaxes that collapsed into you know what under scrutiny and the judicial process.

 

[Jingthing]

Our likely next president Biden has successfully neutralized this. Short of some surprise stronger evidence it's over. The truth is that unlike the 45, Biden has not shown any pattern or reputation of being a sexual abuser. Physical boundaries thing which he is known for is not the same thing. So sorry for the 45 fans that thought they had a Biden killer with this. Of course I am not saying that it's definite that he didn't do it. Who knows? Only that he has presented plausible deniability and that is going to be good enough. 

[simple1]

1 hour ago, BobBKK said:

Nice try but wrong Party you know full well they were Dems.

And? so was trump!

[Rimmer]

A most derogatory and probably libelous post removed

 

If you wish your post to remain up please do not alter politicians names

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Avenetti sends his regards.

As does Michael Cohen!

[CaptRon2]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Our likely next president Biden has successfully neutralized this. Short of some surprise stronger evidence it's over. The truth is that unlike the 45, Biden has not shown any pattern or reputation of being a sexual abuser. Physical boundaries thing which he is known for is not the same thing. So sorry for the 45 fans that thought they had a Biden killer with this. Of course I am not saying that it's definite that he didn't do it. Who knows? Only that he has presented plausible deniability and that is going to be good enough. 

Your post could not be further from the truth if you tried. Biden’s reputation for unwelcome touching of women is well documented.

We also have complains from female Secret Service  agents assigned to his detail complaining about his habit of swimming laps naked in front of them. 

if You watched his interview today on MSNBC you would be wondering if he is capable of putting an entire sentence together let alone run a country, The Durham report will be released soon, and let’s not forget, where is Hunter?

Bidens problems haven’t even begun, he will be lucky if he is not in prison.

Likely next President, keep dreaming.

[Kelsall]

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Our likely next president Biden has successfully neutralized this. Short of some surprise stronger evidence it's over. The truth is that unlike the 45, Biden has not shown any pattern or reputation of being a sexual abuser. Physical boundaries thing which he is known for is not the same thing. So sorry for the 45 fans that thought they had a Biden killer with this. Of course I am not saying that it's definite that he didn't do it. Who knows? Only that he has presented plausible deniability and that is going to be good enough. 

While you obviously don't get it, the MSM and DNC do.  They are going after Biden to pave the way for his replacement during the convention.  They know he cannot beat Trump and his hair sniffing, unwanted touching, and now rape allegations make this perfectly clear.

[CaptRon2]

Everything in public? Yet he almost choked when asked about a name search for Tara Reid in his papers at the University of Delaware, and so far he is not authorizing one, nothing to hide?

 

. 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

6 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Doesn't seem like Joe is having a good run here.

BERNIE BERNIE BERNIE

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

He did not handle that interview well at all. They were simple questions he should've been able to answer quickly. Mika's not necessarily that hard hitting, I'd say. But he did not. Some might even say his reaction was damning.

 

It was how Prince Andrew answered the questions and reacted to his interview that did him in. But in his case he did have lame excuses, while Joe does not. Interesting to see what happens now.

[Sujo]

3 hours ago, BobBKK said:

Nice try but wrong Party you know full well they were Dems.

So was trump. Until he said if he ran for pres it would be as a repub because their voters are dumb enough to elect anyone.

[Sujo]

6 minutes ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

He did not handle that interview well at all. They were simple questions he should've been able to answer quickly. Mika's not necessarily that hard hitting, I'd say. But he did not. Some might even say his reaction was damning.

 

It was how Prince Andrew answered the questions and reacted to his interview that did him in. But in his case he did have lame excuses, while Joe does not. Interesting to see what happens now.

Its hard to answer questions on something that didnt happen 30 years ago. He did the right thing asking for the archives to be opened so they can be checked.

 

at the other end of the spectrum you have trump.

[Kelsall]

Watch this part of the interview for a minute or so. 

Joe is sweating bullets like a crook who has been caught.

 

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Kelsall

[CaptRon2]

15 minutes ago, Sujo said:

So was trump. Until he said if he ran for pres it would be as a repub because their voters are dumb enough to elect anyone.

Please post a credible reference on your Trump post, personals I do not think we will see one,

That said, no reference and you are deliberately posting lies.