'ABSOLUTELY DID NOT HAPPEN'
Joe Biden ‘absolutely’ denies former aide’s allegation he harassed and sexually assaulted her in 1993
JOE Biden has denied allegations from a former aide that he harassed and sexually assaulted her on Capitol Hill in 1993.
Tara Reade claimed last month that , the presumptive for president, assaulted her in the basement of an office building in
5
She claimed the alleged assault happened while she was working as a staff assistant in Biden’s office at the time, when he was a senator for .
Last year, Reade publicly accused Biden of inappropriately touching her — but did not allege .
Reade filed a on Thursday saying she was the victim of a sexual assault by an unnamed person in 1993.
has steadfastly denied Reade's claims, and said the accusations “absolutely did not happen.”
5
Kate Bedingfield, deputy campaign manager and communications director for Biden, said the former vice president has “dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women.”
Bedingfield noted Biden’s work passing the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.
Biden “firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully,” she said, but added: “Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press.”
“What is clear about this claim: it is untrue.”
Reade said she wasn’t aware of anyone who directly witnessed the alleged encounter, but she did raise accusations of sexual harassment, but not assault, against Biden in multiple meetings with her supervisors.
One of those people was Marianne Baker, Biden’s executive assistant, who said in a statement given by Biden’s campaign: “I never once witnessed, or heard of, or received, any reports of inappropriate conduct, period — not from Ms. Reade, not from anyone.”
5
The AP it spoke with five former or current staff members on Sunday, all of whom worked for Biden at the time of the alleged incident.
None recalled such an incident or report and two couldn’t recall who Reade was.
“She did not come to me. I would have remembered her if she had, and I don’t remember her at all,” Kaufman said.
that they spoke with five people who Reade said she shared details with about what happened.
Three of those who NBC spoke with said they don’t recall any conversations with Reade about an apparent assault, but a fourth person acknowledged talking to Reade about it.
That person asked to remain anonymous, out of fear for her business, and said she remembers Reade telling her that she spoke with her superiors in Biden’s office about harassment, but not assault.
5
She remembers Reade told her she filed a formal written complaint with the Senate at the time.
A fifth person NBC News spoke to, who also asked to remain anonymous, said Reade told her in the mid-2000s that Biden “had been inappropriate and touched her when she worked in his office but that she didn't detail the alleged assault.”
Reade also claimed to have told her mother, who is now dead, and her brother, who told The Intercept he remembers his sister telling him about an assault at the time.
In recent weeks, Reade has given interviews about what she says happened with Biden.
She told the AP that in 1993, she was asked by a supervisor to bring Biden his gym bag as he was on his way down to the Senate gymnasium.
Reade claimed Biden pushed her against a wall in the , groped her and penetrated her with his fingers.
“He was whispering to me and trying to kiss me at the same time, and he was saying, ‘Do you want to go somewhere else?’” Reade said.
5
“I remember wanting to say stop, but I don’t know if I said it out loud or if I just thought it. I was kind of frozen up.”
Reade said that she pulled away and Biden looked “shocked and surprised,” and replied, “Come on, man, I heard you liked me.”
Reade claims that after she complained to supervisors, her job responsibilities were toned down and she was eventually told that she was not a good fit for the job and was encouraged to find a new one.
The AP said they spoke with Reade about Biden in April 2019, but during that interview, she alleged that Biden rubbed her shoulders and neck, played with her hair, and that she was asked by another aide in Biden’s Senate office to dress more conservatively and was told “don’t be so sexy.”
MOST READ IN NEWS
Biden’s conduct towards women first came under scrutiny just before he announced his presidential campaign last spring.
Eight women, including Reade, came forward with allegations that the former vice president made them feel uncomfortable with inappropriate physical displays of affection.
Biden acknowledged the complaints and promised to “be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future.”
Do you have a story for The U.S. Sun team?
Email us at [email protected] or call 212-416-4552.
Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at .
Topics