House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is breaking her silence on a sexual assault allegation made against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
After initial silence, Democrats are starting to speak out about Tara Reade’s sexual assault allegation made against Biden. Reade, a former staffer to Biden when he was a senator, made her allegation of sexual assault from 1993 known in March.
When asked about the allegation during Thursday’s CNN “New Day” interview and if Biden should “address this head on himself,” Pelosi responded, “Well, I have great sympathy for any women who bring forth an allegation.”
She then continued to express that she is a “big strong supporter of the #MeToo movement.” However, Pelosi then added, “I do support Joe Biden. I’m satisfied with how he has responded. I know him, I was proud to endorse him on Monday, very proud to endorse him, and so I’m satisfied with that.”
Though Biden has not addressed the allegation himself, his campaign has strongly denied it.
CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota continued to press Pelosi saying, “I mean, he hasn’t, to be clear, he hasn’t addressed it. His campaign has addressed it, but he has not directly addressed it. Should he directly publicly address it?”
Pelosi responded:
“You know, it’s a matter that he has to deal with. But I am impressed with the people who worked for him at the time saying they’d absolutely never heard one iota of information about this. Nobody ever brought forth a claim or had anybody else tell them about such a claim. But, again, we have an important election at hand, one that is, I think, one of the most important ones that we’ve had.”
The House speaker added, “We say that every election, but I think this one is the most crucial, and I supported him because he’s a person of great values, integrity, authenticity, imagination, and connection to the American people.”
See Pelosi’s comments below:
Pelosi recently endorsed Biden, saying he is “a leader who is the personification of hope and courage, values, authenticity, and integrity.”
Additionally, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton endorsed the former vice president on Tuesday. After Clinton’s endorsement, Biden’s accuser blasted Clinton, suggesting she “has a history of enabling powerful men to cover up their sexual predatory behaviors and their inappropriate sexual misconduct.”
There has been outrage from some who have suggested that there has been a double-standard from Democrats and the media, in comparison to the response to sexual assault accusations made previously against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh — which sent his confirmation trial into chaos.
Pelosi’s remarks come a day after former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams — who has been vocal about wanting to become Biden’s running mate — told CNN, “I believe Joe Biden. I know Joe Biden and I think that he is telling the truth, and that this did not happen.”
Additionally, former 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Kirsten Gillibrand said, “I stand by Vice President Biden. He has devoted his life to supporting women, and he has vehemently denied this allegation.”
