House Speaker Nancy Pelosi became the latest Democrat to endorse Joe Biden for president as attention is growing about a sexual assault allegation against the former vice president.
Pelosi made the endorsement on Biden’s YouTube channel but did not mention the allegation from Tara Reade that Biden assaulted her while he was a senator in 1993.
Biden’s campaign is denying the accusations.
On Monday, Biden’s campaign announced the candidate would hold a “virtual town hall” on Tuesday to discuss the coronavirus’ effects on women.
Last year, several women accused Biden of inappropriate contact, which led Biden to post a response on social media.
Reade, who supported U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders in the most recent Democratic presidential race, is the first person to outrightly accuse Biden of sexual assault.
On Sunday, Reade criticized media outlets and the women who are reportedly being considered as Biden’s running mate for their silence on the issue.
In an interview on Fox News, Reade said her allegations are being treated far differently than those of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who came forward in 2018 during the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and accused him of an alleged assault that took place in the 1980s.
Credit: AJC
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of Congress' most prominent liberal members and supporters of the #MeToo movement, called Reade's accusation "legitimate to talk about" in a CBS interview.
“What you’re voicing is so legitimate and real. That’s why I find this kind of silencing of all dissent to be a form of gaslighting,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “I think it’s legitimate to talk about these things. And if we want, if we, again, want to have integrity, you can’t say, you know — both believe women, support all of this, until it inconveniences you, until it inconveniences us.”
Biden has committed to choosing a woman as his running mate. He has secured the endorsement of virtually every major national Democratic Party official and leader, including former President Barack Obama.
Over the past several days, several social media accounts have arisen dedicated to pressuring Biden to drop out of the race, including #DropOutBiden, #IBelieveTaraReade and #DropOutJoe.
Credit: AJC
Biden has been leading in several polls, but has a huge disadvantage in fundraising to President Donald Trump. The Democratic National Convention has also been postponed and may not be held, at least in person, at all, as the nation continues dealing with the global coronavirus pandemic.
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