Pelosi says she is ‘satisfied’ with Biden’s response to sexual assault allegation

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday said she was “satisfied” with how presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has responded to sexual assault allegations made against him by a former staffer — even as new revelations have emerged that appear to bolster the accuser’s claims.“Well, I have great sympathy for any women who brings forth an allegation; I’m a big strong supporter of the #MeToo movement. I think it’s made a great contribution to our country and I do support Joe Biden,” Pelosi said on CNN. “I’m satisfied with how he has responded, I know him, I was proud to endorse him Monday, very proud to endorse him, so I’m satisfied with that.”PELOSI ENDORSES BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT, AMID DEVELOPMENT IN SEXUAL ASSAULT CLAIMThe comments were her first on the matter since her Biden endorsement early this week.It echoes remarks she made on MSNBC on April 17, when she was asked if she was satisfied with Biden’s answer: “Yes, I am. I am very much involved in this issue. I always want to give the opportunity that women deserve to be heard. I am satisfied with his answer, yes.”Biden, however, has not personally said anything about the accusation, relying instead on his campaign to deny it.Tara Reade, a former Biden staffer, has accused him of sexually assaulting her in 1993. The campaign referred Fox News to a statement earlier this month from Biden Deputy Campaign Manager Kate Bedingfield that said: “What is clear about this claim: it is untrue. This absolutely did not happen.”Reade’s allegations have received some support in the form of a resurfaced “Larry King Live” interview that appears to show Reade’s mother referring to the accusation, albeit in vague terms. Additionally, two more people who knew Reade have come forward to say she told them about the allegation at the time.Reade’s story first resurfaced in an article in The Intercept on March 24. Podcast host Katie Halper then interviewed Reade, who said that, in 1993, a more senior member of Biden’s staff asked her to bring the then-senator his gym bag near the U.S. Capitol building, which led to the encounter in question.”He greeted me, he remembered my name, and then we were alone. It was the strangest thing,” Reade told Halper. “There was no, like, exchange really. He just had me up against the wall.”She continued: “His hands were on me and underneath my clothes, and he went down my skirt and then up inside it and he penetrated me with his fingers and he was kissing me at the same time and he was saying some things to me.”DEM VP SHORTLISTERS CONDEMNED KAVANAUGH: HERE’S THEIR RESPONSE TO BIDEN ACCUSATIONReade said she tried to share her story last year, but nobody listened to her. Earlier this month, she filed a criminal complaint against Biden with police in Washington, D.C.Democrats who have rallied to Biden’s side and downplayed or ignored the accusation have been accused of hypocrisy by Republicans — and even some on the left — who note that their stance toward the allegation against Biden is significantly different from how they approached claims made against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, as well as against President Trump.On Thursday, Pelosi was asked whether Biden himself should respond to the allegations, since so far it has only been his campaign that has responded.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP“It’s a matter he has to deal with, but I am impressed with the people who worked for him at the time saying that they 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,” she said, referring to Senate aides who have rejected the accusation or said they didn’t recall any such complaint.She went on to say that the upcoming election is “one of the most important ones we’ve ever had” and praised Biden for his values, integrity, imagination and understanding of kitchen table issues.“He’s the personification of hope and optimism for our country,” she said.Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
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