Politics

Sen. Gillibrand Does Not Believe Tara Reade’s Accusations Against Biden

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Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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Democratic New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Tuesday she does not believe the sexual assault allegations brought forward by 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden’s accuser Tara Reade.

Gillibrand was asked on a conference call about allegations by Reade, who has accused the then-senator of kissing her, touching her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent in 1993 when she was a Senate staffer for him, to which she said, “I stand by Vice President Biden. He’s devoted his life to supporting women and he has vehemently denied this allegation,” according to NBC News.

This comes after a 1993 transcript obtained by The Intercept showed that Reade’s mother mentioned during a call to “Larry King Live,” that her daughter had problems with a “prominent senator” in Washington.

Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden delivers a keynote address regarding the future of the middle class, at the Brookings Institution, on May 8, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

The Media Research Center also uncovered the video Friday of the August 11, 1993 edition of CNN’s “Larry King Live” program. (RELATED: Biden Accuser Tells Us New Video Evidence Proves Her Allegations Are True)

Reade then confirmed to The Daily Caller News Foundation that the voice in the video is her mother’s and that “hearing her voice made me cry.” Reade was reportedly forced out of her job as a Senate staffer, she told the Daily Caller News Foundation on Friday. (RELATED: Senate Democrats Refuse To Acknowledge Sexual Assault Accusations Against Joe Biden)

The Daily Caller contacted Democrats in the Senate, including Gillibrand, asking them if they would even consider the allegations by Biden’s accuser. Each Senate office was given 24 hours to respond, but not one did.

Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris in April 2019 said she believes Biden’s accusers. However, she has not addressed the new reports that have surfaced backing up Reade’s claims.

“I believe them and I respect them being able to tell their story and having the courage to do it,” Harris said at a presidential campaign event in Nevada. When asked if Biden should run for president, Harris said “He’s going to have to make that decision for himself. I wouldn’t tell him what to do.”

All of the senators contacted by the Daily Caller, besides Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, voted against the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh due to sexual assault allegations made against him.