Former Vice President Joe Biden included former Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd in his vice presidential selection committee Thursday.
Dodd allegedly participated in what has since been dubbed the “waitress sandwich” with former Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy. Biden’s pick comes as pressure is mounting for him to address the allegation of sexual assault that former Senate staffer Tara Reade made publicly last month.
Biden promised on March 15 to choose a female running mate. Dodd’s own allegation of sexual assault involves a waitress and a drunken evening with Kennedy. Below is an excerpt from a 1985 GQ Magazine article on the alleged incident:
As Gaviglio enters the room, the six-foot-two, 225-plus-pound Kennedy grabs the five-foot-three, 103-pound waitress and throws her on the table. She lands on her back, scattering crystal, plates and cutlery and the lit candles. Several glasses and a crystal candlestick are broken. Kennedy then picks her up from the table and throws her on Dodd, who is sprawled in a chair. With Gaviglio on Dodd’s lap, Kennedy jumps on top and begins rubbing his genital area against hers, supporting his weight on the arms of the chair. As he is doing this, Loh enters the room. She and Gaviglio both scream, drawing one or two dishwashers. Startled, Kennedy leaps up. He laughs. Bruised, shaken and angry over what she considered a sexual assault, Gaviglio runs from the room. Kennedy, Dodd and their dates leave shortly thereafter, following a friendly argument between the senators over the check.
“Ted Kennedy and Chris Dodd, for instance, who participated in the famous ‘waitress sandwich’ at La Brasserie in 1985, while their dates were in the bathroom — have tended to get out of it by claiming that their boyish high jinks had simply gotten out of hand,” a 1998 New York Magazine article reads.
Biden has yet to directly address Reade’s allegation. Reade accused Biden of sexually assaulting her in the early 1990s while she was working for the then-Delaware senator. (RELATED: Joe Biden Releases Plan To End Violence Against Women Days After Fundraising With Alleged Women Abusers)
His campaign has denied the allegation through a spokesperson.
NEW: @JoeBiden announces his VP Vetting committee: @SenChrisDodd, @LisaBRochester, @ericgarcetti and former WH & Senate counsel to Biden, Cynthia C. Hogan will serve as co-chairs.
WH Counsel Bob Bauer, campaign GC Dana Remus & fmr Nat’l Sec Advisor Lisa Monaco will help vet. pic.twitter.com/FyPUJIZWqa
— Molly Nagle (@MollyNagle3) April 30, 2020
Biden’s other picks for the selection committee are Democratic Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Biden’s former White House and Senate counsel Cynthia C. Hogan.
“Selecting a vice presidential candidate is one of the most important decisions in a presidential campaign and no one knows this more than Joe Biden,” Biden for President’s campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said according to the Washington Examiner.
“These four co-chairs reflect the strength and diversity of our party, and will provide tremendous insight and expertise to what will be a rigorous selection and vetting process. We are grateful for their service to the campaign and for their leadership.”
Neither Biden’s campaign nor Dodd immediately responded to a request for comment from the Daily Caller.