Former President Barack Obama’s ex-press secretary Robert Gibbs dismissed allegations of sexual assault levied against former Vice President Joe Biden, calling them “innuendo” during an appearance Monday on MSNBC.
Gibbs expressed doubt about the allegations made by former Biden Senate staffer Tara Reade that the then-senator sexually assaulted her in the 1990’s, and rebutted charges of a “double standard” between these allegations and sexual assault allegations made against Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. (RELATED: Joe Biden Has A Long History Of Opposing Due Process In Sexual Assault Cases)
“I think the sensible standard here is and should be that if a complaint is made, that an investigation should be done,” Gibbs said,
Gibbs also said that due process must play a role when it comes to sexual assault allegations. (RELATED: Joe Biden Left Speechless As He Tries To Explain Why He Can’t Search Tara Reade’s Name In Delaware Records)
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“I think your standard can’t be to simply believe everything you hear,” Gibbs said. “That requires an investigation and I think, again, this weekend’s example is probably a pretty good one about what the due diligence that has to take place and should take place.”
Gibbs went on to praise Biden’s denials, while saying he would urge the vice president to continue to answer questions about the allegation, referring to it as “innuendo.”
“I think it was really smart for him to come out and say something,” Gibbs said. “I think that clearly the time had come for him, not just surrogates, to come out and say something.”
“Look, let’s be clear, this — this kind of innuendo, other things are going to live in dark corners of the Internet well past this election,” Gibbs continued.
Gibbs served as Obama’s first press secretary from 2009-2011, and now serves as the chief communications officer for McDonald’s. Gibbs is the latest high profile Democrat to cast doubt on Reade’s allegations, alongside potential vice presidential candidates Stacey Abrams and Gretchen Whitmer.