Rep. Ilhan Omar Says She Believes Tara Reade’s Assault Claims Against Joe Biden But Will Still Vote for Him (Video)
Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar affirmed Tuesday she plans to vote for presumed Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the general election, but said it’s important to “believe survivors.” Omar made those comments on “Good Morning America” following recently released interview with the Sunday Times of London during which she said she believed Tara Reade, a former Senate staffer who accused Biden of sexually assaulting her when she worked for him. Omar told “GMA” that interview was several weeks old.
“There’s obviously parts of what [Reade] has said that have been corroborated and parts that haven’t. That is not my place, to litigate her story,” the congresswoman said. “I think it’s important — when someone says they have been assaulted and they see themselves as survivors — that we, as we have been saying, believe survivors.”
Earlier in May, Biden appeared on “Good Morning America,” too, and — not for the first time — denied that he ever sexually assaulted Reade, saying it’s up to “responsible journalists” to investigate such claims.
Biden said, “I think women should be believed. They should have an opportunity to have their case and stated, just forthrightly, what their case is, and it’s the responsibility of responsible journalists like you and everyone else to go out and investigate those.”
Last year, Reade first told a local paper in Nevada County that Biden had inappropriately “put his hand on [her] shoulder and run his finger up [her] neck” when she worked in his Senate office and at the time specifically said he did not assault her. But in late March, Reade appeared on Katie Halper’s podcast to say that Biden, in 1993, had also pushed her up against a wall in a secluded area of the Capitol building, kissed her, reached under her skirt to penetrate her with his fingers, and then said “You’re nothing to me” after she pulled away.
Last week, the Wigdor Law firm announced it was no longer representing Reade. “Our decision, made on May 20, is by no means a reflection on whether then-Senator Biden sexually assaulted Ms. Reade,” a statement read. “We genuinely wish Ms. Reade well and hope that she, as a survivor, is treated fairly.”
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