US Prez election nominee Biden accused of sexual harassment

Washington, April 13 (IANS) Ex-US Vice President and Democratic party presidential candidate Joe Biden’s former aide has accused him of sexually assaulting her during the early 1990s when he was a Senator.

Tara Reade, who hails from California, had accused Biden of assaulting her in the basement of a Capitol Hill office building in the spring of 1993. She had also filed a police report in Washington last Thursday which said that she was a victim of a sexual assault by an unknown person, according to foreign media reports.

In a statement, Biden’s deputy campaign manager and communications director Kate Bedingfield said the former Vice President has “dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women,” pointing to his work in passing the Violence Against Women Act.

She said “he firmly believes that women have a right to be heard – and heard respectfully,” but added: “Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press.”

Earlier in the Democratic primary, Biden had also faced accusations of unwanted touching by several women, who said they were uncomfortable with hugs, hand-holding and other actions.

–IANS

sdr/bg