Joe Biden claims Tara Reade’s credible sexual assault allegation against him should be “subject to appropriate inquiry and scrutiny” while he blocks any hope for “appropriate inquiry and scrutiny” by refusing to release 40 years of his Senate archives at the University of Delaware.
During his disastrous Morning Joe appearance Friday, Biden reiterated this belief. “Women have a right to be heard, and the press should rigorously investigate claims they make.” He said this right before he blocked any hope for a “rigorous investigation” by refusing to release his Senate archives.
What this all revolves around is Reade’s allegation she filed a harassment complaint against Biden in 1993. She says this complaint involves Biden’s long and disturbing history of touching women inappropriately — something seven other women have alleged. Reade further claims she was fired in retaliation.
Here’s a transcript of Biden’s refusal to cooperate with a full investigation during his MSNBC appearance.
As you will see, Biden is even refusing to allow a trusted person access to those records who will look only for information related to Reade:
MSNBC: So, personnel records aside, are you certain there was nothing about Tara Reade in those [University of Delaware] records, and if so —
BIDEN: I am absolutely certain.
MNSBC: — why not approve a search of her name in those records?
BIDEN: Approve a search of her name?
MSNBC: Yes, and reveal anything that might be related to Tara Reade in the University of Delaware records.
BIDEN: There is nothing. They’re not there. I don’t understand the point you’re trying to make.
MSNBC: The point I’m trying to make —
BIDEN: There are no personnel records by definition.
MSNBC: The point I’m trying to make is you are approving, and actually calling for a search of the National Archives records of anything pertaining to Tara Reade. I’m asking, why not do the same in the University of Delaware records, which have raised questions because they were supposed to be revealed to the public and then they were sealed for a longer period of time. Why not do it for both sets of records?
BIDEN: Because the material in the University of Delaware has no personnel files. It has — but it does have a lot of confidential conversations that I had with the president about a particular issue, that I had with the heads of state of other places, that — that would not be something that would be revealed while I was in public office or while I was seeking public office. It just stands to reason. To the best of my knowledge, no one else has done that either.
MSNBC: I’m just talking about her name, not anybody else in those records — a search for that. Nothing classified with the president or anybody else. I’m just asking, why not do a search for Tara Reade’s name in the University of Delaware records?
BIDEN: Look, I mean, who does that search?
MSNBC: The University of Delaware. Perhaps you set up a commission that can do it. I don’t know, whatever is the fairest way to create the most transparency.
BIDEN: Well, this is — look, Mika. She said she filed a report. She has her employment records still. She said she filed a report with the only office that would have a report in the United States Senate at the time. If the report was ever filed, it was filed there, period.
So out of one side of his mouth, Biden is nobly claiming all women — including his credible accuser — deserve a full investigation into their claims. But out of the other side of his mouth, as you can see from the transcript above, Biden is blocking that full investigation by refusing to release records that directly pertain to decades of his public life.
It’s worth noting that this alleged harassment complaint is separate from Reade’s allegation Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993. The lifelong Democrat and former Biden staffer says Biden cornered her in a deserted hallway, shoved his hands up her skirt, and then his fingers into her vagina.
Investigative reporter Rich McHugh has found five people who verified Reade told them about Biden’s alleged assault at or near the time it happened.
McHugh also says that if a sexual harassment complaint exists, one place to find it would be in the University of Delaware archives Biden adamantly refuses to release.
If that’s not scary enough, Business Insider reports Biden has sent operatives to the university to go through those papers, so heaven only know what’s going on there.
Another way in which Biden is deliberately blocking the full investigation he says he wants, is by calling for records related to Reade to be released only from the National Archives.
To begin with, the National Archives has already said it does not hold records pertaining to a harassment complaint. Those records would be held by the Office of Fair Employment Practices, and that office will not release any records pertaining to Reade for another two decades.
Compare Biden’s ongoing cover-up and lack of transparency to Reade, and even to Brett Kavanaugh.
When Kavanaugh was falsely accused of sexual misconduct — an accusation that has now been thoroughly debunked and discredited — he could not wait to go before the public to declare his innocence. He was an open book both personally and with documents. The media demanded his high school yearbooks — he gave them his high school yearbooks. Kavanaugh even went so far as to give the Senate his detailed calendar from the year in question, 1983.
Reade is also an open book. She’s talking to any reporter willing to listen, she’s inviting investigative reporters like McHugh to fully investigate her allegations, and she has risked prison by filing a criminal complaint against Biden.
Meanwhile, until today, Biden has remained in hiding, he is still hiding documents, and his campaign is asking surrogates like Stacey Abrams to lie for him using talking points that are so dishonest the far-left New York Times debunked them.
Even without the Reade allegation, it is outrageous that Biden is running for president while refusing to release 40 years of archives involving his public life.
It is even more outrageous, but not at all surprising, that the fake news media are actively aiding and abetting this cover-up.
Finally… this is the most important question there is…
We know Reade’s version of why she left Biden’s senate office. She says she was fired in retaliation for filing a sexual harassment complaint.
What is Biden’s version of why Reade left his office?
Why won’t he make public that personnel records that will tell us this? Did she resign? Is there a resignation letter? Was she fired for some other reason? Was her contract up and not renewed?
Personnel records would detail all of this, and we are not being allowed to see them.
Further, Biden has not even shared his version of why Reade left his office in 1993.
Biden’s behavior continues to be the behavior of a man with everything to hide.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC. Follow his Facebook Page here.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.