by Mary Margaret Olohan
Rep. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday called Tara Reade’s sexual allegations against former Vice President Joe Biden “ridiculous” and said she does not believe her.
The California Democrat discussed Reade’s allegations before reporters, and said Reade’s are “totally different” from the sexual assault allegations Christine Blasey Ford made against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Feinstein said that “Kavanaugh was under the harshest inspection that we give people over a substantial period of time.”
Reade has has said that Biden kissed her, touched her, and penetrated her with his fingers without her consent when she worked for him as a Senate staffer in 1993. Biden and has campaign have denied the allegations.
Feinstein questioned why Reade waited so long to bring forward her allegations.
“And I don’t know this person at all who has made the allegations. She came out of nowhere. Where has she been all these years? He was Vice President,” Feinstein said. To “attack him in this way to me is absolutely ridiculous.”
“No, I do not,” she said when asked if she believes Reade, according to the Hill.
The Hill also reported that Feinstein said she has “a great respect for his integrity, for his fidelity to his family his friends.”
“And so these accusations are very disturbing because they do have an impact on an individual, and every indication I would have is that they would be false until I was shown otherwise,” she added.
Feinstein joins other Democrats who staunchly defended Ford in her allegations against Kavanaugh, but now say they do not believe Reade.
The senator said in a September 2018 tweet that she found “every single piece of information from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford eminently credible, sincere and believable.”
During every step of this process, I’ve found every single piece of information from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford eminently credible, sincere and believable. She knew this would have a huge effect on her life and she was incredibly brave to come forward.
— Senator Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) September 18, 2018
“Confirming Brett Kavanaugh in the face of credible allegations of sexual assault that were not thoroughly investigated, and his belligerent, partisan performance in last Thursday’s hearing undermines the legitimacy of the Supreme Court,” Feinstein tweeted in September 2018.
In another September 2018 tweet, Feinstein called for a delay of the hearings concerning Ford’s allegations.
“We should honor Dr. Blasey Ford’s wishes and delay this hearing,” Feinstein tweeted. “A proper investigation must be completed, witnesses interviewed, evidence reviewed and all sides spoken to. Only then should the chairman set a hearing date.”
“The decision to come forward or not come forward has always been Christine Blasey Ford’s, and that includes her participation in a hearing,” she added.
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Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
