# Former staffer accuses Joe Biden of sexual assault **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 27, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393 "2020-03-27T03:13:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/21 "2020-03-27T15:22:18Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > As for why now, that’s also exactly what Republicans said about Blasey-Ford’s accusation. The window of Kavanaugh’s national relevance was significantly shorter (by a decade, if not decades) than the window of Biden’s national relevance. Just because “Republicans said this too” doesn’t make them equivalent questions. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/22 "2020-03-27T15:24:45Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Who should investigate - the FBI? Local police? The Senate? The press? Journalists certainly should investigate. The Democratic party certainly should investigate. I’m sure both of these groups are already investigating. Law enforcement should investigate if they have reason to believe a crime has been committed – so if this accusation qualifies, then they should investigate this (I don’t know the statue of limitations for the jurisdiction in question). > [@](#): > > It’s all well and good to say it should be investigated, but saying it is easy. How seriously should we take this, and based on what? No kidding. We should take it extremely seriously, and find out all the facts that can be determined regarding the accusation. > [@](#): > > I thought the white male patriarchy questioning women about their truth was why we have a problem with sexual assault, false accusations are much rarer than real sexual assault, etc., etc. Yes… and? This is why this accusation should be taken seriously and seriously investigated. > [@](#): > > The Dems will say it should be investigated, and then drop the subject. I expect they (the party) will investigate extremely thoroughly, because if the accusation is accurate, Biden will need to drop out before the convention so an alternative can be found. It would be politically insane to “drop the subject”. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/23 "2020-03-27T15:28:47Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Who should investigate - the FBI? Local police? The Senate? The press? > > It’s all well and good to say it should be investigated, but saying it is easy. How seriously should we take this, and based on what? No kidding. > > I thought the white male patriarchy questioning women about their truth was why we have a problem with sexual assault, false accusations are much rarer than real sexual assault, etc., etc. > > _:shrugs:_ > > The Dems will say it should be investigated, and then drop the subject. No political hay they can make out of this one, or at least not the kind they want. > > Regards, > Shodan Serious enough to the same extent that when Pete Buttigieg and Robert Mueller were accused of sexual assault and it went viral online, the claims were looked into and the people looked into to find out it was a hoax. Mueller’s office referred it to the FBI. > **[Pete Buttigieg was falsely accused of sexual assault in a stunt concocted by...](https://www.businessinsider.com/pete-buttigieg-falsely-accused-of-sexual-assault-jacob-wohl-stunt-2019-4?r=US&IR=T)** > > The alleged plot quickly fell apart. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/24 "2020-03-27T15:31:02Z")
Investigating all sexual assaults extremely thoroughly is not only the right thing to do, it’s also the politically smart thing to do. The party and even the campaign team need to know the facts of all potential lines of political attack against the candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/25 "2020-03-27T16:01:57Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Investigating all sexual assaults extremely thoroughly is not only the right thing to do, it’s also the politically smart thing to do. The party and even the campaign team need to know the facts of all potential lines of political attack against the candidate. And then due to the extreme time lapse, no evidence one way or the other is found (JUST LIKE MOST CASES but also like the Kavanaugh case), then what? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/26 "2020-03-27T16:04:53Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > And then due to the extreme time lapse, no evidence one way or the other is found (JUST LIKE MOST CASES but also like the Kavanaugh case), then what? Appoint Biden to the Supreme Court. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/27 "2020-03-27T16:11:50Z")
What are we supposed to do with the accusation now? We already know that Trump is a serial sexual assaulter. We know that Biden has inappropriately touched other women before – this is not really new information. I hate sounding like an apologist, but Biden is the best of some rather shitty options, which is shitty, but I’m not going to let the perfect be the enemy of the survival of this country. I know I’m going to get torched for this, so flame away. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/28 "2020-03-27T16:12:05Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Appoint Biden to the Supreme Court. Or in this case, allow him to run, also allowing the Trump re-election campaign to freely bash the issue, kinda like Kavanaugh still gets bashed 😉 But hey at least the iiandyii’s of the world got their “investigation”, and some of them they will agree with while others they will not. Of course this has nothing to do with partisan politic lines, AT ALL. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Kearsen1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen1)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/29 "2020-03-27T16:15:12Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > What are we supposed to do with the accusation now? > > We already know that Trump is a serial sexual assaulter. We know that Biden has inappropriately touched other women before – this is not really new information. > > I hate sounding like an apologist, but Biden is the best of some rather shitty options, which is shitty, but I’m not going to let the perfect be the enemy of the survival of this country. > > I know I’m going to get torched for this, so flame away. I agree, we all make mistakes. Kavanugh was accused, but appointed to the USSC. I mean what does it matter that an accusation could result in the President possibly being elected. Trump was accused also if I recall. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/30 "2020-03-27T16:19:03Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > What are we supposed to do with the accusation now? > > We already know that Trump is a serial sexual assaulter. We know that Biden has inappropriately touched other women before – this is not really new information. > > I hate sounding like an apologist, but Biden is the best of some rather shitty options, which is shitty, but I’m not going to let the perfect be the enemy of the survival of this country. > > I know I’m going to get torched for this, so flame away. The same thing rational Americans wanted the Republican party to do this time 4 years ago – pull whatever strings are necessary to kick potential sexual abusers out of the presidential race. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/31 "2020-03-27T16:20:04Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > What are we supposed to do with the accusation now? Get to the bottom of it, quite obviously. There are several months prior to the convention. If it’s real, then there are probably other potential accusers out there, and we need a new candidate. If it’s not, then this needs to be known (with all the supporting facts) to rebut political attacks that attempt to utilize this accusation. This should be politics 101. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/32 "2020-03-27T16:22:10Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Investigating all sexual assaults extremely thoroughly is not only the right thing to do, it’s also the politically smart thing to do. The party and even the campaign team need to know the facts of all potential lines of political attack against the candidate. The thing is, she already got her kick at the can. When all the “creepy uncle Joe” stuff was being aired and investigated, this woman piped up with her story that at the time was similar to the others. ie “He used to put his hand on my shoulder and run his finger up my neck. I would just kind of freeze and wait for him to stop doing that.” Now, she is saying she was scared to say the truth back then and her new story doesn’t match any other accusation. It’s pretty fishy. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/33 "2020-03-27T16:22:56Z")
I’ll also note that this is an entirely different kind of accusation than the others – IIRC, this is the first time anyone has accused Biden of sexual assault, or anything close to sexual assault. All the other accusations (acknowledged and apologized for by Biden, IIRC) were non-sexual touching – i.e. hair, shoulders, hugs, etc., that violated personal space but with no allegations of anything sexual. Needs to be fully investigated – and this need is both moral and political. I’m 99% certain that skilled journalists, and party investigators, are already doing so. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/34 "2020-03-27T16:24:03Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > The thing is, she already got her kick at the can. When all the “creepy uncle Joe” stuff was being aired and investigated, this woman piped up with her story that at the time was similar to the others. ie > > “He used to put his hand on my shoulder and run his finger up my neck. I would just kind of freeze and wait for him to stop doing that.” > > Now, she is saying she was scared to say the truth back then and her new story doesn’t match any other accusation. It’s pretty fishy. If so, this is just another reason to investigate, thoroughly, NOW. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/35 "2020-03-27T16:24:11Z")
Most people probably remember Clinton was accused of a 1978 rape when he ran in 1992. It made the news for a short time. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/36 "2020-03-27T16:26:01Z")
Why is that a reason to investigate? Someone changes their story = good reason to investigate?? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/37 "2020-03-27T16:27:05Z")
> [@Kearsen1](#): > > I agree, we all make mistakes. Kavanugh was accused, but appointed to the USSC. I mean what does it matter that an accusation could result in the President possibly being elected. Trump was accused also if I recall. Joe Biden is not Donald Trump, and people had better not take the fucking bait. Full stop. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/38 "2020-03-27T16:28:44Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Why is that a reason to investigate? Someone changes their story = good reason to investigate?? Investigations are to find the facts of the accusation. If the accusation isn’t true, we need to know, and the sooner the better. Same goes for if it is true. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/39 "2020-03-27T16:29:08Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Get to the bottom of it, quite obviously. There are several months prior to the convention. If it’s real, then there are probably other potential accusers out there, and we need a new candidate. If it’s not, then this needs to be known (with all the supporting facts) to rebut political attacks that attempt to utilize this accusation. > > This should be politics 101. Most people understand that Biden’s not going to campaign against Trump’s sexual virtues or lack thereof. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393/40 "2020-03-27T16:32:01Z")
I’m assuming the reason she hasn’t filed a criminal complaint is because this alleged incident was some 27 years ago. So are law enforcement authorities likely to get involved with this investigation? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/former-staffer-accuses-joe-biden-of-sexual-assault/850393.md?page=3)