House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Thursday accused Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) of “being a hypocrite” for saying she’s satisfied with former Vice President Joe Biden’s response to sexual assault allegations levied against him.
The California Republican argued that Pelosi is using a different standard for Biden than she did with similar allegations against others, including Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
“She is being a hypocrite. You cannot say that Joe Biden — if you are just taking it on its nature — has she talked to Tara Reade, has she ever looked into it? Joe Biden has not responded to this,” he told reporters during a press call on Thursday.
“You can’t say one thing about every other time she has commented about any accusation and now say it is OK. She endorsed Joe Biden after knowing the Tara Reade situation,” he added.
Tara Reade, a former Senate aide, last month accused Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993 when he was a Delaware senator.
McCarthy’s comments came shortly after Pelosi said she was “satisfied” with Biden’s response to the situation during an appearance on CNN. Pelosi also told reporters at a press conference on Thursday that she has “complete respect for the ‘Me Too’ movement” but that “there is also due process.”
McCarthy noted that Biden has not directly responded to the claims.
“So did anybody follow up with a question to the Speaker, when you went to endorse Joe Biden did you first look at this?” he continued.
“And if she thinks his lack of response is a good enough response, then to me, that is being a hypocrite based upon the past comments she made on other situations she made similar to this,” McCarthy said.
The Biden campaign has adamantly denied the accusation.