U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) is backing former Vice President Joe Biden over Tara Reade, who has alleged Biden sexually assaulted her when she worked for Biden’s Senate office in 1993.
Per The Huffington Post, Jones on Wednesday broke his public silence over the allegations. Alabama’s junior senator is a longtime friend of Biden’s and an early backer of his 2020 presidential bid.
“The more that comes out, the more and more it, to me, does not have the indicia of credibility that I would be looking to at all,” Jones said.
As reported by BBC News, “Acquaintances of Ms Reade have said she confided in them after the alleged assault.”
Additionally, Reade’s mother in 1993 called into Larry King’s show on CNN, advising that her daughter had left a job in Washington, D.C., after “problems” with a “prominent senator.”
The Huffington Post added that Jones called Reade’s account “totally inconsistent” with Biden’s character.
Biden (after weeks of not commenting) has denied the allegations, saying while “women should be believed,” “In this case, the truth is [Reade’s] claims are false.”
Jones’ stance on Biden comes in contrast to his public position on allegations against Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation process. Jones was quick to call for a full FBI investigation into Kavanaugh after Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accused him of sexually assaulting her in high school. The senator from Mountain Brook further wanted to subpoena an alleged witness (who denied having any memory of such an assault) and ultimately voted against Kavanaugh’s confirmation even after an FBI probe admittedly found no corroboration.
In announcing that vote, Jones stated, “Dr. Ford was credible and courageous and I am concerned about the message our vote will be sending to our sons and daughters, as well as victims of sexual assault. I will be voting no.”
Indeed, Biden is not the first Democrat Jones has taken a different tact on related to sexual misconduct allegations since voting “no” on Kavanaugh.
When Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax (D-VA) was accused last year by multiple women of sexual assault, Jones at the time said, “I don’t know how you can apply to somebody that’s in office now with somebody who is trying to get a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.”
Jones added, “What I said though is consistent that accusers like that need to be heard, they need to be listened to, and those grievances need to be aired and something needs to be acted on in one way or another. That’s it.”
Overall, Jones has been quick to come to Biden’s defense this election cycle.
The Democratic senator pushed back on Congressman Bradley Byrne’s (AL-01) call for an investigation into Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings and how Joe Biden was involved.
Jones also defended Biden last year when he came under fire for remarks about former segregationist Democratic senators, as well as deeming past sexual misconduct allegations against Joe Biden as distractions from beating President Donald Trump in 2020.
RELATED: Doug Jones: Biden does not have ‘senior moments’ — Just ‘Joe Biden moments’
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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