Department of Justice - Office For Victims Of Crime Michigan Attorney General Michigan US Senators Michigan US Representatives Michigan State Senators Michigan State Representatives RE: Funding For Michigan Officer Involved Domestic Violence Project (MIOIDV) website (owned and operated by Renee' Harrington) In 2007 I created the MIOIDV website after Michigan officials and legislators previously refused to fund/approve a state OIDV program. As a survivor of officer involved domestic violence (OIDV), I created the MIOIDV website for victims/survivors of OIDV in order to bring the travesties of these crimes to the attention of government officials. With over 750,000 visitors to the MIOIDV website, I have succeeded in bringing to light the miscarriages of justice in these OIDV cases. A large number of the daily visitors on my website are city, county, state, and federal agencies. The MIOIDV website allows officials to access these cases instantly so they don't have to spend hours and days researching OIDV cases themselves. Additionally, the website allows state officials to follow current OIDV cases as they progress through the criminal justice system. Thus, officials are able to witness first-hand the discrepancy in how OIDV criminal cases are handled differently than non-officer involved DV cases. I am one of only a few Michigan DV experts in the state who has publicly addressed our state's need for laws and programs to protect OIDV victims. I have been interviewed on radio, TV, and in newspaper articles; therefore, it is understandable that officials rely on my website for their OIDV research. Unfortunately, unlike the media which acknowledges and cites my work, officials using my site fail to acknowledge or cite it properly. In some of these incidents, officials have actually downloaded my research from my site. My concern is that officials not citing and acknowledging my work have an opportunity to present my research as their own. After a sheriff deputy's attempt on my life I was blackballed from working in law enforcement, criminal justice, and working with DV victims; which is a deprivation of my rights under Color of Law. I had previously volunteered hundreds of hours to the city and county in drafting domestic violence programs and compiling statistical research. The county retained all of my work and with it they were able to obtain state and federal funding for one of the programs I had drafted. In sum, if I'm not able to secure financial support for the website very soon, I will be unable to offer the website to those state officials who rely on it. I would be happy to schedule an appointment with you to discuss this matter. I look forward to working with officials on this matter. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Renee' Harrington michigan.oidv@gmail.com
Commentary: Joe Biden on restoring the soul of our nation
Salt Lake Tribune, The (UT)
January 2, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Today's politics are too toxic, mean and divisive. People are too quick to demonize and dehumanize, too ready to dismiss all that we have in common as Americans.
That's beneath us as a country. It doesn't reflect our values; it's not who we are. That's why, since I first declared my candidacy for president, I've said: I'm running to restore the soul of our nation.
I first learned those values growing up in a Catholic, middle-class family in Scranton, Pa., and Claymont, Del. I learned them at my father's dinner table, at Sunday Mass and at St. Paul's and Holy Rosary Elementary. The nuns there taught us reading, writing, math and history — as well as core concepts of decency, fair play and virtue. They took as a starting point the teaching from the Gospel of Matthew: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
My whole idea of self and family, of community and the wider world, stems from those lessons. They drilled into me a core truth: Every single human being deserves to be treated with dignity. Everyone. The poor and the powerless, the marginalized and vulnerable, the least of these. That has been the animating principle of my life and my faith.
Scripture is clear: It's not enough to just wish the world were better. It's our duty to make it so.
And when my father would remind me, again and again — "Joey, there's no greater sin than the abuse of power" — I knew: It's never enough to just abhor or avoid the abuse of power; you have to stand up to end it, wherever it's found.
That's what first drew me to public service decades ago — during the civil rights movement, when Americans of all faiths were called on to put our values into action, to fight the heinous abuse of power that is segregation and bigotry.
It's why I fought to pass the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 — to confront the domestic violence that so many back then tried to dismiss as a "family matter," and to instead give survivors a voice and a path to justice and recovery.
It's why I've always stood up for working families — for a higher minimum wage and for family and medical leave; for unemployment, overtime pay, collective bargaining rights and workplace safety.
For me, leadership — and basic human decency — has always meant confronting the abuse of power, and fighting back against anyone who exploits the vulnerable for personal gain.
By ripping children from their mothers' arms at the border and holding asylum-seeking families in cages indefinitely; by fanning the flames of hate and violence at home; by embracing dictators abroad who repress their own people; by threatening hardworking families' health care and food assistance, while giving tax cuts to big corporations — President Donald Trump is dimming the beacon of hope and justice that we've always been as a nation.
In 2020, we must decide: Who do we want to be?
My faith teaches me that we should be a nation that not only accepts the truth of the climate crisis, but also leads the world in addressing it. Pope Francis is right in "Laudato Si": "Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last 200 years." As president, I'll launch a $1.7 trillion clean-energy revolution to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, creating 10 million jobs and starting to heal our imperiled planet.
My faith teaches me that we should be a nation where the hardworking, middle-class families who've made us strong have a real chance to thrive. That's why I'll make sure that we reward work, not just wealth, in our policies and in our values. I'll make sure that we provide every family with access to fair wages, quality health care, good neighborhood schools and a stable retirement.
And my faith teaches me that we should be a nation that once again welcomes the stranger and shows a preferential option for the poor, remembering how so many of us and our ancestors came here in a similar way. I'll end Trump's abhorrent asylum policies, protect "Dreamers" and provide a road map to citizenship for the nearly 11 million undocumented people living in and contributing to our communities every day.
Trump doesn't understand these things, because he doesn't understand America. He doesn't know what it means to live for or believe in something bigger than himself.
In 2020, we need a candidate who can not only beat Trump at the ballot box, but a leader who also can heal and unite our divided country to get things done.
In hard times, I always come back to the words of theologian Soren Kierkegaard: "Faith sees best in the dark."
Trump has brought us some very dark days — but in this darkness, I have faith: As president, I'll make sure that we reaffirm our highest values, rediscover our strength and come together to restore the soul of our nation.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is a candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination for president. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.
HPD: Several officers fire at man while responding to domestic violence call
Houston Chronicle: Web Edition Articles (TX)
January 3, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Several Houston Police officers fired their guns at an armed man who had assaulted and threatened his girlfriend Friday night.
Police arrived on the scene around 6:40 p.m. at a home in the 11000 block of Spottswood Drive near the intersection of Little York Road for a report of a domestic violence assault.
After arguing with the woman and allegedly assaulting her, the 35-year-old, who has previous domestic violence convictions, ran into a wooden shed on the property, said Houston Police Chief Art Acedvedo.
Officers attempted to calm the man and negotiate with him, Acevedo said, but he kept demanding to see the woman he assaulted. The suspect also kept telling the officers to kill him.
The man eventually pointed a semi-automatic firearm at the officers, the Chief said, at which point several officers shot at him.
The man, who was not publicly identified by police, was taken in a helicopter to a nearby hospital, said Acevedo, and was undergoing surgery Friday night.
No officers were injured, according to the chief.
The man had "very aggressively" assaulted the woman and was wanted on a warrant for attacking her in October, Acevedo said.
The suspect was also wanted on another warrant for a parole violation issued on an aggravated robbery conviction in November, said Acevedo.
The chief said the officers took measures like deploying tasers and giving the suspect space during a long negotiation.
When he was shot, Acevedo said the officers immediately began rendering aid and taking measures to treat the suspect.
The woman who was assaulted is safe now, the chief said, but is "shaken up" by the incident.
"She said when he drinks, he gets very violent," said Acevedo.
The fatal officer-involved shooting was the result of another incident of escalating domestic violence, Acevedo said.
"He should not have a firearm in the first place," he added.
Last month, Acevedo made headlines when he called out Republicans in the U.S. Senate for failing to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which would include legislation that would bar more convicted abusers from owning firearms.
He said legislators have failed to reauthorize the legislation that also provides funding and grants for domestic abuse prevention and survivor support programs, due to pressure from the National Rifle Association, which "doesn't like the fact that we want to take firearms out of the hands of boyfriends that abuse girlfriends."
Houston Police Department's Special Investigations and Internal Affairs divisions are conducting a joint investigation with the Harris County District Attorney's Office, as is standard practice in all officer-involved shootings.
Catholic Charities works to help immigrants understand legal options
Kenosha News: Web Edition Articles (WI)
January 3, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
For those coming into the United States, basic information such as filling out claim forms or applying for citizenship is daunting, at best.
Lawyers often joke that the complexities of immigration law are more complicated than learning the U.S. Tax Code.
According to Attorney Barbara Graham of Catholic Charities Legal Services for Immigrants Program, the issues with immigration legalities are more than just an inconvenience. Misunderstanding a form or not mailing a specific number of documents to the court can mean the difference between citizenship or deportation.
Additionally, many immigrants fall victim to false information through rumors and scams, which can also lead to financial loss and deportation.
"The U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) estimates that there are approximately 211, 683 foreign born living in the ten counties of Southeastern Wisconsin which our program serves," explained Graham. "The American Immigration Lawyers Association' American Immigration Council studied the United States Census Bureau's American Community Survey and found that 80,000 undocumented immigrants live in Wisconsin. Many of these 80,000 undocumented immigrants have spouses, children and parents who are United States citizens or lawful permanent residents."
Graham added that around 115,747 people in Wisconsin, including 49,928 born in the United States, lived with at least one undocumented family member between 2010 and 2014. During the same period, 3 percent of children in the state were U.S. citizens living with at least one undocumented family member (43,101 children in total).
The ACS estimates that 6.2 percent of Kenosha residents are foreign born — across the state, the number is 211,683. They also estimate that there are 97,098 in Wisconsin who speak a language other than English at home and live below the federal poverty level.
For those who speak Spanish at home, there are 56,792 or 23.4 percent living below the federal poverty level.
Wheaton Franciscan Sisters spur website idea
Last year the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters Foundation approached Graham with the idea to partner with the Catholic Charities' Refugee and Immigration Services to help serve the immigrant population, direct their legal services and help bring information to the public.
The Refugee and Immigration Services team determined building a website would be the best means to dispense information: extend accessibility to legal information and clarify legal jargon.
The demand for information is huge, both in scope and in distance. The website is invaluable as it is accessible anywhere with a computer or mobile device and includes an unlimited amount of information.
While some websites explain immigration processes, they are often vague or use legal jargon. Graham and her team wrote their website www.RISccmke.org specifically with the immigrant population in mind.
"We wanted to give the immigrant community a resource written by actual attorneys, so they don't have to resort to taking legal advice from rumors milling around their neighborhood," explained Graham. "They can read it in the privacy of their own homes, which is especially important for victims of domestic violence."
Available in English and Spanish
Available in English and Spanish, the RIS website provides information regarding various immigration processes, but does not encourage navigation of the legal system alone. The website offers suggestions on shopping for an immigration attorney. Moving forward, RIS will continue to add blog posts and videos to provide as much relevant information as possible.
The RIS currently consists of four staff attorneys and pro bono attorneys to assist with citizenship preparation.
"Our current pro bono attorneys are retired attorneys. One is a retired bankruptcy attorney and one is a retired tax attorney," said Graham. "They both work with refugees who are applying for United States citizenship. They work with the tutors and citizenship classes in trying to overcome all the obstacles to obtaining United States citizenship. Both work out of Milwaukee."
Clients come to RIS via word of mouth and referral. They do not advertise their services as it is difficult to keep up with the demand. Last year they served 4,000 clients, but Graham explained the number will decrease this year due to the decreased number of refugees the US is willing to help.
"Our clients depend on which immigration benefit they are applying for," she explained. "Family based tends to be Mexico. Asylum is western Africa, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua."
Variety of legal assistance available
According to Graham there is a variety of legal assistance offered:
Affirmative asylum, temporary protected status, protection under the Violence Against Women Act, family-based immigration, citizenship, deportation defense before the Chicago immigration court (asylum, cancellation of removal) help for victims of certain crimes call "U" non-immigrant status (often but mistakenly called a "U" visa), Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (for abused and abandoned children) green cards for refugees, residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act and religious based immigration.
No fees are charged to refugees for green card applications or citizenship. They try to charge for other services, but due to the financial constraints of clients, they often do not charge.
Those interested in helping the immigrants and refugees are urged to contact the RIS.
"The refugee side of our program can always use people to help tutor for citizenship," said Graham. "As for the legal work, we can use pro bono attorneys, but people who aren't attorneys really can't do much. We can always use donations.
Hundreds attend as Bishop helps St. Joseph dedicate grottoJoined by area priests, deacons, students, faculty, staff and family, Bishop Haines blessed and dedicated the sacred outdoor grotto space at St. Joseph Catholic Academy on Wednesday.
Jill Biden says her husband Joe is the candidate who can beat Donald Trump
Muscatine Journal (IA)
January 3, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
MUSCATINE — When asked why her husband, former Vice President Joe Biden, is the Democratic candidate who can unseat President Donald Trump, Dr. Jill Biden points to his record of working across the aisle to get things done.
During a stop at the Biden campaign office in Muscatine Friday, the former second lady spoke with an audience of about 40 people to encourage them to caucus Feb. 3. The stop was part of a bus tour of Iowa in which she hopes to inform Iowans of what a Biden White House would be like.
"The polls have said Joe is the only one who can beat Donald Trump in the swing states," she said. "I think Joe is the right one for the job because he is ready. He can walk in on day one and get the job done. It's not like he has to learn the leaders of foreign countries. It's not like he has to figure out how Congress works. He has done the job with President Obama for eight years."
Jill Biden spoke of Iowa Rep. Abby Finkenauer's endorsement of Joe Biden for president that came the previous day. She said with a month left until the caucus, Team Biden is trying to get to as many places as they are able. She stressed the need to defeat Trump in the coming presidential election.
Since officially launching his presidential bid in April 2019, Biden has led the crowded primary field, even after the first two debates brought intense scrutiny to his voting record. With a month to go until the Iowa caucuses, a poll from Harvard CAPS/Harris shows Biden holding a double digit lead over rivals for the nomination, with Sen. Bernie Sanders coming in second and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, third.
During her speech she spoke of the division that has been created between the political right and left in the United States. She believes Joe Biden is the candidate who can bring the country together, citing such things as the Affordable Care Act and the Violence Against Women Act that he did on a bi-partisan basis.
"People, I think, are ready to come together," she said. "I think people are sick of the division."
Biden cited issues such as the recent aerial attack in which the U.S. killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force. She asked if Pres. Trump had any plans.
"Joe will not be like that as a president," she said. "Joe will be a steady, strong commander-in-chief. When Joe decides to do something as president, there will be thought behind it and there will be a process, not just off the cuff."
A 35-year veteran teacher, Jill Biden said she has spent her entire career discussing work with her husband, When the time came for him to determine an education plan, he already knew a lot about the educational field. He knew what teachers needed and what changes were needed. Jill Biden said the plan is "teacher-centered."
Biden also spoke of the need for mental health services in schools. She cited the need for school psychologists and counselors.
"We have to make schools the calm, safe place to go," she said.
While Biden didn't take questions from the audience during her speech, she had a time after the speech where people could get pictures with her and speak with her personally.
Illinois State Rep. Villa Urges Congress to Reauthorize Violence Against Women Act
Targeted News Service (USA)
January 3, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
BATAVIA, Illinois, Jan. 3 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news on behalf of Illinois State Rep. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago:
To bring attention to the Violence Against Women Act, state Rep. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, is sponsoring new legislation to embolden Congress to reauthorize this critical measure.
"Gender-based violence is a serious public health issue and the Violence Against Women Act has been proven to save lives," said Villa. "As Donald Trump and his extreme allies have continued to wage their war against women, transgender and non-binary individuals, Congress can stand up for the nearly one in four women that has experienced sexual or physical violence from an intimate partner."
Villa is sponsoring House Resolution 632, which urges Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a piece of legislation that provides significant funding toward the investigation and prosecution of violent gender-based crimes. The Violence Against Women Act has historically provided funding for other important programs including grants to combat violence on college campuses, funding for safe haven programs and services for sexual assault survivors.
During her time in Springfield, Villa has continually supported initiatives to support survivors, including a recent comprehensive initiative to crack down on human trafficking, and a new law to protect the privacy rights of survivors of sexual assault, stalking and domestic violence.
"This important legislation funds critical programs that protect and help empower survivors, ensuring they receive the support they need as they build a life away from their abusers" continued Villa. "I urge Congress to stand up for women and other individuals that face gender-based violence by reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act."
Illinois State Rep. Mussman Calls on Congress to Reauthorize Violence Against Women Act
January 4, 2020
Targeted News Service (USA)
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
SCHAUMBURG, Illinois, Jan. 4 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news on behalf of Illinois State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg:
As a part of her continued efforts to stand up for women and other individuals that experience gender-based violence, state Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, is urging Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
"Gender-based violence is a public health issue that impacts tens of thousands of people every year right here in Illinois," said Mussman. "The Violence Against Women Act is imperative because it saves lives by funding critical programs that protect and empower survivors."
Mussman is cosponsoring House Resolution 632, which urges Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a piece of legislation that provides significant funding toward the investigation and prosecution of violent gender-based crimes. The Violence Against Women Act has historically provided funding for other important programs including grants to combat violence on college campuses, funding for safe haven programs and services for sexual assault survivors.
"As extreme politicians continue to wage their war against women, transgender and non-binary individuals, Congress has the opportunity to stand up for the nearly one in four women that has experienced sexual or physical violence from an intimate partner," continued Mussman. "I urge Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, and I will continue fighting for policies that support survivors."
If you or a loved one is experiencing intimate partner violence, help is available through the Illinois Department of Human Services' free, 24-hour hotline at 877-863-6338. Mussman represents the 56th District, which contains portions of Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Roselle, Rolling Meadows and Palatine.
Illinois State Rep. Buckner Urges Congress to Reauthorize Violence Against Women Act
Targeted News Service (USA)
January 4, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
CHICAGO, Illinois, Jan. 4 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news on behalf of Illinois State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago:
Committed to advocating for women and other individuals that have experienced gender-based violence in Illinois and across the country, state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, is calling on Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
"Gender-based violence continues to be a critical issue here at home. In 2014 alone, over 65,800 intimate violence incidents were reported in Illinois," Buckner said. "Women of color are 35% more likely to face intimate partner violence compared to other demographics, which is why I'm fighting to ensure the rights of people facing this public health issue are protected."
Buckner is supporting House Resolution 632, which urges Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a piece of legislation that provides significant funding toward the investigation and prosecution of violent gender-based crimes. The Violence Against Women Act has historically provided funding for other important programs, such as safe haven programs, combatting violence on college campuses, providing services survivors of sexual.
"With the rise of violence toward transgender women and gender non-conforming individuals, it is vital that these are put back in place," Buckner added. "I urge Congress to join me in standing up for the one in four women andone in nine men that have experienced domestic violence by reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act."
If you or a loved one is experiencing intimate partner violence, help is available through the Illinois Department of Human Services' free, 24-hour hotline at 877-863-6338. Buckner represents all or parts of Bronzeville, Gold Coast, Grand Boulevard, Greater Grand Crossing, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Oakland, South Chicago, South Loop, South Shore, Streeterville and Woodlawn.
To produce citizenship data, DHS to share records with Census
Minnesota Public Radio: Web Edition Articles (MN)
January 4, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
The Department of Homeland Security has agreed to share certain government records from its databases to help the Census Bureau produce data about the U.S. citizenship status of every person living in the country.
DHS quietly announced the data-sharing agreement in a regulatory document posted on its website on Dec. 27. It marks the latest development in the Trump administration's ongoing effort to carry out the executive order President Trump issued in July after courts blocked the administration from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
Two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year to keep the citizenship question off, President Trump said in the executive order that releasing citizenship data based on existing records would allow states to redraw voting districts using the number of eligible voters rather than all residents in an area — a method of redistricting that a prominent GOP strategist concluded would politically benefit Republicans and non-Hispanic white people.
According to the DHS document, which was first reported by Federal Computer Week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is sharing personal information about naturalized U.S. citizens and green card holders from records going back to as early as 1973.
More recent records dating to 2013 from Customs and Border Protection, as well as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will provide the Census Bureau with data such as noncitizens' full names, birth dates, addresses, Social Security numbers and alien registration numbers. CBP is also sharing the travel histories of visitors to the U.S., including those who have overstayed their visas.
Federal law restricts the release of immigration records about survivors of human trafficking and of certain other crimes who have applied for special visas, as well as survivors of domestic abuse who have applied for immigration benefits under the Violence Against Women Act. Still, USCIS has asked for permission to release to the Census Bureau data about refugees and asylum-seekers, whose records generally cannot be shared without their consent or a waiver signed by the Homeland Security secretary.
The bureau plans to use the data it does receive to try to match the DHS records with those from other agencies about the same person. Each individual's records would then be used in a statistical model designed to produce anonymized estimates of U.S. citizens and noncitizens living in the country.
It is unclear, however, whether this process will be able to accurately determine the citizenship status of individuals. "No one source of citizenship information is complete and up-to-date," the DHS document — known as a privacy impact assessment — warns, while noting that misidentified individuals would receive "no adverse impact" because the efforts are only for "statistical purposes."
Still, Latinx community groups represented by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC are currently suing the administration, arguing that its data efforts are part of a conspiracy to stop Latinx communities, noncitizens and other immigrants from receiving fair political representation.
Meanwhile, the administration has spent months trying to amass citizenship records from other federal agencies, including the State Department and the Social Security Administration, plus states. In November, Nebraska became the first state to agree to share its driver's license records with the Census Bureau.
The data DHS provides "will not be used to make programmatic or administrative enforcement decisions," according to the document the department released last week.
Instead, the document says DHS is providing the records as required by Trump's executive order to help determine numbers of three specific groups: "citizens, lawfully present non-citizens, and unauthorized immigrants in the United States during the decennial census."
While Trump's order does reference a need for a "more reliable" count of unauthorized immigrants to better inform public policy about immigration and eligibility for public benefits, the Census Bureau has not publicly acknowledged any plans to create such an estimate.
During public meetings in September, the Census Bureau's chief scientist, John Abowd, confirmed that the executive order — along with a filing to the White House's Office of Management and Budget, which reviews all federal government efforts to collect information — "commit" the bureau to releasing citizenship data by the end of March 2021, in time for the next round of redistricting.
The bureau's public information office has not responded to NPR's questions about whether it's planning to produce a count of unauthorized immigrants in response to the executive order.
The bureau is currently fighting off a lawsuit by the state of Alabama and Rep. Mo Brooks, a Republican from that state, which is arguing in court to get unauthorized immigrants excluded from census numbers used to determine the distribution of congressional seats among the states.
Both the bureau and the Department of Homeland Security's office of public affairs have also not responded to NPR's questions about when the new data-sharing agreement was signed and if any data have been transferred yet.
Plans for DHS to share data with the bureau through this agreement have been in negotiations since early 2018, when the bureau officials began scrambling to respond to the Trump administration's last-minute request to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
Census Bureau officials have long advocated for the administration to rely on existing government records as a way to produce citizenship information that the bureau's researchers say is more accurate and less expensive than collecting self-reported responses to a census question. In 2018, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who oversees the Census Bureau, approved adding the question to census forms and directed the bureau to request records from other agencies and state governments.
Still, the DHS document lays out a number of risks involved with sharing data with the bureau, including a concern that doing so is "not compatible with the original purpose" of DHS agencies collecting the information. It also flags the risk that the people whose information DHS is sharing with the Census Bureau may not want that to occur.
The document says, however, these risks "cannot be mitigated" and that Trump's executive order requires DHS to comply with the bureau's data requests.
Some privacy advocates have raised their own concerns about the potential misuse of data, especially at a time of increased immigration enforcement. Using the information to try to identify noncitizens "implicates fundamental due process rights and will impact both citizens and non-citizens," wrote Marc Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, in a July letter to leaders of the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
On top of those concerns, it's not clear exactly how accurate the data produced using the existing records will be. The DHS document acknowledges it is "notoriously difficult" to use data to determine a person's current immigration status because "individuals can have multiple immigration statuses through their lifetime."
"Because DHS is providing information at a point in time," the document says, "it is reasonable to believe that eventually data accuracy issues may arise."
Feds authorizes $2.2B for installations
Carteret County News-Times, The (Morehead City, NC)
January 5, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
CHERRY POINT — North Carolina military installations will receive nearly $2.2 billion in federal funds thanks to appropriations in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020.
The legislation was passed by a bipartisan conference committee before being signed into law by President Donald Trump Dec. 20, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., announced last month. Its purpose is to authorize appropriations for U.S. Department of Defense programs and activities, including military construction. As an authorization bill, it directs how federal funds should be spent but does not set spending limits.
“This legislation is a major win for North Carolinians, especially our servicemembers, military families, and veterans,” Sen. Tillis said in a statement. “I’m proud of the billions of dollars we secured to upgrade North Carolina’s military installations and provide desperately-needed funding for Camp Lejeune to recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Florence.”
Of the more than $2 billion secured for military installations in the state, more than $1.1 billion is allocated for ongoing recovery from Hurricane Florence at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River. An additional $461 million was also appropriated for disaster funding for the military in North Carolina, including funds for operations and maintenance during Florence and for procurement of replacement IT and interim facilities.
As part of the Hurricane Florence recovery-related funds, Cherry Point will receive about $14.25 million for Bombing Target 11 (Piney Island) range operations center replacement. Camp Lejeune and New River will receive $703.09 and $465.82, respectively, for various recovery projects.
1st Lt. Aaron Ladd in Cherry Point’s strategic communications office said the funds are appreciated, though recovery on base began immediately after Hurricane Florence in 2018. He said a lot of work has gone on to repair on-base housing, in particular.
“The commanding officer’s priority is always focused on ensuring Marines and their families are safe,” he told the News-Times.
In addition to the recovery funds, more than half a billion dollars is dedicated to construction at North Carolina military installations. Cherry Point is slated to get about $240 million, and the following construction projects at the air station have been identified:
Aircraft maintenance hangar, $73.97 million.
Air traffic control tower and airfield operations, $61.34 million.
F-35 training and simulator facility, $53.23 million.
Flightline utility modernization, $51.86 million.
In addition to the funds laid out for the military installations, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020 appropriates billions of dollars in other areas that may benefit North Carolinians. According to Sen. Tillis’ office, the following areas received appropriations:
$8.9 billion for implementation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Mission Act.
$1.4 billion for border wall funding.
$3.8 billion increase to combat opioid addiction.
$500 million for programs under the Violence Against Women Act.
$550 million for rural broadband expansion.
Additional $1.5 billion in agricultural disaster assistance that was unspent from the fiscal year 2017 is being reprogrammed to help farmers impacted by 2018 and 2019 natural disasters.
$400 million increase for U.S. Department of Agriculture state disaster block grants.
$43 million in additional funding to help address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
“Sometimes we are just reporting crimes and these don’t have a partisan nature to them…The stories I have reported about sexual abuse know no (political) party…this is about abuse of power ..about corruption…” Ronan Farrow, author of Catch and Kill” responding to a question from Trevor Noah on the Trevor Noah Show
Sexual harassment and sexual assault are equal opportunity offenders.
“ He is affectionate, a little handsy, you know…”
They also say, “boys will be boys” so much about powerful men when they commit crimes of sexual assault and/or harassment on women that the phrase is part of our collective lexicon.
Approximately, 85% of the time it’s a crime against women (not my stats, check the DOJ). In the case of Harvey Weinstein, 100 plus women (and counting) have come forward with sexual assault, stalking and harassment cases against him.
Now, that is only one powerful man and how many women lives were destroyed by this one man?
I am one of the vanquished by powerful men. It is hard and awful to write or say it out loud but there you have it. I want to believe that I have complete control of my destiny and I did try. However, my career was sidelined not once or twice but three times, because of powerful men that decided my fate. It is humbling and embarrassing to admit this defeat but true. And I am only going to share two examples.
The first powerful man who abused me physically and emotionally was my father. He was rich and a defense contractor but did not like children, only the process of getting them. He never shared his wealth with any of his children or family but squandered it on women he met and his own indulgences like the modern day pirate he was. But oh, how everyone wanted his attention and approval, even other men. My father was charismatic, funny and interesting but he had a very cruel streak with business associates and family alike. He died alone and broke. “Karma!” one of my relatives said. I don’t know, perhaps. But what I would have given for just an ounce of love he never gave anyone. However, I had a dynamic, creative, intelligent mother, wonderful brothers and cousins that more than made up for this vacant place he left in my heart.
When I was 18 years old, I had already starred in Equity productions of classical theatre. I had started acting in plays as a child and did school theatre, community and regional theatre, sprinkled with some radio and television commercials.
I wanted to be an actress and study with the masters. After graduation from high school, over 5500 people, including me, were applying for a place in the Juilliard School of Drama. I reread the “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.” I read all the Acting Method books. I had an acting coach for my monologue auditions, (retired actor, Robert Reed who played the father in the Brady Bunch). Before I went to New York, I would go to Robert Reed’s family mansion in Pasadena and he would work with me on my iambic pentameter ( an English term for the five meter rythmn of the language). By the end of our sessions, I forgot how famous he was as would he usher me out with a promise of dinner. I never discussed the Brady Bunch with him. In person, his serious, elegant dignity and candence gave no doubt of his talents as a classical actor. Mr Reed gave me confidence to nail the audition. He would not even accept the fee from me, so I would bring him food and that always seemed to make him smile. Sadly, he died of complications from the AIDS virus (at the time he told everyone he had cancer) before I got to bring him his favorite lasagna dinner. Robert Reed was truly one of the kindest and most generous men I have ever met in my life.
Julliard was going to accept just 22 people to join the class. There were 500 then 200, I got down to the final 22. I started looking at apartments in New York, finding a studio with a roommate above a museum, it could be mine. Dreams were all around me like the smorgasbord of restaurant smells everywhere I walked. The excitement, noise and tingle of New York City thrilled me as I would walk to Lincoln Center for my rehearsals and auditions, I was literally vibrating with hope.
At the semi-final audition, after I completed my monologue, one of the Instructors said to me aside, “ Tara, do you have way to pay the first year tuition?” I stammered and said “Umm yes, no, are there scholarships?”
“No, not until junior year.” She looked at me carefully and nodded, smiling tightly.
I called my father. He said “No, go to law school, do something practical with your life, acting is a pipedream.” I argued tearfully pleading and even begging, as I had no pride left. This was Juilliard, this was it! He repeated “No” and listened to me beg some more then he hung up on me. He could afford it and not even notice the missing money. He sent my three step siblings to college instead. Because of my age, I had to include my parent tax returns for any financial aid and of course with my father’s income, that did not work out. I did not ever even live with my father or see him for years at a time. However, those were the rules, no financial aid.
I left New York City after an espresso and pastry in Little Italy that I ate in tears. I left as quietly as I came. I went back to California and driving back from the airport, I got a flat tire. I hung my head and sobbed over my steering wheel in the Delta 88 Oldsmobile somewhere near Santa Barbara.
Even at 18 years old, I knew what a loss not going to Juilliard would mean to try to advance my acting career. My drama teacher said to use the pain in my next audition. I wish I could go back in time and use some of the skills I gained to problem solve this but back then, I simply did not have the skills.
However, that is enough about daddy issues, I mean thwarting my college dreams was the mild bit, the rejection and the physical assaults set the stage for how I would walk into the world. Thanks so much, daddy. So, you see, having him for a father was an unduly rough ride, you get the picture. At 76 years old, close to death, he finally apologized to me and asked for my forgiveness for the severe physical and emotional abuse. He even put out his cigar, his ruemy, light blue eyes ringed with tears, reaching his hand out to me for acceptance. I looked at the picture of a younger him sailing to Cuba with a friend above his bed, his face with no look of remorse on it as the waves reflected around him. I wondered at how impending death seems the great equalizer.
“And Julliard? “ I asked.
“ What are you talking about?” He replied. He had forgotten. But I remembered. Every, single, day. So, I obliged him with accepting his apology but then I had not much else left to say.
My time in Hollywood was one of the best times of my life. I was a theatre geek in love with the process of creating a production. I modeled and acted in Hollywood, got bit parts, great theatre parts, high paying model gigs, an agent, and even came close, so close, but no starring roles. I made wonderful friends in the business, we would meet after auditions to eat Damianos pizza ( a small dive owned by a New Yorker ) on Sunset waiting for call backs. The owner and pizza cook would always ask us how the auditons went saying, “ Please, would one of you make it so I can retire already?”
One of my first agents, Jack S, was from New York and said in his Brooklyn drawl, “ You got all this Shakespeare shit on your resume, Shakespeare is out.” He declared this quite loudly for all of north Hollywood to hear. I could almost feel the ghost of the Bard recoil. Jack went on, looking at me in a clinical way, “But you got great tits, would you go topless? I can get you topless work.”
I got a new agent. I was not scared or even offended by Jack S., this was the norm I navigated during this time.
I kept going to college and did well in Political Science and History. I was offered an internship and took it.
Then came Washington DC. I worked for a prominent congressman and was hired later by Senator Joe Biden. Joe Biden was my political hero. The following months and events crushed my spirit in a way that is hard to express. I reported Joe Biden’s sexual harassment of me at a time when no one listened and supervisors looked at me like I was the one with the problem.
Some women even suggested, I comply with serving drinks to those male donors as suggested, to advance my career and winked they would like his attention or to be in the room with some of those men. This was my life, I wondered, to parade in front of men hoping I am worthy of their attention?
Yet, this was the message in the 1990s and even 2000’s. Play along to get along. Then, something happened that changed me forever.
I just did not want to be an object. I wanted to start a political career not sleep with powerful men. I dated boys my own age in their 20’s and even then, married, powerful men were to be feared and steered clear from, not entertained. I learned what men with power could do to women in Hollywood.
So, I spoke up and said no while working for Joe Biden. I was threatened and I will not say here what was said but I was scared. I got stuck in a windowless office, told to look for another job, no one on the Hill would even interview me once word got around about Biden. The windowless office cut off from staff would illustrate my future of no more viable work and no voice. I became more silent and lost.
People wonder why women stay silent about sexual harassment and sexual assault.
I am the living example of what happens when you dare to be seen and speak out against powerful men. I lost my job, my career. I did not end up with the career I dreamed of at all. I have drifted from different jobs to survive and always hoping to reinvent my future.
Last year, my reputation was smeared again by Joe Biden’s campaign cronies on twitter and social media when the story came out on the AP wire about what he did. I lost clients in my freelance work after a reporter called me a Russian agent online. I received phone call and email threats, my website hacked. Mainstream press has still not really covered my story. I am again, still silenced.
I have not even told the whole story about working for Biden, why would I?
The next time you witness or hear of sexual harassment or sexual assault instead of asking about the person who reported it. Ask why so many powerful men are assaulting and harassing women in such a pathological way. And if you find out that answer, please, call me.
John Kerry: There Was Not a ‘Whiff of Scandal’ During Entire 8 Years of Obama
On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Newsroom,” former Secretary of State John Kerry declared that former President Barack Obama’s administration “never had a whiff of scandal.”
From the campaign trail with 2020 Democratic hopeful, former Vice President Joe Biden, Kerry said, “I find that Joe Biden’s breadth of experience and leadership with any number of issues from the Violence Against Women Act to the Assault Weapons Ban to arms control agreements, to pushing an administration to make peace where it didn’t want to initially be involved, I think those things will really ring strongly against the other candidacies in this race. That’s why I’m here.”
“I believe Joe Biden is the only person who has the set of relationships around the world, who has had this unbelievable breadth of experience as Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and then as vice president for eight years, and an administration, by the way, which never had a whiff of scandal,” he added.
Congress plays political football with VAWA funding
St. Albans Messenger (VT)
January 11, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
ST. ALBANS – The almost yearlong lack of a renewed Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), federal legislation funding domestic and sexual violence programs across the U.S., could, according to a local advocacy group, have side effects that trickle down to Franklin County.
According to Kris Lukens, the director of the local domestic and sexual violence organization Voices Against Violence/Laurie’s House, stagnated funding authorized in lieu of a VAWA renewal could threaten Voices’ ability to serve domestic violence survivors in Franklin and Grand Isle counties.
VAWA, one of the first comprehensive pieces of legislation looking to address domestic violence against women, was originally passed into law under President Bill Clinton in the early 1990s, with subsequent renewals approved every five years or so by the U.S. Congress.
The latest reauthorization of VAWA, passed in 2013 after lengthy debate in Congress, expired in February 2019, and while the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved reauthorizing the act last spring, a pair of competing reauthorization bills have effectively stalled VAWA’s reauthorization in the U.S. Senate.
In the interim, programming under VAWA has been level funded in Congressional appropriation bills and even had funding expanded, with provisions in a more recent December appropriations bill expanding federal allocations available to VAWA’s grant programs.
Voices Against Violence/Laurie’s House, which provides emergency and transitional housing services to victims of domestic violence as well as legal services and educational programming, affords much of its programming through grants authorized under VAWA, including linchpin programming like its transitional housing services and its legal advocate.
According to Lukens, those programs could not exist were it not for the funding streams authorized under VAWA. “We have been very fortunate to get a lot of different projects in there, all rolled together to create this system of care,” Lukens said. “The fact is that we could never get that kind of funding locally.”
As programming becomes grow more expensive, however, Lukens said there were fears that federal grants would not be able to keep pace, and a lack of new funding allocations meant there would be “no new programs to look at and see what might be a good fit,” according to Lukens.
Domestic violence remains a salient issue in Vermont.
According to the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, 8,500 individuals reached out to use the network’s services in 2018. Three quarters of those calls came from women, and more than half of the calls received by the network were instances of domestic violence.
Within Franklin County, according to Lukens, Voices has seen a higher need from its transitional housing services and worked with 600 individual survivors in 2019, a high for the St. Albans-based organization.
At the same time, according to Lukens, Voices has had to reduce the amount of transitional housing units provided to survivors leaving domestic violence situations, shrinking the domestic violence organization’s available housing units from six to five.
After the passage of a recent appropriations bill in Washington that expanded some VAWA funding, Lukens said in a follow-up email to the Messenger that there were still worries on the part of Voices around tightening restrictions for accessing those grant programs.
“I am noticing that some of the eligibility guidelines are changing [and] becoming more restrictive,” Lukens wrote. “It also seems that they will be funding less applications overall… so funding may increase a little but other restrictions will impact our ability to secure the funding moving forward.
“I am worried about this trend and we will have to see how it plays out moving forward.”
Much of the VAWA debate has broken down in Washington, D.C., over updates allowing authorities to ban those convicted of stalking or abusing a dating partner or subject to a restraining order from buying firearms, effectively closing what advocates have called the “boyfriend loophole.”
Under current federal law, those convicted of domestic violence could lose their rights to owning firearms if they either are or were married to their victim, lived with their victim or had a child with their victim. Current law does not extend those same restrictions to former dating partners or stalkers.
The latest VAWA draft also extends certain protections to the LGBTQ community and expands the jurisdictional authority of federally recognized tribal governments when prosecuting domestic violence incidents against members of their tribe.
Lukens, when speaking with the Messenger, said the provisions within the proposed VAWA expansion were important for protecting victims of domestic violence – particularly those who might not immediately access organizations like Voices Against Violence for support.
“It’s making the provisions of VAWA accessible to people who don’t reach out for our services,” Lukens said. “We do a lot of work with people who don’t knock on our door for services for a lot of reasons, so we want those protections in VAWA.”
In early 2018, the Messenger partnered with Vermont Public Radio (VPR) to update VPR’s database on gun violence in the Green Mountain State.
Dubbed the “Gunshots Project,” the resulting reporting found that, while it was difficult to conclude instances of domestic violence due to the information provided by state death certificates, domestic violence was a part of the story of gun violence in Vermont.
At the time of that report, there were several high profile cases of domestic homicide being argued in Vermont courts.{p class=”p1”}A 2018 report by Vermont’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission found almost half of all Vermont homicides between 1994 and 2017 were domestic violence-related. More than half of those were committed with firearms and more than half of the victims were women.
According to a 2017 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nationally more than half of female homicides for which the circumstances were known involved a current or former male partner.
Vermont’s Congressional delegation has supported reauthorizing VAWA. Rep. Peter Welch, D – Vt., voted in favor of the reauthorization when the House approved it largely along party lines in early 2019, and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D – Vt., has been a vocal proponent of the House bill’s counterpart in the U.S. Senate.
Late last year, Republican lawmakers introduced a second draft of VAWA without provisions added by the House of Representatives in its reauthorization bill.
January 11, 2020 interview that Sun did with Biden - but didn't release until AFTER Biden was inaugurated:
Sun’s 2020 sit-down with Joe Biden shines a light on how he will lead the country
On Jan. 11, 2020, the Sun interviewed Joe Biden as part of a series of conversations with Democratic candidates leading up to the Nevada presidential caucuses. What ensued that day at the Sun’s offices was a two-part, 90-minute discussion in which Biden expanded on his policy plans on a number of key issues: the economy, jobs, immigration, infrastructure and gun safety among them.
Biden, of course, went on to win the Democratic nomination and the presidency.
As he begins his term, we felt the interview was worth publishing to give readers a better idea of where Biden will lead the country.
Please note that the interview took place before the novel coronavirus reached American shores; as you’ll see in the accompanying photos, the conversation occurred before the need for masks or social distancing.
Following is a transcript, edited for brevity and clarity.
We have a two-part question on gun safety. One, as you sit within distance of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, do you think assault weapon bans are enough? And two, although public sentiment for gun-safety measures is growing and support for the NRA is weakening, there’s still strong opposition to gun measures in the Senate. What’s your plan for dealing with that opposition and successfully guiding your measures through the process?
First, I’m the only guy who’s ever beaten the NRA nationally twice. I’m the guy who got the Brady Bill up and passed and expanded, No. 1. No. 2, I was able to include an assault weapons ban and the number of rounds that could be held in any magazine.
What’s fundamentally changed since then is two things: the spontaneous response in both Florida at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School well as what happened in Connecticut.
And (the gun-safety movement) is real. One of the things I talk about is restoring the soul of the country. If you want to talk about a sick soul, one of the first things our kids now have to learn at school is the ability to duck and cover. We’re building schools that have abutments so you can avoid a mass shooting.
When the president (Barack Obama) asked me to put together executive orders in light of what happened at Pulse all the way back through Connecticut, we got a lot of them passed. And this is significant: An overwhelming majority of NRA members thought we should do away with assault weapons.
There’s no rationale whatsoever to have more than 10 rounds in a magazine, and even that is too much in my view.
I believe we can get this done because it now has a profound impact in the following sense: People are finding out — I spent a lot of time working on mental health issues, and one of the things we found was that the single generation that is most at risk in terms of their mental health is Gen Z — 7 to 17 years old. And the greatest fear of that generation is being shot in school. It’s generating legitimate, serious anxiety and affecting their mental health.
So one of the things I think people are realizing is the effect on an entire generation that in fact is really being impacted on in terms of long- and short-term mental health issues.
I also dealt with the folks in Silicon Valley; we have the capacity now to build any weapon where it can only be fired with your biometric marker. And that technology doesn’t violate anyone’s Second Amendment right at all. If you pass the background check, you can purchase a weapon which only you can pull the trigger.
So I am absolutely convinced I can get (gun-safety legislation) passed. The way we did it last time is we included it in a larger bill that had really good things in it like the Violence Against Women Act, community policing, etc.
So the way you give cover to some of our Republican friends who are scared of the NRA — and this outfit owns the White House right now — is you put it in a larger bill. So they (Republicans) say, “Look, I had to vote for it.”
You know, I have a 20-gauge and a 12-gauge shotgun. I’m a skeet shooter, and I used to go up and down the (Delmarva) Peninsula in Delaware and talk to the guys hunting and fishing. They’d say, ‘God darn, Joe, why are you taking my weapon away? You’re taking my shotgun.”
And I’d show ’em a picture of an assault rifle and I’d say, “You need this to hunt with? And you need a magazine with a hundred rounds or 30 rounds? You must be a lousy damn shot.”
The point is, it’s a totally salable idea.
Also, the gun industry is the only outfit in America exempt from being sued. The only one. Imagine if that were the case with drug companies now. We’d still have 9 billion opioids being sold without warnings. But guess what? You can sue them.
Imagine what we could do if we held the gun manufacturers accountable for lying about products, for producing products they know are doing great harm, etc.?
That’s going to be one of the things I’m going to move very hard against.
Here’s the last point. This is an issue that no one wants to campaign against me on. Nobody. No Republican wants to stand up and say, “No, I want assault weapons out there.”
Think about that; not a joke. Even the ones who are afraid because they think they’re going to lose, they don’t want that argument.
So I think the whole environment has changed.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Securing Visas for Fake Crime Victims
An illegal alien has pleaded guilty to helping fraudulently secure visas for illegal aliens who falsely claimed to be crime victims.
Yuridia Hernandez Linares, a 36-years-old foreign national, pleaded guilty to operating a business that helped secure U visas for illegal aliens who fraudulently claimed they were the victims of violent crimes.
In the guilty plea, Linares admitted that she fraudulently obtained a U visa in 2016 after contacting the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office in 2015 to report a violent crime against her that had never occurred. Linares and a friend allegedly cut themselves with box cutters and claimed they were robbed by two men with knives.
As part of her business operation, Linares would charge illegal aliens between $2,000 to $5,000 to fraudulently secure them U visas. Linares would cut the illegal aliens with box cutters, then have them report to the police that they were the victims of violent crimes.
Linares is in Heppenin County custody and faces up to ten years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Her sentencing hearing is set for January 30.
Last year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) detailed potential widespread abuse of the U visa program spurred by a provision in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in which more than 2,200 cases of potential fraud by foreign nationals have been detected since 2013, Breitbart News reported.
In fiscal year 2014, there were fewer than 200 cases of potential fraud in the U visa program. By fiscal year 2019, the number of potential fraud cases had increased to more than 800 — a 305 percent jump in six years.
Oust costly domestic violence watchdog
Miami Herald, The (FL)
January 15, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Kudos to Rep. Juan Fernandez-Barquin, D-Miami, and Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, for standing up to the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV), a small and secretive operation with an exceptional skill at making friends in high places.
The lawmakers propose to strip FCADV of its cushy contract with the Department of Children & Families (DCF). The legislation was crafted with help from DCF and deserves to be passed swiftly and signed in to law by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Like many businesses blessed with not-for-profit tax status and a motherhood-and-apple pie kind of name, FCADV flew under the radar for decades.
That changed, Bean said, when the Miami Herald's Elizabeth Koh reported on FCADV's failure to cooperate with state auditors and the more than $750,000 annual salary being paid to its long-time President & CEO, Tiffany Carr.
Secrecy and a princely salary for the boss might make sense for a Domestic Violence Underground Railroad run by a 21st century Harriet Tubman who risks her life running 'round-the-clock rescue operations. It does not make sense for FCADV, which is in the business of "addressing the administration of domestic violence in the state," according to its current CEO, former state senator Denise Grimsley.
Specifically, FCADV is what the state calls a "lead agency." It receives roughly $35 million in taxpayer dollars and passes the money through to 42 community-based domestic-violence centers, which it also "oversees."
Florida enacted a law in 2003 granting FCADV exclusive rights to serve as the lead agency for domestic violence. It was a major coup and a sweet deal for Carr, and one not enjoyed by DCF's lead agencies providing management and oversight services for other, equally vulnerable populations, including abused and neglected children, elders and the disabled.
Monopoly begets mischief, and Carr's deal would get a whole lot sweeter in the years that followed.
By 2017, her compensation had climbed to $761,000 annually, according to Internal Revenue Service documents. Koh's reporting revealed possible discrepancies between Carr's compensation as reported to the IRS and her salary as reported to the state in 2018, provoking DCF to take a closer look.
Since most of FCADV's finances come from the state, DCF had every right to expect cooperation.
Instead, FCADV stonewalled, refusing to produce documents necessary for DCF to conduct a proper audit.
As bad publicity piled up, Carr stepped down from her leadership posts, claiming a long-running "significant health diagnosis." Grimsley, Carr's replacement, admits to being a "dear friend" of Carr, and is keeping her on as a consultant.
Grimsley claims that the reforms offered by Bean and Fernandez-Barquin in SB 1482 and HB 1087 "will have a significant, negative impact on the victims of domestic violence if adopted."
That's an insult to every lead agency that doesn't have the luxury of being carved in statutory stone and the arrogance to sandbag a state investigation. It's also ludicrous. Florida is full of people who know how to administer contracts and live on less than $761,000.
To be sure, the bills will have a significant and negative impact on Carr & Co., which explains why Grimsley has urged her former legislative colleagues not to take "such a draconian approach." She'll be aided in her effort to fend off the badly needed housecleaning by Brian Ballard, a lobbyist known for his ability to make lawmakers perform like trained seals.
If FCADV is interested in saving lives, as opposed to protecting lucrative fiefdoms, its time would be better spent rescuing the federal Violence Against Women Act, which is currently on life support in Washington.
Strip this arrogant agency of its state contract, lawmakers.
Fighting violence, starved of funds
Two stalled federal bills leave advocates for victims scrambling
Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (MN)
January 19, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Domestic violence groups across Minnesota are stuck waiting for money as two federal measures that support their work are snagged in Washington, including the Violence Against Women Act that expired nearly a year ago.
Bloomington-based Cornerstone Advocacy Services has already spent its annual allotment of federal money for clients’ emergency situations that won’t be replenished until fall.
“There isn’t less domestic violence all of a sudden because there’s less funding,” said Pam Maldonado, victim advocacy program manager at Cornerstone.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has been in a holding pattern since it lapsed last February. The U.S. House signed off on the legislation’s reauthorization that spring, but the measure is stalled in the Senate, which is now consumed by the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
Another source of money is the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), which provides millions of dollars annually to Minnesota agencies like Cornerstone to help victims who need help with emergency assistance. Examples include repairing home damage done by an abuser that might force eviction, or replacing a cellphone to ensure they can dial 911 if needed. The money might pay cab fare to escape abuse or the fee required to break a lease.
Court fines and fees from federal cases provide the funding for VOCA, so big trials and settlements can be a boon for the program. The last major windfall came from the 2016 multibillion-dollar Volkswagen settlement for the emissions equipment cheating scandal, said Liz Richards, executive director of the statewide coalition Violence Free Minnesota that serves 90 agencies like Cornerstone. The German automaker agreed to pay $2.9 billion to settle a lawsuit over its sales of diesel cars that emitted air pollution over the legal limit.
Some of that settlement went into the Victims of Crime Act, and Minnesota’s share is about $47 million. But nothing like that suit is on the horizon.
Burning through the money
Richards said it’s common to quickly burn through federal money. Now her group is facing added pressure from the uncertainty of the two legislative measures.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety annually gets an average of $32.5 million from the two federal programs, money that is allocated across the state based on population, according to spokeswoman Rebecca Rabb. The funds can help pay for direct client services and resources.
If nothing happens on the federal level in the next two years, programs “will be facing a significant loss,” Richards said.
“We’re not in crisis at this juncture,” she said, “but if nothing changes, we see the potential for great harm.”
Hannah Mangen, a criminal and civil justice intervention advocate for Cornerstone, splits her time between the Crystal and Maple Grove police departments, helping domestic violence victims navigate a system she says often causes them to repeatedly relive their trauma.
She said that having less financial support is concerning, given new research from a 2019 study through Northeastern University in Boston that shows a rising homicide rate nationally for women experiencing domestic violence.
Abuse deaths rising
The research analyzed FBI data over a 42-year period and found that four women a day were killed by domestic violence. Violence Free Minnesota reported in 2018 that at least nine women and one man died statewide from intimate partner violence.
“If there’s ever a time that we really need to be focusing on … how do we keep women from being murdered, it’s now,” said Mangen. “Unfortunately, that conversation is just not really happening.”
Shortly after Stephanie Revering took over as Crystal police chief in 2012, she made a goal of getting an in-house advocate to work with domestic violence victims.
“We saw a large increase in domestic assaults happening,” she said. “I really wanted to get somebody embedded into our agency so that our victims can have immediate service.”
Her department works closely with Cornerstone, as do nine other metro-area police departments. Even with those partnerships, as well as education seminars on domestic violence and community outreach, she said there’s no indication domestic violence will decrease anytime soon.
“It’s still one of those crimes that people don’t know about,” she said.
‘Not going to get involved’
For example, Revering said, Sandra Sandland was shot in the head in 2017 by her husband, Dennis, who was charged with second-degree murder. Even though neighbors said they had seen the couple constantly fighting, police were never called.
“It’s that mentality of people saying, ‘You know, I’m not going to get involved in their business,’ ” she said.
Mangen said she believes it should be everyone’s business. Helping to identify the root causes of abuse and address recidivism cannot only reduce domestic violence, she said, it could save taxpayers money in the long run.
“It just makes the most sense to pay for the services people need when they need them, rather than letting things get this bad,” she said.
Advocates on the front lines of domestic violence said that programming comes at a cost, but the cost of not funding the work has a greater price: homelessness, mental health issues, trauma, homicide.
Richards called domestic violence a “comprehensive issue,” one that requires focus and funding.
“It really impacts all of our communities, it impacts all of our systems,” she said. “An investment in domestic violence programming can really make the improvement at many different levels.”
$3 Million Funding Available for Research to Combat Domestic Violence
Targeted News Service (USA)
January 19, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 -- The U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women announced that it expects to award up to six discretionary grants for research and evaluation of approaches to combat domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.
The estimated total program funding available was cited as $3 million with a ceiling of $450,000 for each award in the program. The agency said the grant was associated with a) information and statistics, b) law, justice and legal services and c) science and technology and other research and development.
The funding is open to state, county, city and township governments; private, public and state controlled institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments and organizations; non-profits; and non-profits having a 501(c)3 status with the IRS.
The agency description of the grant states: "By generating more knowledge about strategies for serving victims and holding offenders accountable, communities that benefit from Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) funding will be better equipped to align their work with practices that are known to be effective, and they will be more capable of generating empirical knowledge on the efficacy of new and promising ways of doing things. R&E is designed to support researcher-practitioner partnerships and a broad range of methods, including qualitative, mixed-method, and quasi-experimental designs."
The funding opportunity number is OVW-2020-18032 (CFDA 16.026). It was posted on Jan. 15 with an application closing date of March 25, 2020.
Domestic violence law stalled in U.S. Senate
Ad Express & Daily Iowegian (Centerville, IA)
January 23, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON — For decades, the Violence Against Women Act was an issue that could transcend partisan politics on Capitol Hill.
Not anymore.
The landmark law — first passed in 1994 to protect victims of domestic crimes — funds programs like rape crisis centers, shelters and legal services to victims of domestic abuse.
But after several unsuccessful attempts to reauthorize the legislation, it lapsed last February amid partisan sniping in Washington, and advocates warn that critical programs will be in jeopardy if it's not renewed.
"Letting VAWA expire and not taking steps to reauthorize it is a missed opportunity to prevent sexual violence and assault, and save lives," said Allison Randall, vice president for policy and emerging issues for the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
The U.S. House passed legislation to reauthorize the law last April, but efforts have stalled in the U.S. Senate.
Since President Bill Clinton signed VAWA into law in 1994, the landmark legislation has significantly shifted responses to and support for victims and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, creating reliable judicial pathways for redress. The measure is credited with reducing the rate of domestic violence in the United States by over 60 percent, earning it consistent bipartisan support.
But that support faltered last year, when House Democrats added a number of provisions to their bill that would broaden the legislation's gun restrictions, drawing pushback from the National Rifle Association (NRA).
Currently, those convicted of domestic abuse can be denied access to firearms only if they have been married to their victim, have a child with their victim, live with their victim, or are the legal guardian of their victim. The measure does not extend to dating or intimate relationships, which account for a significant share of abuse cases.
Democrats and a number of Republicans want to close this so-called "boyfriend loophole," given that victims of domestic violence, regardless of marital status, are five times more likely to be killed if their abusers have access to a gun, according to Giffords Law Center, a gun safety group.
While VAWA's authorization expired, Congress has continued to appropriate funds for its programs, which are administered by the Department of Justice. For fiscal 2020, Congress allotted $502.5 million, up from $497.5 million for fiscal 2019.
But Randall of the National Network to End Domestic Violence said a failure to enact the House bill "does impact victims whose lives would have been saved if the loophole had been closed or who might have been able to get emergency housing to escape an abuser or get emergency services after that allowed them to heal."
During floor debate last year, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) emphasized that point.
"The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk — hear me — increases the risk of homicide by 500 percent," he said. "That is why we aim to close gun loopholes by expanding the definition of intimate partners to include dating or former dating partners."
Despite opposition from gun-rights advocates who said the bill infringes on Second Amendment rights, the expanded measure sailed through the House last year, with 33 Republicans crossing the aisle to vote in its favor. The bill also strengthened protections for vulnerable Native American populations and those in the LGBTQ community.
Senate stalemate
But VAWA negotiations have stalled in the Senate, where Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who is leading Republican negotiations, called the House provision a "non-starter."
Critics said the vulnerable incumbent (who's facing reelection this fall) and her party are catering to NRA lobbyists, prioritizing access to gun purchases over women's safety.
Ernst had received over $3.1 million in financial support from the NRA as of Oct. 2017 — the seventh-most of any senator at that time — according to an analysis published in The New York Times based on data from the Center for Responsive Politics.
Ernst, however, said it was Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) who walked away from the negotiating table. She said she and Feinstein had made "real progress" before their negotiations fell apart, accusing Democrats of playing partisan politics.
"In typical partisan fashion, Senate Democrats, at Minority Leader (Chuck) Schumer's direction, walked away from the table, halting our discussions," she said last year. "Election-year politics are in full swing and, once again, Democrats are putting politics ahead of people, ahead of survivors."
Ernst opted instead to introduce her own VAWA legislation, prompting a feud with Schumer. Ernst accused the New York Democrat of halting her bill to thwart her reelection campaign, Politico reported.
Schumer, meanwhile, said Ernst "is simply afraid of the NRA." He said Ernst should push Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to bring the House-passed bill to the Senate floor for debate.
The Iowa Republican's version of the bill has also gotten some criticism from organizations in her home state.
In an op-ed published in the Des Moines Register, Johna Sullivan, executive director for Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center, wrote that while Ernst's bill would increase funding for programs like hers, it would do a lot of damage elsewhere.
"It also rolls back existing protections for LGBTQ nondiscrimination provisions; fails to protect Native survivors; cuts important enhancements for underserved communities overall in rape education and prevention, violence reduction, and youth programs; and fails to address the epidemic of gun violence against victims of domestic violence," Sullivan wrote.
"We hope Ernst's constituents will remind her that this is not the bill survivors in Iowa need or deserve."
Ernst's spokesperson Brendan Conley said this issue is very personal for Ernst, as she herself is a survivor of domestic violence. Ernst said last year that she was raped in college and that her ex-husband had verbally and physically assaulted her.
Conley said Ernst remains committed to working with Feinstein on a bipartisan proposal.
"The two are continuing to have discussions and our staffs have also continued to meet, even as recently as just last week," he said in an email. "Senator Ernst has really appreciated working with Senator Feinstein and has called her a 'tremendous partner,' so she remains hopeful they can find common ground on some solutions."
But bipartisan compromise on the issue appears unlikely in the near term, given the partisan tensions surrounding the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump and sparring ahead of the 2020 elections.
"It's all strange these days in the Senate where nothing really gets done," said Jocelyn Frye, senior fellow with the Women's Initiative at the Center for American Progress. "It's anyone's guess what will happen."
Frye said while funding is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, the stagnation on reauthorization sends the message that Congress does not take gender-based violence seriously. It creates an atmosphere of insecurity for programs that rely on VAWA funding and therefore might encourage anemic operations as opposed to the development of creative and expansive methods for ending domestic violence, she said.
"It's appalling that the law has been expired for as long as it has; it's unforgivable," she said. "And it's a real loss for survivors."
“She represents no female interests:”
Taylor Swift slams Sen. Marsha Blackburn in new documentary
Brentwood Home Page (TN)
January 31, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Taylor Swift: Miss Americana, a new documentary released Friday on the streaming service Netflix, saw the pop/country icon drop some critical remarks of Sen. Marsha Blackburn, particularly for the senator's outspoken support of President Donald Trump, as well as her past voting record.
During the 2018 midterm elections, then Senator Bob Corker announced his retirement, eventually leading Blackburn — then a member of the House of Representatives — facing off against Phil Bredesen, former governor of Tennessee. The 2018 Tennessee Senate race saw Swift, who until that point had shied away from expressing her political opinions openly, endorse Bredesen to her millions of followers on social media.
Despite Swift's enormous influence, her endorsement wasn't enough to lead Bredesen to victory, with Blackburn winning the election by more than 242,000 votes.
In the newly released documentary, video captured Swift in the moments leading up to the 2018 midterm elections, with one scene in particular showing her disdain for Blackburn.
"One of the things that outraged me so much is that she voted against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which tries to protect women from stalking, from date rape, from domestic violence," Swift said. "And then obviously it's a no for gay marriage, it's a no for them to have any rights whatsoever."
Swift's comments about Blackburn's voting history refer to a 2013 vote on S.47, the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. While Blackburn did vote against the final version of S.47 that would eventually become law, she did support an earlier draft authored by Republicans. Notable differences between the two were that in the Republican authored form of the bill, sexual orientation and gender protections were omitted.
During a moment recorded shortly after the 2018 midterm elections, which ultimately saw her endorsed candidate lose, Swift was seen in the documentary calling Blackburn "Trump in a wig," along with other critical remarks.
"I can't believe she gets to be the first female senator in Tennessee and she's Trump in a wig," Swift said. "She represents no female interests. She won by being a female applying to the kind of female males want us to be in a horrendous 1950s world."
In a response made Thursday first reported by Variety, Blackburn seemed to extend an olive branch to Swift, calling her "an exceptionally gifted artist and songwriter," and proposed working together in the future on legislation protecting artists from censorship and copyright theft
"On that note, I wish Taylor the best — she's earned it," Blackburn told Variety.
Joe Biden’s touching campaign: Still hands-on, but no complaints
MUSCATINE, Iowa — The campaign event was winding down, but Joe Biden announced it was not quite over: "Folks, I'm going to stick around, and anybody that wants to say 'hi' or ask a question or take a photo, I'll gladly do it."
This was a Biden event, so that also meant physical contact. There was a hug for Lynda Smith, who plans to caucus for Biden. Then an embrace for a couple that supports another candidate but still wanted a picture with the former vice president. As the crowd thinned, Biden gripped the wrists of a man in an Iowa Hawkeyes jersey before complimenting him on the team’s win over Wisconsin.
Nearly a year after Biden was accused of engaging in too-familiar touching, especially with women, he remains a tactile politician, side-hugging people for pictures, grasping hands across rope lines, occasionally glowering in the face of critics, telling them “look into my eyes” to see how earnest he is about addressing climate change.
If Biden’s physical style has not diminished in the wake of a controversy that threatened his presidential bid before it started, the outrage seems to have largely evaporated. That is especially true for those tromping through snow and freezing temperatures in Iowa during Biden’s final sprint to the nation’s first caucuses. In some ways his physical nature has even emerged as a strength for him as he has jumped into the retail politicking required for the Iowa caucuses.
“We’re both just down-home people, and that’s how we show affection,” Smith, who is in her 70s, said in an interview shortly after her Biden hug. “I understand there’s a ‘Me Too’ movement, but [the hug was] just a sign of affection. Joe Biden is my friend.”
The initial complaint, coming as Biden was poised to announce his presidential run, was explosive and touched a nerve with many women amid a broader national debate over the conduct of powerful men. Lucy Flores, a former Nevada state legislator, accused Biden of inappropriately touching and kissing her hair without her consent as he helped her campaign for lieutenant governor in 2014.
After the fallout, Biden recorded a two-minute video that stopped short of apologizing but promised change. “The boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset. I get it. I get it. I hear what they’re saying, and I understand it,” Biden said. “I’ll be much more mindful. That’s my responsibility, and I’ll meet it.”
Today, Biden remains at the top of polls. Biden still kisses women’s hands, puts his hands on their shoulders, touches his forehead to theirs, nestles his nose against their head. With men, it’s often an embrace. This virtually always appears to be welcomed by his supporters, and often the contact is initiated by them.
A few weeks ago in Des Moines, members of a Baptist church laid hands on Biden while a deaconess grasped his wrists and prayed that he receive godly wisdom. On Thursday, a woman introduced Biden to her dog, then spent several seconds wiping its fur off Biden’s suit.
At another recent Iowa stop, an elderly voter was overcome when Biden hugged and kissed her, sitting down to catch her breath, as a groupie might after meeting a rock star. Still, asked about her preference in the Democratic field, the woman said she was considering Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and former South Bend., Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg.
It is more complicated when an exchange is less than friendly. At an event in Iowa on Tuesday, an activist named Ed Fallon approached Biden to challenge his position on gas pipelines. Biden pushed Fallon’s chest and grabbed his coat, telling him to “go vote for someone else.”
Fallon, a Tom Steyer supporter and former state legislator, is part of a group called Bold Iowa, which has questioned several of the candidates on climate change. “We’re pretty assertive, in an ‘Iowa nice’ kind of way, in putting our ideas about climate change out there,” Fallon said in an interview.
Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), when approached by Fallon, took issue with his assertions, he said, while Klobuchar walked away. Biden was the only candidate who got physical with him.
“I don’t mind the clash of ideas, but he’s gone and taken it to a whole new level,” Fallon said. “It’s a problem for Joe Biden, and it’s a problem for the Democrats if they nominate him for president.”
The Biden campaign declined to comment for this article.
The issue is especially resonant for a politician who is known for his personal, homespun style of campaigning, espousing Biden family wisdom and sharing his grief and hugs with people who come to his events. Daily, he tells voters that “character is on the ballot,” and he frequently touts his championing of the Violence Against Women Act. Biden does not shy away from talking of the tragic deaths in his family, and he offers words of sympathy to those in the audience who have also suffered.
Biden’s supporters often say they like him because he seems genuine, and for now they appear to be giving him the benefit of the doubt. In Davenport, Iowa, on Tuesday, Biden quipped that two sisters — 10 and 7 — must be bored sitting through his stump speech, a comment he often makes when he spots children in the audience.
“What a thing to do to a beautiful young woman,” Biden said. “I owe you an ice cream or something.”
Later, he mentioned the girls again as he talked about the trajectory of the country. “We’ve got to set things straight so these beautiful young girls grow up in a world that’s not trending the way it is,” he said. Later, he grabbed one girl’s hand after snapping a selfie with her family.
Rose Boehle, the grandmother of the Davenport girls and a Biden supporter, said she had no problem with how the former vice president interacted with her granddaughters. She only wished that Biden had not offered the girls ice cream, since they’d had enough that day.
“The ‘Me Too’ movement . . . changed how it looks,” Boehle said. “People have to be careful about who they touch and how they touch — I understand that. But what is wrong with showing a little compassion and caring toward someone?”
Illinois Congress candidate Jim Marter
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)
February 7, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Q: What is your position on federal funding for contraception, the Violence Against Women Act and reproductive rights?
A: I am confused exactly which enumerated power in the Constitution would justify funding the bedroom behaviors of certain Americans at the expense of others? We need to stop meddling in Americans’ lives by taking the fruits of their labor, their hard-earned cash and giving it to others.
The so-called Violence Against Women Act does nothing to protect women from violence; well-meaning, nicely named legislation does little to stop violence against women. Perhaps the act should promote and fund self-defense training, including training on firearms use and concealed carry for women.
I believe that all unborn children should have the right to life. I am pro-life, 100% pro-life and unapologetically pro-life. I will not rest until we have changed hearts and minds and have protections for all life, guaranteed.
I believe every human is a unique and unrepeatable gift of God, made in His image and likeness, in order to know, love and serve Him in this life, and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven. I believe that every human life begins at the moment of conception and lasts until natural death, and that all people are endowed by their Creator with the inalienable right to life. Without life, no other rights are possible.
I believe abortion is nothing less than depriving an innocent child, a person, of their life, their most basic human right, and. therefore, abortion is gravely evil and never permissible.
Q: What do you consider America’s role in world affairs?
A: America is the leader of Freedom and Liberty, is the economic engine of the world and is the also the foremost military power in the world.
We should aim to negotiate free and fair-trade deals that put American interest first and renegotiate and revisit bad past trade deals.
On the national security front, we should only be engaged where our interests are being protected, and we should always cautiously engage our military; but, when necessary, act swiftly and decisively, with the appropriate congressional authorizations and oversight.
Q: Do you believe climate change is caused by human activity? What steps should government be taking to address the issue?
A: There is not specific, concrete evidence that human activity has a significant impact on the "theory of man-made climate change," while in contrast there is direct evidence implicating those responsible for promoting that theory of fabrication and falsification of data and evidence to support their claims.
There is much evidence to support that climate change occurs naturally and has been for ages, from one Ice Age to another, via a multitude of factors.
I learned long ago in public school that carbon dioxide is plant food. In a process called "photosynthesis," plants use the energy in sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water to sugar and oxygen. Science has yet to prove otherwise.
The nonsense of the Obama EPA declaring carbon dioxide a toxic substance when it is a naturally occurring gas and exhaled by every living animal, and that the federal government should tax and regulate it, as if it has the wisdom or knowledge to do so, is ludicrous.
We need to get Washington out of the business to "save the planet" and start actually focusing on its limited federal roles and functions.
Sen. Masto Demands Senator McConnell Allow Vote on Bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization
Targeted News Service (USA)
February 7, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, issued the following news release:
U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) highlighted another piece of crucial legislation, the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), that is languishing in the Senate due to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) refusal to bring this bipartisan bill up for a vote. VAWA plays a critical role in addressing gender-based violence and providing services and protections for survivors in Nevada, and across the country.
"It's unconscionable that Senator McConnell is blocking progress on one of the best tools Congress has to address the epidemic of violence against women. Partisan politics have no place in this debate - we should be doing all we can to increase the prosecution of violent predators and improve access to resources for brave survivors. It's time for the Republican Leader to act on bipartisan legislation currently sitting in the Senate that reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act and strengthens protections for victims. Since its passage 25 years ago, the Violence Against Women Act has played a crucial role in protecting women and their families. I'm doing all I can in the Senate to push Leader McConnell to act so we can help protect every woman across every zip code from domestic violence."
BACKGROUND:
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 passed out of the House in April 2019 with bipartisan support. The bill provides funding for critical programs to prevent domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; authorizes new programs; and improves existing services and resources for survivors. It also closes a loophole in the law to ensure that intimate and dating partners, regardless of marital status, who are convicted of dating violence, stalking, or are under a restraining order, cannot possess a firearm.
Additionally, this bill strengthens domestic violence protections in Native American and Alaska Native communities by restoring tribal jurisdiction over crimes of sexual violence and stalking, and crimes against children, elders and law enforcement.
The Latest: Biden warns about troop pullout from Afghanistan
Associated Press News Service, The
February 8, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — The Latest on the 2020 Democratic presidential debate and the upcoming primary in New Hampshire (all times local):
9:10 p.m.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is cautioning against pulling American troops entirely out of Afghanistan, saying such actions can lead to regional instability.
During Friday night's Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire, Biden recalled the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, saying troops were "ashamed" to leave while the Kurds asked Americans to stay.
Biden was responding to Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren's remark that "it's time to bring our troops home" from Afghanistan, a position she has voiced in previous debates.
Warren reaffirmed her recent comments about what she sees as a lack of a clear plan for withdrawal, noting she would listen to generals as the nation's commander in chief but would seek to “work with our allies in managing terrorism.”
Noting her service on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Warren said she has visited combat zones with Republicans, including South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and the late Arizona Sen. John McCain.
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9 p.m.
Former Vice President Joe Biden encouraged the crowd at Friday’s Democratic presidential debate to give a standing ovation to Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman after President Donald Trump ousted him in retribution for his testimony during House impeachment proceedings.
Biden declared Friday that Trump “should be pinning a medal on Vindman, not Rush Limbaugh,” the far-right radio personality with whom Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom on Tuesday.
The ovation for Vindman punctuated a discussion that started with mention of Trump’s efforts to have Biden and his son Hunter investigated by Ukraine officials. That move was the crux of the impeachment case against Trump.
Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg defended the Bidens. “We are not going to let them change the subject," he said. "This is not about Vice President Biden or Hunter Biden. This is about abuse of power by the president.”
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8:55 p.m.
Tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang says Democrats are making a mistake when they act like President Donald Trump is “the cause of all our problems.”
Yang said during the Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire on Friday night that Trump is “a symptom of a disease that has been building up in our communities for years and decades.”
Yang says Democrats need to instead work on “treating the disease” by tackling issues such as automation of jobs and corporations like Amazon that have avoided paying federal income tax.
He pointed to swing states like Iowa and Ohio that Trump captured in 2016, saying, “These communities are seeing their way of live get blasted into smithereens.”
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8:50 p.m.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is unloading on former Mayor Pete Buttigieg at Democrats' presidential debate for saying that watching the chaos in Washington almost made him want to change the channel to cartoons.
“It’s easy to go after Washington,” she said Friday, but “it’s much harder to lead.”
Klobuchar took Buttigieg to task especially for his mockery of the Senate impeachment proceedings. She noted the “courageous” votes of Democratic Alabama Sen. Doug Jones and Republican Utah Sen. Mitt Romney. Both men voted to convict Trump — Romney on one count — and remove him from office.
In her sharpest blow, Klobuchar implicitly compared Buttigieg’s argument to the man Democrats hope to topple in November. “We have a newcomer in the White House now, and look where it got us,” she said. “I think having some experience is a good thing.”
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8:40 p.m.
Pete Buttigieg says that the Obama administration met the moment of their day and “now we have to meet this moment."
Buttigieg sought to turn his relative lack of experience in politics into an advantage at Friday's Democratic debate in New Hampshire.
He was challenged by Joe Biden, who listed off some of his accomplishments during a long tenure in politics, including the Violence Against Women Act. Biden said, “I don't know what about the past of Barack Obama and Joe Biden was so bad” and called for “someone who knows how to get things done.”
In his reply, Buttigieg noted the accomplishments of the Obama administration and said that “now, we have to meet this moment.”
Biden and Buttigieg have previously clashed over a contrast in their ages and elected experience.
The candidates brought a renewed intensity to Friday night's debate following the chaotic results of the Iowa caucuses.
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8:30 p.m.
Neither Elizabeth Warren nor Pete Buttigieg is proving willing to criticize Bernie Sanders for embracing democratic socialism in the opening moments of the Democratic debate.
Warren, a Massachusetts senator, was asked about saying previously that she is “a capitalist to my bones.” But she refused to make a major contrast at Friday's debate in New Hampshire, saying only, “Bernie and I have been friends for a long time.”
Warren said the “fundamental question” is “how we bring our party together” and talked about fighting government corruption, saying it is “an issue we can all agree on.”
Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said he wasn’t interested in labels like socialism. He and Sanders, a senator from Vermont, went on to clash on policy rather than on ideological labels.
Sanders says being a democratic socialist won’t make it harder to defeat President Donald Trump in November because “Donald Trump lies all the time” anyway.
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8:25 p.m.
Bernie Sanders says he's confident Democrats can unify to defeat President Donald Trump, despite the president's attempts to paint Sanders' self-avowed "democratic socialist" label in a negative light.
Sanders opened Friday night's debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, saying that he viewed energizing turnout as vital to a Democratic victory in November.
“No matter who wins this damned thing, we're all going to stand together to defeat Donald Trump,” he added.
Sanders was asked to respond to Trump's comments earlier this week to Fox News, when the president said, “I think of communism when I think of Bernie."
Asked if they had concerns about a top-of-the-ticket candidate with a "democratic socialist" moniker, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and businessman Tom Steyer raised their hands.
This is the final debate before next week's first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary.
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8:15 p.m.
Joe Biden is acknowledging he “took a hit” in Iowa and says he'll “probably take a hit” in New Hampshire as well.
Biden was asked early in Friday's Democratic debate in New Hampshire why he thinks his party would be taking a risk by nominating either Bernie Sanders or Pete Buttigieg. Biden finished a distant fourth in Iowa's caucuses on Monday, while Sanders and Buttigieg finished in a near tie for first.
The former vice president noted that Sanders calls himself a “democratic socialist.” Biden said if Sanders is the nominee, President Donald Trump would put that label “on every Democratic running” nationwide.
Biden praised Buttigieg as a “patriot” but also took a dig at the 38-year-old former South Bend, Indiana, as a “the mayor of a small town.” Biden also suggested that Buttigieg will have trouble building a racially diverse coalition as the nominating contest moves beyond the overwhelming white states of Iowa and New Hampshire.
Biden noted that Sanders won the New Hampshire primary handily in 2016 over Hillary Clinton, so he said he'll “probably take a hit” in the state next Tuesday.
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8 p.m.
A debate featuring seven Democratic presidential candidates has started in New Hampshire amid a growing urgency among a shrinking field shaken and reshaped by this week's chaotic Iowa caucuses.
Friday night's debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester comes just four days before New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary.
Monday's chaotic Iowa caucuses raised deeper questions about several candidates’ political survival. Two candidates, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, enter Friday's debate as the top targets, having emerged from Iowa essentially tied for the lead.
Those trailing after the first contest — including former Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar — also have an urgent need to demonstrate strength.
Billionaire activist Tom Steyer and New York entrepreneur Andrew Yang are fighting to prove they belong in the conversation. The next set of caucuses is in Nevada on Feb. 22.
___
11:35 a.m.
President Donald Trump is tweeting reassurances to Iowa and New Hampshire that the two states will be first in the presidential primary schedule “as long as I am President." He called it a “Great tradition!”
The Iowa Democratic Party has spent the week trying to verify results from Monday's caucuses, adding fuel to complaints that the earliest voting states should be more representative of the U.S. demographically.
Trump's tweet on Friday will appeal to many voters in the two states leading up to the general election because they want to preserve their states’ special role in the presidential race.
“I agree — thank you, Mr. President!," tweeted New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican.
The head of New Hampshire's Democratic Party, Ray Buckley, wouldn't say Friday if he has confidence in Tom Perez's leadership at the Democratic National Committee.
Perez has called for a recanvass of the Iowa caucuses and sought to shift blame onto the Iowa Democratic Party.
New Hampshire's primary is next Tuesday.
___
9:30 a.m.
Democratic presidential hopeful Tom Steyer is spending some time with supporters in New Hampshire before preparing for the final debate ahead of next week's first-in-the-nation primary.
Steyer campaign spokesman Alberto Lammers says Steyer planned to have breakfast with supporters in Manchester on Friday morning before media interviews in the afternoon.
Lammers says Steyer will do some final debate prep before getting in a workout and heading to the debate venue.
Seven of the Democrats vying for their party's presidential nomination meet Friday night for the debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester. The stage features the same six candidates as the last debate — Steyer, former Vice President Joe Biden; Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren; and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg — along with tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
Green cards are only available to immigrants who fall under one of these categories
Miami Herald, The (FL)
February 11, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Green cards allow immigrants to live and work in the United States, legally and permanently, before they can seek American citizenship through naturalization.
To apply for permanent lawful U.S. residence, non-citizens must qualify under one of eight categories. Each category has different eligibility requirements that applicants must meet when they submit their petitions.
In most cases, applicants require a sponsor, either a relative or an employer. But they also can qualify through a substantial monetary investment or by luck in the Diversity Visa Program, better known as the visa lottery, administered by the U.S. State Department.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) explains on the agency's website the eight green card eligibility categories, each one divided into different possibilities. U.S immigration law allows them to apply for legal permanent resident status.
Family ties with U.S. citizens and permanent residents
There are several channels for family relationships:
Immediate relatives, such as spouse, children who are minors or parents of a U.S. citizen 21 or older
Family-based preference immigrants categories, which include the unmarried children of U.S. citizens who are 21 or older, as well as spouses and children of lawful permanent residents.
Other possibilities include: the fiances of U.S. citizens, the fiances' children, widows of U.S. citizens and victims of abuse or extreme cruelty committed by spouses, former spouses, and parents or children who are U.S. citizens.
Employment-based green cards
There are four types of work-based immigration status that can lead to U.S. legal permanent residence:
First preference (EB-1) for foreign citizens with extraordinary skills or outstanding researchers;
Second preference (EB-2) for professionals with advances degrees; and
Third preference (EB-3) for skilled workers and professionals.
There's also a category for immigrant investors (EB-5), who must invest at least $1.8 million in a new commercial enterprise that would benefit the U.S. economy and create at least 10 qualified jobs. In targeted employment areas with high unemployment, the required investment drops to $900,000.
Special immigrants in the U.S.
This category that allows special immigrant status covers a broad range of cases, from pastors and religious workers (minister or non-minister) in jobs within their churches to individuals who come as "broadcasters" for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, and employees of recognized international organizations, such as NATO.
Read more: Here's a fast and easy way for non-citizens to extend their stay or change their status in the U.S.
Green card for refugees and asylum-seekers
Before applying for green cards, non-citizens must have lived in the United States for at least one year after their asylum request was approved, and must continue to meet the definition of a refugee.
Individuals admitted into the U.S. as refugees can also apply for legal permanent residence under this category.
Victims of human trafficking and other crimes
This category covers people with T Nonimmigrant status, granted to victims of human trafficking who have cooperated with the investigation and prosecution of traffickers or would suffer extreme hardships if deported to their home countires.
It also allows qualifying holders of U Nonimmigrant visas issued to victims of certain criminal acts who have suffered physical or mental abuse, to become legal permanent residents.
Abuse victims
This category covers eligible applicants under the Violence Against Women Act who have been victims of extreme cruelty, as well as abused and neglected youths under the Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification.
Abused spouses or children of Cuban and Haitian natives who became legal permanent residents through the Cuban Adjustment Act and the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act, respectively, are also eligible for green cards.
One of the simplest ways to get a green card is back. Here's what foreigners need to do
Visa lottery, Cuban Adjustment and other categories
This category also covers a broad range of cases, including the winners, drawn from random selection, of the popular U.S. visa lottery, which issues 50,000 green cards per year, and the Cuban Adjustment Act that benefits Cuban natives, their spouses and children.
This classification benefits the children born in the United States to a foreign diplomat and dependents of Haitian refugees who received a green card thanks to the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act.
Registry
The Registry section of U.S. immigration law allows green cards for some foreigners who have been physically in the United States since 1972, without interruption, even if they are now undocumented.
If Biden really thinks men have no right to touch women, how does he explain these cringe-worthy photos?
WorldNetDaily (USA)
February 29, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Former Vice President Joe Biden was campaigning in South Carolina on Thursday when he went off script and asked his audience to imagine a naked woman while he was discussing women's empowerment.
Biden, who is known for being handsy with women and children and for making gaffes, was asked about the issue of women's empowerment in poor countries during an event at Coastal Carolina University in Conway.
According to Real Clear Politics, the Democratic presidential candidate gave an answer that bounced around from topic to topic for 20 minutes before finally settling in on the Violence Against Women Act.
"No man has a right to lay a hand on a woman for any reason other than self-defense," Biden said. "If someone in this room got up and took off all their clothes and walked out the door, no man is allowed to touch her."
Apparently Biden has finally learned to not use his hands to touch women and young girls. Why else would he ask an audience, in a bizarre non sequitur, to envision a naked woman and then remind the audience that the woman should not be touched?
After a number of women complained last year that Biden had touched them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable, Biden vowed to be more "mindful" of the issue of personal space.
Lucy Flores, a former member of the Nevada Legislature, accused him of smelling her hair and kissing her on the head in 2014.
Flores described the bizarre encounter in New York magazine.
"I felt him get closer to me from behind. He leaned further in and inhaled my hair. I was mortified. I thought to myself, 'I didn't wash my hair today and the vice-president of the United States is smelling it. And also, what in the actual f---? Why is the vice-president of the United States smelling my hair?'" she wrote.
Vail Kohnert-Yount, a former White House intern, told The Washington Post that she had a similar encounter with the then-vice president in 2013.
"He then put his hand on the back of my head and pressed his forehead to my forehead while he talked to me. I was so shocked that it was hard to focus on what he was saying. I remember he told me I was a 'pretty girl,'" she told The Post.
This list goes on and on.
No guns for known abusers
Watertown Daily Times (NY)
March 7, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Roseanna Otto was 23 and had been separated from her boyfriend five years when she was shot to death last May 27 in her Winterset, Iowa, home - as their two daughters slept in the next room.
Otto's ex-boyfriend, Jerome Moyer III, has been charged with breaking into her house and murdering her with a single gunshot to the head.
According to a police report, he told a sibling after Otto was shot that he had killed her and planned to kill himself.
Moyer is scheduled to stand trial in June.
He's also in line to serve a 15-year-sentence that previously was suspended for breaking into the house of another ex-girlfriend in 2015 and putting a knife to her throat.
In 2014, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic abuse against Otto and received a deferred judgment.
How could he have a gun after those convictions?
Because of gaps in the law.
The federal Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA, first passed in 1994, bans people from owning or buying guns if they were convicted of felony domestic violence or subject to a domestic violence-related protection order.
But that doesn't apply if the abuse happened in a dating relationship (i.e., the couple wasn't married or divorced), if the protective order was temporary or if the offenses were misdemeanors.
Otto's sister, Lilly Steil, believes she would still be alive if those omissions had been fixed in the law, which has been up for reauthorization since last year.
The U.S. House last year, on a bipartisan vote, passed a bill to reauthorize and extend the gun bans to people convicted of misdemeanor stalking or domestic abuse, or subject to temporary restraining orders, and those in dating relationships.
But after the National Rifle Association opposed the firearms ban being extended to dating partners, the Republican-controlled Senate refused to put California's Sen. Dianne Feinstein's companion bill, S. 2843, to a vote.
Feinstein had worked on it in the Judiciary Committee with Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa.
But Iowa's first female senator, a Republican, later withdrew her support and introduced a version without the expanded gun restrictions.
Now Steil has teamed up with Be A Hero Fund, founded by health care activist Ady Barkan.
It has launched a campaign called "Why, Joni?" urging the senator to change her stance.
Steil recently delivered to Ernst's Des Moines, Iowa, office 45,000 letters representing the number of people nationally who have signed a petition calling on Ernst to close the so-called Boyfriend Loophole.
Noting that Ernst is herself a survivor of domestic and sexual assault, Steil asks, "Why is she not putting victims over the NRA?"
One possible reason: Ernst has been identified as the seventh-highest recipient of NRA political action committee funds.
In 2017, the New York Times, using data from the Center for Responsive Politics, said she had received a cumulative $3.12 million from the organization.
Ernst spokesman Brendan Conley didn't answer a question on that.
But he wrote in an email, "As you may know, Sen. Ernst is a survivor herself and this is an issue that is personal for her."
He said Ernst had worked closely with Feinstein, whom she called "a tremendous partner," on a reauthorization (Ernst's version).
But he said Democrats "walked away from the table."
Iowa's other senator, Republican Chuck Grassley, who's also on the Judiciary Committee, hasn't taken a position on either VAWA bill, according to his spokesperson, Taylor Foy, noting neither has come before the committee this year.
But he said Grassley supports funding increases for various VAWA programs as proposed in Ernst's bill.
In a Register op-ed last November, the executive director of the Adel, Iowa-based Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center thanked Ernst for her advocacy on sexual violence.
But Johna Sullivan called her bill "a nonstarter" for excluding the additional gun restrictions, among other things.
Grassley bristles at any criticism of Ernst, saying in a statement forwarded by Foy, "As someone who has lived through a sexual assault, Sen. Ernst has shown real bravery and leadership to fight for other survivors by championing legislation to extend the Violence Against Women Act. It's outrageous that anyone would insinuate that she doesn't have survivors' best interests at heart."
No one is accusing Ernst of that.
Victim advocates are looking to her to use her unique position to push meaningful legislation keeping guns out of the hands of known abusers.
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence says the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide five-fold.
This isn't an ideological or partisan issue.
It's about whether the gun lobby should be able to call the shots on legislation to save women's (most victims are women) lives.
Conley says Ernst remains committed to working with Feinstein on a solution.
But that can't happen if Ernst is unwilling to disarm abusers.
She, of all people, knows why that's necessary.
In divorce papers filed against her former husband, Gail, she alleged he had abused her physically and mentally.
Gail Ernst even revealed his attitude in a Facebook post while they were married. It said, "What do you do if you see your ex running around in your front yard screaming and bloody? Stay calm. Reload. And try again."
No advocate could have made a better case for why abusers shouldn't have guns.
Major gun safety group endorses Joe Biden's presidential bid
Associated Press News Service, The
March 9, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Joe Biden has received the endorsement of one of the nation's largest gun control advocacy groups, Everytown for Gun Safety, in the latest sign that Bernie Sanders' spotty record on guns may be weighing him down in the presidential primary.
Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund plans to spend $60 million on electoral activities this cycle, some of which will go toward trying to elect Biden. An Everytown spokesman said the group typically airs advertisements and engages in grassroots organizing for the candidates it endorses, though it's unclear when the group will begin to spend on Biden's behalf. The group, which was co-founded by billionaire former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, also boasts 6 million supporters and more than 375,000 grassroots donors, numbers that could help boost attention and support for Biden's presidential bid nationwide.
In an interview with The Associated Press, John Feinblatt, head of Everytown for Gun Safety, said the group chose Biden because working for gun control is "his past, it's his present, it's his future." Asked if Sanders' record on gun control factored into the group's decision, Feinblatt said that the group looks at a candidate's "total record."
"You can't confine yourself to just what somebody says they'll do in the future. You have to look at what they've done in the past," he said. "Unquestionably, Joe is a person who's dedicated much of his life to the issue of gun safety."
Feinblatt cited Biden's support for a 1993 gun safety bill known as the Brady Bill that established background checks and a waiting period to buy most firearms as well as his opposition to measures that would shield gun manufacturers from lawsuits over misuse of their guns. He also pointed to Biden's work on the Violence Against Women Act, which included some gun control provisions.
During his tenure in the House and the Senate, Sanders opposed the Brady Bill and supported bills that would give gun manufacturers immunity from lawsuits. His position on gun control issues has shifted, and he now has a D-minus rating from the National Rifle Association.
But Sanders' past votes have been frequent fodder for attacks from his opponents, dating back to his 2016 Democratic primary fight with Hillary Clinton. Most recently, Sanders came under attack during the South Carolina debate two weeks ago from multiple opponents for his record on guns, with Biden charging, as he stood next to the Vermont senator, that "my friend on my right and others have given gun manufacturers absolute immunity."
Biden also has run ads highlighting his work on gun control measures, and on Sunday he received the endorsement of another gun control group, the Brady Campaign. In a statement, the former vice president lamented that the high rate of gun violence in the U.S. has become "normal" for most Americans but for those who are connected to gun violence "normal is a living nightmare," and he said he was "honored" to receive Everytown's endorsement.
"I've taken on the NRA and defeated them twice," he said. "And I believe we need a candidate for president who will fight alongside these leaders, not the NRA or gun manufacturers."
Everytown for Gun Safety is largely financed by Bloomberg, a former 2020 presidential candidate who dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden last week.
Tara Read, Joe Biden's accuser, finally tells her full story (Excerpt)
LAST APRIL, Tara Reade watched as a familiar conversation around her former boss, Joe Biden, and his relationship with personal space unfolded on the national stage. Nevada politician Lucy Flores alleged that Biden had inappropriately sniffed her hair and kissed the back of her head as she waited to go on stage at a rally in 2014. Biden, in a statement in response, said that “not once” in his career did he believe that he had acted inappropriately. But Flores’s allegation sounded accurate to Reade, she said, because Reade had experienced something very similar as a staffer in Biden’s Senate office years earlier.
After she saw an episode of the ABC show “The View,” in which most of the panelists stood up for Biden and attacked Flores as politically motivated, Reade decided that she had no choice but to come forward and support Flores. She gave an interview to a local reporter, describing several instances in which Biden had behaved similarly toward her, inappropriately touching her during her early-’90s tenure in his Senate office. In that first interview, she decided to tell a piece of the story, she said, that matched what had happened to Flores — plus, she had filed a contemporaneous complaint, and there were witnesses, so she considered the allegation bulletproof. The short article brought a wave of attention on her, along with accusations that she was doing the bidding of Russian President Vladimir Putin. So Reade went quiet.
As the campaign went on, Reade, who first supported Sen. Elizabeth Warren and then Sen. Bernie Sanders, began to reconsider staying silent. She thought about the world she wanted her daughter to live in and decided that she wanted to continue telling her story and push back against what she saw as online defamation. To get legal help, and manage what she knew from her first go-around would be serious backlash, she reached out to the organization Time’s Up, established in the wake of the #MeToo movement to help survivors tell their stories.
The Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund was the recipient of an outpouring of donations over the past two-plus years, and is set up as a 501(c)3 nonprofit housed within the National Women’s Law Center. It was launched in December 2017 and was the most successful GoFundMe in the site’s history, raising more than $24 million. Among the accusers backed so far by Time’s Up are some of those assaulted by Harvey Weinstein, as well scores of others with allegations against executives in male-dominated industries. The group has committed more than $10 million toward funding cases.
In January of this year, Reade spoke with a program director at NWLC and was encouraged by the conversation. The fact that she was a Sanders supporter and had come forward previously in incomplete fashion didn’t dissuade Time’s Up. The program director referred her to outside attorneys, Reade said, and suggested that the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund might be able to provide funding for PR and subsidize legal assistance.
The program director shared with Reade the note she planned to forward to attorneys, which read, in part:
She began publicly sharing the harassment she experienced in April 2019 but was attacked … online including by Richard Painter (Univ. of MN law professor who worked in the Obama administration) and journalist Edward-Isaac Dovere for being a Russian operative. There is more to the story of the harassment that she did not feel safe sharing at that time. She is looking for support in sharing her story and guidance on any possible legal action she may be able to take against online harassers. [Editor’s note: Painter served in the Bush, not Obama, administration, and ran for Senate in 2018 as a Democrat.]
The references to Dovere, a reporter with The Atlantic, and Painter stem from their Twitter posts that highlighted favorable comments Reade had made about Putin in a now-deleted post on Medium. “What if I told you that everything you learned about Russia was wrong?” she had written in one 2018 post. “President Putin scares the power elite in America because he is a compassionate, caring, visionary leader. … To President Putin, I say keep your eyes to the beautiful future and maybe, just maybe America will come to see Russia as I do, with eyes of love. To all my Russian friends, happy holiday and Happy New Year.”
Reade says that she learned about Russia and Putin through a Russian friend in her creative-writing group; she is currently writing a novel set in Russia. She wrote the post in the spirit of world peace and solidarity with her friend, she said, adding that the writing should have nothing to do with her allegation. Reade’s leftist mother had raised her to oppose American imperialism and be skeptical of American exceptionalism. She hoped that Time’s Up would be able to help push back against the attacks she knew would be coming.
By February, she learned from a new conversation with Time’s Up, which also involved Director Sharyn Tejani, that no assistance could be provided because the person she was accusing, Biden, was a candidate for federal office, and assisting a case against him could jeopardize the organization’s nonprofit status.
On February 11, the NWLC program director wrote to Reade that she “wanted to let you know that after our conversation I talked further with our Director, Sharyn Tejani, about our ability to offer funding or public relations support in your case. Unfortunately, the Fund’s decision remains the same. … Please know how much I appreciate your courage in speaking out and appreciate what you shared over the phone, that you are speaking out so that your daughter and other young people can start their careers free of harassment.”
When reached for comment by The Intercept, the program director Reade had spoken to referred questions to a NWLC spokesperson, Maria Patrick, who said that the organization has legal constraints. “As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, the National Women’s Law Center is restricted in how it can spend its funds, including restrictions that pertain to candidates running for election,” Patrick responded, when asked why the organizing declined to provide funds to Reade. “Our decision on whether or not to provide certain types of support to an individual should not be interpreted as our validation or doubt of the truthfulness of the person’s statements. Regardless, our support of workers who come forward regarding workplace sexual harassment remains unwavering.”
Ruling out federal candidates marks as off-limits any member of Congress running for reelection, as well as President Donald Trump. Ellen Aprill, a professor of tax law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said that Time’s Up’s analysis is too conservative, and the group wouldn’t be putting its tax-exempt status at risk by taking a case involving a candidate for federal office as long as it followed its standard criteria for taking on cases. “As a legal matter, if the group is clear regarding the criteria used as to whom it is taking to court, show that these are long-established neutral criteria, and they are being applied to individuals completely independent of their running for office, it would not be a violation of tax law. Groups are allowed to continue to do what they have always done,” she said.
The public relations firm that works on behalf of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund is SKDKnickerbocker, whose managing director, Anita Dunn, is the top adviser to Biden’s presidential campaign. A spokesperson for Biden declined to comment. The SKDK spokesperson assigned to Time’s Up referred questions back to the NWLC.
As for influencing the election, Reade said that she was deeply conflicted about continuing to come forward, given that Biden’s opponent in the general election is someone she sees as far worse politically. “I don’t want to help Trump. But what can I do?” she said. “All I can do is stand on my truth.”
Update: March 26, 2020
Reade has given an interview with podcast host Katie Halper, describing her time in Biden’s office, and what she described as a sexual assault in 1993. At the time, she told her mother, brother, and a friend who worked in Sen. Ted Kennedy’s office about the incident. Her mother has since passed away, but both her friend and brother told The Intercept they recalled hearing about it from her at the time. Reade’s friend, who asked to remain anonymous so as not to be part of the public blowback, said she discouraged Reade from coming forward at all, concerned that she would be attacked and would never get the apology she was hoping for. Reade and her brother, Collin Moulton, both said that their mother urged her to call the police, but her brother urged her to move on instead. “Woefully, I did not encourage her to follow up,” he said. “I wasn’t one of her better advocates. I said let it go, move on, guys are idiots.” (Moulton, who lives in Georgia, said he voted for Gary Johnson in 2016 and has no intention to vote for either Biden or Donald Trump.)
The experience in Biden’s office derailed her life, Reade’s friend said. “Back then people assumed girls just get over it,” she said. “But no, it plants a seed and lives can spin out of control. Yes, everybody’s an adult, but guess what, so is he.” At the time, there was just no way that Reade’s effort to right the wrong could succeed, her friend said, but this time, she’s determined to be heard. “It was the ‘90s,” she said. “There was no Me Too. There was no Time’s Up.”
Update: March 27, 2020
The Biden campaign has denied the allegation, releasing two statements, one from Communications Director Kate Bedingfield and the other from former executive assistant to then-Senator Biden Marianne Baker, who served him from 1982-2000.
Bedingfield’s statement:
Women have a right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims. We encourage them to do so, because these accusations are false.
Baker’s statement:
For nearly 20 years, I worked as Senator Biden’s executive assistant and supervised dozens of employees who reported to me. I took very seriously my duties with respect to human resources, following the direction of a Senator whose insistence on a professional workplace was embedded in our culture. In all my years working for Senator Biden, I never once witnessed, or heard of, or received, any reports of inappropriate conduct, period — not from Ms. Reade, not from anyone. I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade’s accounting of events, which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional, and as a manager. These clearly false allegations are in complete contradiction to both the inner workings of our Senate office and to the man I know and worked so closely with for almost two decades.
#MeToo Group Tied to Biden Refused to Highlight Allegation Against Him
A prominent #MeToo advocacy group with ties to a top Joe Biden adviser refused to publicize sexual harassment allegations against the former vice president earlier this year.
Time’s Up, a non-profit committed to ending workplace and gender discrimination, was contacted by a former Biden senate staffer in January. The staffer, Tara Reade, had previously come forward to accuse the former vice president of inappropriate touching while working in his congressional office in the early 1990s. That initial attempt to tell her story, however, had gone poorly, with some reporters and media personalities using an old Medium piece Reade had penned praising Russia and Vladimir Putin to dismiss the allegations outright.
Reade, according to The Intercept, was hoping Time’s Up could not only publicize her story and Biden’s alleged misconduct, but also help in pursuing legal action against online “harassers.” She had some cause to hope the organization would take up the case. Since the launch of the #MeToo movement, Time’s Up had become one of the most important conduits for sexual harassment survivors to tell their stories. The group’s public presence was only enhanced by its fundraising prowess. To date, Time’s Up has raised more than $24 million from small dollar donors across the country. The money has been used for legal defense for victims of sexual harassment at the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) in Washington, D.C.
Shortly after contacting Time’s Up, Reade discussed her allegations with a program director at the NWLC. The initial talks seemed to go well, buoyed by Reade providing evidence that she had informed friends and colleagues of the alleged harassment when it first took place. The program director at NWLC told Reade in January it was likely she could qualify for legal assistance from Time’s Up.
Despite the positive signals, Reade was soon informed that Time’s Up would not be able to offer help. Sharyn Tejani, the director of the Time’s Up’s Legal Defense Fund, informed Reade that getting involved with her case would jeopardize their status as a 501(c)3 nonprofit. As such, nonprofits are barred from “directly or indirectly” participating or intervening in any political campaign in favor or against a candidate for public office. Tejani argued it was improper for the legal defense fund to highlight Reade’s allegations against Biden as long as he was running for president.
The reasoning provided, though, strikes many as insufficient. Cleta Mitchell, a partner at Foley & Lardner LLP and a noted campaign finance expert, told Breitbart News that a (c)3 advocacy group was well within its ability to highlight Reade’s allegations, especially since they have little to do with Biden’s present candidacy directly. Further complicating the picture is that Time’s Up, itself, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(4) charitable organization that has few limitations on its political activity. Meaning that even if the defense fund was unable to help Reade, the broader organization was more than capable.
“If they is an advocacy group that publicizes incidents of sexual harassment, their failure to publicize this one is likely more problematic, as they appear to be making a decision to protect a prominent political candidate,” Mitchell said.
Adding to the cloudy reasoning for Time’s Up’s refusal to help Reade is that the group has ties to Anita Dunn, a high-profile adviser to the former vice president, through its public relations firm, SKDKnickerbocker.
Dunn, who quietly counseled Harvey Weinstein on how to conduct damage control when his predatory conduct first started to make waves, is managing director at the firm. Another member of the firm’s leadership, Hilary Rosen, helped co-found the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund in 2018. It is unclear if either women played a role in Time’s Ups decision to turn away Reade.
Rising exclusive: Joe Biden accuser Tara Reade speaks out
Former staffer for Joe Biden Tara Reade's first on-camera interviews where she recounts her experience from the 1990s with then-Senator Joe Biden including inappropriate touching, and her denial of legal resources from the #MeToo organization Time's Up.
Krystal Ball blasts media's Joe Biden #MeToo coverup
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the frontrunner for the 2020 Democrat presidential nomination, is facing a new sexual assault allegation from a former congressional staffer.
Tara Reade, who came forward last year to accuse Biden have inappropriately touched her in the 1990s, revealed earlier this week during an interview on the podcast of New York City blogger Katie Halper that there was more to the story. According to Reade, while working as a staff assistant in Biden’s Senate office in 1993, she was asked by one of her colleagues to deliver a “gym bag” to the senator. When Reade caught up with Biden, she alleges, he pressed up against a wall and proceeded to kiss her.
“It happened all at once, and then… his hands were on me and underneath my clothes,” Reade told Halper, elaborating on the alleged assault in detail.
And then he went down my skirt and then up inside it. And he penetrated me with his fingers, whatever. And he was kissing me at the same time and he was saying something to me. He said several things and I can’t remember everything [that] he said. I remember a couple of things. I remember his saying, first, like as he was doing it, ‘Do you want to go somewhere else?’ and then him saying to me, when I pulled away, he got finished doing what he was doing and I, how I was pulled back and he said, ‘Come on man, I heard you liked me.’ That phrase stayed with me because I kept thinking what I might have said. And I can’t remember exactly if he said ‘I thought’ or if ‘I heard.’ It’s like he implied that I had done this.
“For me, everything shattered in that moment,” she added. “He wasn’t trying to do anything more. But I looked up to him. He was my father’s age. He was this champion of women’s rights in my eyes and I couldn’t believe it was happening.”
Reade said the purported assault took place in either the U.S. Capitol or the Russell Senate Office Building–where Biden’s office was located at the time. Her inability to recollect the exact time and place of the supposed assault was the result of decades of having “worked so hard not to remember it anymore.” Although there are no direct witnesses to the alleged assault, Reade claims that she told a close friend, as well as her brother, about the incident at the time it occurred.
Last April, Reade was one of eight women to come forward and accuse Biden of unwanted touching after similar allegations were made by Lucy Flores, a one-time candidate for lieutenant governor of Nevada. That initial attempt to tell her story, however, had gone poorly, with some reporters and media personalities using an old Medium piece Reade penned praising Russia and Vladimir Putin to dismiss the allegations outright.
At the time, Reade did not allege that she was digitally penetrated by Biden while in his employ. Reade did, however, attempt to share her full story earlier this year by contacting a prominent #MeToo group, Time’s Up. Read hoped the group could not only publicize the allegations, but also provide financial assistance for any legal suit, either against the former vice president or her online “harassers.”
Time’s Up and its affiliated legal defense fund turned down those entreaties, arguing their nonprofit status could be in jeopardy by taking on a candidate for the presidency. A prominent campaign finance expert told Breitbart News earlier this week that reasoning was inaccurate and seemed to imply Time’s Up was protecting a “prominent political candidate.”
On Friday, Biden’s campaign publicly denied there was any truth to Reade’s accusation.
“Women have a right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims,” Kate Bedingfield, the former vice president’s deputy campaign manager, told Fox News. “We encourage them to do so, because these accusations are false.”
Bedingfield’s comments, though, stand in stark contrast to those Biden, himself, made at the height of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
“For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus, nationally, you’ve got to start off with the presumption that at least the essence of what she’s talking about is real, whether or not she forgets facts, whether or not it’s been made worse or better over time,” Biden said in November 2018.
Katie Halper calls out media for ignoring Joe Biden #MeToo story
Host of the Katie Halper Show podcast shares her experience about interviewing Tara Reade, including the partisanship, hypocrisy of Time's Up and the #MeToo movement.
“It Shattered My Life”: Former Joe Biden Staffer Tara Reade Says He Sexually Assaulted Her in 1993
In an exclusive Democracy Now! TV/radio broadcast, we speak with Tara Reade, the former staffer in Joe Biden’s Senate office who has come forward with allegations that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993.
Last week, The Intercept reported that the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, set up to help survivors of rape and sexual assault, refused to fund a #MeToo investigation into allegations against Biden.
Reade told journalist Katie Halper in an interview published Tuesday that Biden repeatedly touched her without her consent and sexually assaulted her.
Reade approached the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund in January looking for assistance, but was reportedly told the fund could not help her because Biden is a candidate for federal office, and pursuing a case could jeopardize the fund’s nonprofit status.
Reade says she learned from The Intercept report that the public relations firm representing Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund is SKDKnickerbocker, whose managing director, Anita Dunn, is top adviser to Biden’s presidential campaign.
Alyssa Milano Faces Backlash For Staying Quiet About Biden Allegations
Alyssa Milano is facing some backlash for her support of Joe Biden. Ana Kasparian and Cenk Uygur, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.
Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action
Denounce Sen. McConnell for 1 Year of Inaction on Violence Against Women Act
Targeted News Service (USA)
April 4, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
NEW YORK, April 4 -- Everytown for Gun Safety issued the following news release on April 3:
* * *
- As the Risk of Domestic Abuse Rises Across America, the Bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act Still Sits Untouched on Senate Majority Leader McConnell's Desk
* * *
Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action, the grassroots arm of Everytown, denounced Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and his allies for one year of inaction on the bipartisan House-passed version of the Violence against Women Act (VAWA), which includes life-saving measures to disarm abusive dating partners and stalkers. The bill was passed one year ago tomorrow, on April 4th, 2019. An estimated 600+ women have been shot and killed by domestic abusers while Senator McConnell has failed to even give the bill a vote.
The bipartisan House-passed version of VAWA would close the boyfriend loophole-a gap in federal firearm laws that allows abusive dating partners who have been convicted of abuse or placed under a final restraining order to purchase and possess guns. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), who is the lead Republican negotiator on VAWA, and her Republican colleagues rejected this version of the bill, opting instead to introduce a version that leaves the loophole unaddressed.
"The Senate's failure to act on VAWA for an entire year has tragically served as a death sentence for many American women," said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. "In the year since VAWA landed in the Senate, an estimated 600+ women were shot and killed by intimate partners. This inaction by Senator McConnell and his NRA-allies in the Senate is unforgivable, and every one of those senators running for re-election must be held accountable this November."
"As more Americans are confined to their homes and phones at domestic violence hotlines ring off the hook, the number of women who live in fear of an abusive boyfriend is rising, and those fears include getting shot because gun lobby allies in the Senate refused to take action to disarm abusive boyfriends." said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. "Women are five times as likely to be killed by a domestic abuser if a gun is present in the home, and gun sales are skyrocketing during this pandemic, which makes for a potentially deadly combination."
"Domestic abusers shouldn't have access to firearms, period," said Leslie Washington, a survivor of domestic abuse, volunteer with the Missouri chapter Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and member of the Everytown Survivor Network. "My ex-husband abused me for nine years, threatening me with his gun and telling me he was going to kill me. Nobody should have to go through that, regardless of whether they're married or dating--and that's why we have to close the boyfriend loophole."
"The Senate's refusal to close the boyfriend loophole is deadly, especially when women are just as likely to be killed by dating partners as by spouses," said Ruth Glenn, CEO of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and survivor of gun-related domestic abuse. "I know, because years ago, my abuser shot me three times and left me for dead. If the Senate cares about keeping women safe, then it's past time for them to close the boyfriend loophole for good."
VAWA is particularly relevant today because experts believe that Coronavirus-mandated isolation could increase the risk of abuse for victims of domestic violence. This problem is already presenting itself across the country:
* In Cincinnati, local advocates report a 30 percent increase in hotline calls.
* A Los Angeles hospital reported difficulty finding a shelter for a domestic abuse victim due to the pandemic.
* The Nashville YWCA reported a 55 percent increase in calls as COVID-19 cases increased in Tennessee earlier this month.
* The Seattle police department reported a 23 percent increase in domestic violence related calls compared to the same time period last year.
* Some helplines in Arizona have reported a 10 percent increase in the number of calls received since social distancing practices began.
* Domestic violence shelters in Virginia are reporting an increase in calls for help.
* A Portland domestic violence resource center saw calls double in the past week.
* The Salt Lake City police department reported a 33 percent increase in calls to report domestic violence.
Intimate partner violence and gun violence in the U.S. are inextricably linked, impacting millions of women, families, and communities across the country--which is why closing the boyfriend loophole would be a landmark step towards saving women's lives in America. The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation makes it five times more likely that a woman will be killed, and women are just as likely to be killed by dating partners as by spouses. More information on the link between guns and domestic violence is available here and resources for survivors of domestic abuse can be found here.
The House-passed version of VAWA, which would close the boyfriend and stalker loopholes, has earned broad, bipartisan support. It passed the House one year ago with support from 33 Republican representatives; its Senate companion bill, introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), earned the support of every Democrat and Independent in the Senate; and, most notable of all, President Trump's own Department of Justice reportedly supports closing the boyfriend loophole through VAWA. On the other hand, Sen. Ernst's stripped-down, NRA-backed version of VAWA (S. 2920) has garnered support from just 13 Republican senators.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, whom Everytown For Gun Safety endorsed last month, wrote and passed the original Violence Against Women Act in 1994--legislation that led to a 64% drop in intimate partner violence between 1993 and 2010.
Krystal Ball: Alyssa Milano REVEALED as a #MeToo fraud
Krystal Ball tears into notorious Kavanaugh hearing attendant, actress Alyssa Milano, for her hypocrisy on the 'believe women' movement, after Milano dismissed Tara Reade’s story in public interviews.
Biden: Trans Women Need Same Protections from Violence as Biological Women
Men who identify as women will be included in “The Biden Plan to End Violence Against Women,” says Joe Biden’s campaign website.
Biden introduces his plan by taking credit for the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, which did not include transgender “women” as beneficiaries:
One of the driving forces throughout Joe Biden’s career has been fighting back against abuses of power – whether economic or physical power. That force motivated him to write and champion the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, establish the first-ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women during the Obama-Biden Administration, and launch a national campaign to change the culture surrounding campus rape and sexual assault.
The LGBT angle was added later, according to the website:
Since 1994, Biden has led efforts to ensure Congress passed legislation renewing and strengthening the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) three times: in 2000, 2005, and 2013. Each time, the VAWA reauthorization has upped the ante and ensured that especially vulnerable communities – from Native women to LGBTQ individuals – are included in the Act.
But as a presidential candidate, Biden has expanded the definition of abused “women” to be even broader, including backing legislation to codify that definition:
As a direct response to the high rates of homicides of transgender people – particularly transgender women of color – the Biden Administration will push to provide federal funding for local efforts to meet the needs of transgender communities, including employment assistance, housing assistance, leadership development, and other priorities identified by local communities. Specifically, Biden will work to pass the Equality Act, to reduce economic barriers and social stigma, and the LGBTQ Essential Data Act, which would help collect a wide variety of critical data about anti-trans violence and the factors that drive it. He will also direct his Administration to update the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports Supplementary Homicide Reports (UCR-SHR) to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Currently, theses reports do not include categories for sexual orientation and gender identity, hampering our ability to fully diagnose and measure the extent of violent crimes against transgender, gay, lesbian, and bisexual victims.
Biden’s plan would increase federal funding across the board, including to restore U.S. funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which President Donald Trump suspended because of the fund’s support for abortion under the guise of “reproductive rights.”
Biden accuser Tara Reade files criminal complaint over 1993 allegation
A woman who accused Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her when she worked for him in 1993 has filed a formal criminal complaint with the Washington, DC, police about the alleged incident, Business Insider has learned.
The woman, Tara Reade, says she told police that Biden assaulted her in a Senate corridor, shoving his hand under her skirt and penetrating her with his fingers. She was a staffer in his Senate office at the time. The statute of limitations for the alleged assault has passed.
Reade first made her allegations late last month, in a podcast interview, saying that Biden had assaulted her and touched her without consent while the two were alone after she delivered him a gym bag.
Late Thursday afternoon, Reade filed a report of the incident with the sexual assault unit of the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department. Business Insider has obtained a public incident report recording the allegation.
When Reade first made the sexual assault allegation last month, Biden's team issued a blanket denial: "Women have a right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims," Kate Bedingfield, Biden's communications director said. "We encourage them to do so, because these accusations are false."
Former staffer files criminal complaint against Joe Biden over 1993 sexual assault allegation
⦁Joe Biden's former staffer, Tara Reade, filed a police complaint for sexual assault against the former Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee. Reade's congressional ID card can be seen on the right.
⦁A woman who accused Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her when she worked for him in 1993 has filed a formal criminal complaint with the Washington, DC, police about the alleged incident, Business Insider has learned.
⦁The woman, Tara Reade, says she told police that Biden assaulted her in a Senate corridor, shoving his hand under her skirt and penetrating her with his fingers. She was a staffer in his Senate office at the time. The statute of limitations for the alleged assault has passed.
⦁Reade first made her allegations late last month, in a podcast interview, saying that Biden had assaulted her and touched her without consent while the two were alone after she delivered him a gym bag.
A woman who accused Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her when she worked for him in 1993 has filed a formal criminal complaint with the Washington, DC, police about the alleged incident, Business Insider has learned.
The woman, Tara Reade, says she told police that Biden assaulted her in a Senate corridor, shoving his hand under her skirt and penetrating her with his fingers. She was a staffer in his Senate office at the time. The statute of limitations for the alleged assault has passed.
Reade first came forward about her history with Biden in April 2019, telling a newspaper in Nevada County, Calif., that the former vice president had inappropriately caressed her when she worked for him. The allegation drew little attention at the time.
Late last month, in a podcast interview, Reade added lurid new details to the accusation, saying that Biden had assaulted her and touched her without consent while the two were alone after she delivered him a gym bag.
Late Thursday afternoon, Reade filed a report of the incident with the sexual assault unit of the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department. Business Insider has obtained a public incident report recording the allegation.
Willing to go under oath
In an interview, Reade told Business Insider that she filed the report in part because she had become a target of harassment after her initial allegations became public last year, and she wanted "to simply have documentation in case anything happened."
"I filed it because I had been harassed so badly last April," Reade, 56, said on Thursday. "I also wanted to make it clear that I would be willing to go under oath or cooperate with any law enforcement regarding it, because it did happen. Even if it was 26 years ago." Reade said she spent 45 minutes telling her story to a DC sex-crimes detective by phone from her home in California.
While the incident report obtained by Business Insider was anonymized for public release, it states that a subject "disclosed that she was the victim of a sexual assault which was committed by Subject-2 in 1993." Reade confirmed that she was the complainant and that "Subject-2" is Biden. The penalty for filing a false or fictitious police report in Washington DC is a fine and up to 30 days in jail.
The police department declined to comment. Last year, Washington eliminated a 15-year statute of limitations for prosecuting sexual abuse cases, but the law only applied to sexual abuse incidents that had occurred after 2004.
"These accusations are false."
When Reade first made the sexual assault allegation last month, Biden's team issued a blanket denial: "Women have a right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims," Kate Bedingfield, Biden's communications director said. "We encourage them to do so, because these accusations are false."
Marianne Baker, who was Biden's executive assistant for almost two decades, including in 1993, also issued a statement saying she never witnessed or heard of any inappropriate conduct: "I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade's accounting of events, which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional, and as a manager."
Asked to comment on the newly filed criminal complaint against Biden, a campaign spokesperson referred Business Insider to Bedingfield's previous statement.
An alleged assault in a corridor
Reade worked as a low-level staffer in Biden's office for less than a year when she was in her 20s.
In a series of interviews with Business Insider, Reade said Biden assaulted her in the spring of 1993 as she delivered a duffel bag to the then-senator outside of his office. She recalled that it was a hot day, but could not remember the precise location where she met him, describing it only as a semi-private corridor.
"I just remember he was talking to someone at a distance," she said. "And then they walked away and he turned towards me and smiled. And he said, 'Come here Tara,' and greeted me. And I handed him the bag with my right hand. And then I was against the wall."
"I remember the coldness. I remember he immediately was trying to kiss me. And then I turned my head away and he was in my neck and ear and he was talking to me as his hands were going down my body, down my skirt, and then up inside."
Reade recalled that Biden asked if she wanted to go somewhere else.
"I was turning away and pulling away, and he proceeded to put his fingers inside of my vagina, and he made a motion upwards with his hand inside me. And he was still trying to kiss me, and I was pulling away. And then he stopped and pulled back abruptly, and looked annoyed and surprised and said, 'Aw man, I heard you liked me.'"
Reade says she was in shock. "I was frozen in that moment," she said. "And he looked angry. He was adjusting himself and looked at me and just pointed his finger and said, 'You're nothing to me. You're nothing.'" She said he picked up his duffel bag and walked away.
A friend's advice: Don't to go to the police
Reade said she told a friend what happened at the time and discussed it with her in the years after. The friend, who asked to remain anonymous, said she was opposed to the idea of Reade filing a police report in 1993 but now says, "I wish I had encouraged her to actually do that."
She said Reade's story has never changed. "It never varied. I mean, it's always been a gym bag. It's always been a hallway. It's always been, 'the wall was cold.' It's always been, 'the day was hot.' It was always the same threading. I have no reason not to believe her," she told Business Insider.
Reade said she also told her mother, who has since died, that Biden assaulted her. Reade's younger brother, Collin Moulton, said he heard a less detailed account, in which Biden "had his hand under her clothes at some point." Moulton said Reade's mother wanted Reade to go to the police, but "I was stupidly saying she should just move on."
Reade did not file a police report at the time. She claims she filed a report of sexual harassment with a Senate office that handled such complaints, but does not recall details.
"I would just kind of freeze and wait for him to stop doing that."
Then last spring, after a Nevada politician named Lucy Flores accused Biden of sniffing her hair and kissing the back of her head, Reade went public. "He used to put his hand on my shoulder and run his finger up my neck," Reade told The Union, a Nevada County, California, newspaper. "I would just kind of freeze and wait for him to stop doing that." She did not mention an attack in the hallway.
After that interview, journalists and political partisans scrutinized Reade's background and social media trail. A tweet in which she called Vladimir Putin "a compassionate, caring, visionary leader" was widely circulated. In an essay she posted on Medium earlier this year, Reade said she went silent after the initial interview because she was "smeared," saying, "I received phone call and email threats, my website hacked."
Reade proudly noted on her Twitter account that she voted for Bernie Sanders in the California primary.
She tried to get Time's Up, the advocacy organization founded to help women in the wake of the #MeToo movement, to take up her cause, but the group declined to fund her case, citing its nonprofit status. Then on March 25, she went on Katie Halper's podcast, and later on Hill TV, publicly alleging for the first time that Biden had physically assaulted her.
A divisive allegation
Her accusations have divided leaders of the women's movement that arose in reaction to the election of Donald Trump, who succeeded despite multiple credible accusations of sexual assault.
Actress Alyssa Milano, one of the leading voices in the #MeToo movement and an ardent Biden supporter, expressed skepticism of Reade in a radio interview with Andy Cohen and on Twitter.
"I just don't feel comfortable throwing away a decent man that I've known for 15 years in this time of complete chaos without there being a thorough investigation," she said. "I sent the #MeToo tweet two years ago, and I never thought it would be something that would destroy innocent men," she added. "So we have to find this balance in the 'believe women' movement, and also giving men their due process and realizing that we are destroying lives if we don't go through the right steps."
Rose McGowan, Milano's "Charmed" co-star and fellow #MeToo activist, then laced into Milano, calling her "a fraud" in a Twitter tirade.
Reade denies her actions are politically motivated. Filing the police report, she said, was a step she had to take, even if it doesn't lead to criminal proceedings.
"It's very imperative that I think, for me, for my voice to be heard. I've been silenced and threatened before, in the past, and I feel free now," she said. "And after I hung up with that detective, I felt a lift, like okay, my voice was heard and law enforcement has this. And I feel safer."
Rep. Cisneros Urges Congressional Leadership to Reauthorize VAWA Amid Stay at Home Orders
Targeted News Service (USA)
April 11, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
FULLERTON, California, April 11 -- Rep. Gilbert Cisneros, D-California, issued the following news release:
Representative Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (CA-39) sent a bipartisan letter to congressional leadership urging the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in future coronavirus legislation. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of persons forced to shelter in place or quarantine with abusive partners or spouses continues to rise. To view the letter, click here.
"As more states enact stay at home orders, they create an increased risk for those who have to quarantine with their abuser. Congress must reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and provide funding to programs that prevent domestic violence. During this challenging time, we cannot forget to protect our most vulnerable constituents. I strongly urge congressional leadership to reauthorize VAWA in our future coronavirus response legislation," said Rep. Cisneros.
Sexual assault allegation by former Biden Senate aide emerges in campaign, draws denial
A California woman who last year said Joe Biden touched her neck and shoulders when she worked in his Senate office in 1993 is now accusing him of sexually assaulting her that year in a semiprivate area of the Capitol complex, an allegation the Biden campaign strongly denies.
The Washington Post has been examining Tara Reade’s allegation over the past three weeks, since she said on a podcast that Biden had pinned her against a wall, reached under her skirt and pushed his fingers inside her. At the time, she was a 29-year-old staff assistant.
The Post has interviewed Reade on multiple occasions — both this year and last — as well as people she says she told of the assault claim and more than a half-dozen former staffers of Biden’s Senate office.
In interviews with The Post last year, Reade said that Biden had touched her neck and shoulders but did not mention the alleged assault or suggest there was more to the story. She faulted his staff, calling Biden “a male of his time, a very powerful senator, and he had people around saying it was okay.”
She acknowledged in more recent interviews that she twice voted for the Obama-Biden ticket, saying she strongly supported their political positions. Since January, Reade has been a vocal supporter of Biden’s former rival Bernie Sanders. She said political considerations played no role in her decision to raise the sexual assault allegation.
President Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. and his campaign manager, Brad Parscale, sought to inject Reade’s allegation into the presidential campaign on Saturday by accusing the media on Twitter of not covering it. After the New York Times published a story about Reade’s account Sunday morning, social media lit up as partisans either rushed to equate it to widely publicized claims against other powerful men or to point out ways in which hers is different.
The former vice president has been accused of unwanted hugging and other physical contact, but The Post found no other allegations against him as serious as Reade’s. More than a dozen women, by contrast, have accused Trump of forced kissing, groping or sexual assault, and he has been recorded on audio boasting about grabbing women between their legs.
On Thursday, Reade filed a complaint with D.C. police. She told The Post she did so because she is being harassed online and wanted law enforcement to be aware of her claim. A public record of the complaint does not name Biden but says Reade “disclosed that she was the victim of a sexual assault” in 1993.
Reade told The Post she gave police a long interview describing the alleged assault by Biden. The portion of the police report detailing her allegation is not public. Filing a false report is a crime punishable by up to 30 days in jail.
Reade, now 56, said in recent interviews that she was afraid to report the assault or talk about it publicly last year, when she accused Biden of unwanted touching in online posts and media interviews. In those accounts, she said she complained to supervisors about the alleged neck and shoulder contact and a request from a supervisor that she serve drinks at a reception. She said the supervisors later ostracized her and told her to look for another job.
“I didn’t have the courage to come forward” about the assault, Reade said. “I couldn’t get the words out. . . . As time has progressed, I felt stronger about speaking my truth. I realized I had to do this.”
Reade said she described the alleged assault soon after it happened to her mother, who died in 2016, and to a friend, a former intern for another lawmaker. In an interview, the friend corroborated Reade’s account of their conversation but declined to be named in this report.
In another recent interview, Reade’s brother, Collin Moulton, said she told him in 1993 that Biden had behaved inappropriately by touching her neck and shoulders. Their mother urged Reade to contact the police, Moulton said, adding that he felt “ashamed now for not being a better advocate” for his sister. Several days after that interview, he said in a text message that he recalled her telling him that Biden had put his hand “under her clothes.”
Reade said she told a therapist earlier this year about the alleged assault. The Post asked Reade for the therapist’s notes of that conversation, but she has not produced them.
Biden’s presidential campaign called Reade’s accusations false. “Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women,” said Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s deputy campaign manager and communications director. “He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: It is untrue. This absolutely did not happen.”
The campaign also released a statement attributed to Marianne Baker, who was an executive assistant in the office and one of the supervisors to whom Reade says she made a harassment complaint.
“In all my years working for Sen. Biden, I never once witnessed, or heard of, or received, any reports of inappropriate conduct, period — not from Ms. Reade, not from anyone,” Baker said. “I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade’s accounting of events, which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional, and as a manager. These clearly false allegations are in complete contradiction to both the inner workings of our Senate office and to the man I know and worked so closely with for almost two decades.”
Baker did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Reade worked for Biden’s office from December 1992 to early August 1993, according to Senate records. She said that in addition to Baker, she complained about feeling uncomfortable — but not the alleged assault — to two other supervisors in the Senate office: Dennis Toner, deputy chief of staff; and Ted Kaufman, chief of staff. Toner and Kaufman said in interviews that they had no specific recollection of Reade and no memory of such a complaint.
“I would remember something like this if it ever came up,” said Toner, a Delaware-based consultant. “I think it’s an outrageous accusation that’s totally untrue.”
Kaufman said: “It never came up. And I sure would have remembered if it did.” Kaufman has no formal role on the campaign but remains a close confidant.
Reade initially oversaw a group of interns. Two recalled that Reade abruptly stopped overseeing them in April — just a few weeks after the interns arrived — but neither was aware of the circumstances that led to her departure. Reade stopped working in the office several months later.
The 2020 presidential campaign will be the first since the #MeToo movement in late 2017 began inspiring women to share stories of abuse by powerful men.
Near the end of the 2016 campaign, The Post uncovered a 2005 videotape in which Trump bragged that because of his fame he could grab women between the legs, comments he dismissed later as “locker-room banter.” In the days after that audio was published, about a dozen women accused him of sexual misconduct going back decades. Their stories ranged from Trump groping their breasts and buttocks to him kissing them without consent on the lips. Trump called the women liars. More recently, he has denied a New York writer’s allegation that he sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room more than two decades ago.
Last spring, as Biden was preparing to formally enter the presidential race, about a half dozen women came forward with stories of unwanted touching or displays of affection. None alleged sexual assault.
Among them was Lucy Flores, who said that in 2014 the then-vice president touched and kissed the back of her head during her campaign for Nevada’s lieutenant governor.
Biden pledged to be “more respectful of people’s personal space.” But he joked about the criticism two days later, and he has remained physically affectionate during campaign events. where some supporters ask for hugs.
Flores’s story inspired Reade to offer her own account to her local newspaper, the Union, in Nevada County, Calif, Reade said. The details in that article matched the narrative Reade gave The Post the next day in a telephone interview.
She said in that interview, on April 4, 2019, that on at least three occasions Biden put his hands on her shoulders and the base of her neck. She also said she walked in on an argument between two staffers, in which one suggested that Reade was being asked to serve drinks at a reception because Biden thought she was pretty and liked her legs.
She said the supervisors she later complained to dismissed her concerns, told her to wear less provocative clothing and took away responsibilities before finally asking her to resign.
In The Post interview last year, she laid more blame with Biden's staff for “bullying” her than with Biden.
“This is what I want to emphasize: It’s not him. It’s the people around him who keep covering for him,” Reade said, adding later, “For instance, he should have known what was happening to me. . . . Looking back now, that’s my criticism. Maybe he could have been a little more in touch with his own staff.”
The Post last year published other accusations of unwanted touching by Biden but not Reade’s. A friend that she said she had told of the harassment did not respond last year to requests for comment. That friend — the same one who in recent days confirmed that Reade told her of the alleged assault — said she had no memory of receiving calls from The Post.
After Reade went public with her account of harassment, she faced a backlash on social media. Her effusive praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin — she described him in a Medium post in December 2018 as a “compassionate, caring, visionary leader” — led to attacks that she was seeking to advance Russian interests.
Reade told The Post she had gained admiration for Putin while doing research on Russia for a novel. She said she took down the Putin-related posts because of the attacks.
Throughout the rest of 2019, she tweeted dozens of times at several Democratic contenders and at least once at Trump, saying that Biden sexually harassed her when she worked in his Senate office years earlier.
“I don’t have an agenda other than I just wanted my story told,” said Reade, who has a law degree and was working part time assisting families with special-needs children when the coronavirus pandemic hit.
On Saturday, she retweeted Trump’s son’s admonishment of the news media with a comment: “Please Republicans do not use my assault for political gain. Help me pressure @cnn, @nbc, @wapo, @newyorker to question Joe Biden. Thank you”
Reade’s allegations gained traction among some supporters of Sanders, who quit the race last week amid mounting pressure as Biden swept most primary voting states. Reade said she only recently backed Sanders and previously leaned toward some of his Democratic rivals. She gave $5 through the ActBlue fundraising website to then-candidate Marianne Williamson in August 2019, public records show.
But since January, Reade has repeatedly plugged Sanders’s campaign while criticizing Biden on social media. A March 5 tweet called Biden “a misogynist pred” while touting a ticket led by Sanders with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as his running mate. “Tell Bernie to stay in! voters deserve to hear my silenced history w Biden,” Reade said on Twitter on March 22.
Two days later, the Intercept posted an article describing the alleged harassment and Reade’s appeals for help in January from the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, a project of the National Women’s Law Center that offers sexual harassment victims financial support and referrals to lawyers and public relations professionals. The Intercept story did not mention her assault allegations.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for the fund said it does not offer financial assistance in every case. Uma Iyer, vice president for communications with the law center, said the group’s nonprofit status prohibits it from underwriting cases involving allegations against political candidates.
“In Ms. Reade’s situation our determination was based on the fact that her allegations were against a presidential candidate in an election year and primary season,” Iyer said. The group’s nonprofit designation, Iyer said, “mandates a strict and absolute prohibition on participating in electioneering or political activity, and we could not fund a public relations effort around these allegations without significant risk of running afoul of these strict legal rules.”
The day after the Intercept article posted, another media outlet, a podcast co-hosted by Sanders supporter Katie Halper, released an interview in which Reade described the alleged assault.
In the recent interviews with The Post, Reade said she could not remember exactly where in the Capitol complex she was when she met Biden to deliver a gym bag to him. She was wearing a skirt and no stockings because it was a warm day in April or May, she said.
“He put me up against the wall and took the bag,” she said. “He reached up underneath my skirt. . . . I remember two fingers. . . . It was such a nightmare.”
She said he asked, “Do you want to go somewhere else?” She said that when she pulled away, he said, “Come on, man, I thought you liked me,” then told her that she meant “nothing” before finally grabbing her shoulders and saying, “You’re okay.”
The friend who Reade said she told about the incident at the time had interned on Capitol Hill and was in college in Virginia at the time of the alleged assault.
“I still remember that she handed off the gym bag and then she was pinned up against the wall,” Reade’s friend said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because she feared online harassment and professional consequences. “His hands went under her skirt. . . . He pushed his fingers into her, not at her invitation. Not at her request. She was confused about why he thought it was okay to do that.”
Reade’s younger brother, Moulton, said she had told him parts of her experience with Biden but not the alleged sexual assault.
“I heard that there was a gym bag incident . . . and that he was inappropriate,” Moulton said. “I remember her telling me he said she was nothing to him.”
A few days after that interview, Moulton sent the text saying he wanted to clarify his remarks. He wrote that he recalled Reade telling him in the early 1990s that Biden had cornered her and put his hands under her clothes.
Another friend of Reade’s said that in 2006 or 2007 Reade told her Biden had touched her arm and behaved inappropriately. She had no other details, she said, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of concern she might face online attacks.
Reade said that in 1993 she filed a complaint with a congressional human resources or personnel office but did not remember the exact name. Her complaint dealt only with the alleged harassment, not the assault, she said.
The Post could find no record of the complaint, and Reade said she never received a copy. The Senate Office of Fair Employment Practices, which fielded complaints starting in 1992, was replaced under a 1995 law and is now called the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights.
Biden staffers who might have been alerted to such a complaint said they do not recall hearing of one, and Biden’s official Senate papers were donated to the University of Delaware but remain sealed from the public.
In interviews with a half-dozen former Biden staffers who overlapped with Reade, many were hesitant to cast doubt on an individual woman’s account but said Reade’s story did not match their experience in a tightknit office with high-ranking female staffers.
None of those reached by The Post recalled witnessing Biden putting his hands on Reade or the request that she serve drinks.
“There was never anything like that that was ever a part of the culture of working on the Hill at that time for Biden,” said Melissa Lefko, who worked as a staff assistant in 1993. “There were plenty of other senators I could point in your direction as known for their sexual predatory behavior of female staffers. Biden was never, ever one of those senators. Never. Never.”
In Medium posts in January and one in April 2019, Reade said no one on Capitol Hill would hire her after she complained about Biden’s behavior and the request that she serve drinks. In late 2018, she wrote that she left Washington to pursue an acting and artistic career, turned off by what she called the U.S. government’s “xenophobia” toward Russia. In a 2009 essay that noted Biden’s work on the Violence Against Women Act, she discussed moving from Washington to the Midwest to be with a boyfriend.
She occasionally has tweeted positively about Biden, saying in 2017, “My old boss speaks truth. Listen” with a link to a BBC story about Biden calling for the tech industry to help fight cancer.
Reade told The Post in a recent interview that she tweeted support of him because she admired some things about Biden despite the alleged assault. “Here’s the person I admire, who stands for all I believe in,” she said. “At the same time, that’s what happened to me personally.”
Correction: This story as originally published misstated the language in a police report about Tara Reade’s complaint. That version of the story quoted the document as saying Reade “disclosed that she believes she was the victim of a sexual assault.” The document does not contain the words “she believes.” This version has been corrected.
Examining Tara Reade’s 1993 sexual assault allegation against Joe Biden
WASHINGTON — A former Senate aide who last year accused Joe Biden of inappropriate touching has made an allegation of sexual assault against the former vice president, the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee this fall.
The former aide, Tara Reade, who briefly worked as a staff assistant in Biden’s Senate office, told The New York Times that in 1993, Biden pinned her to a wall in a Senate building, reached under her clothing and penetrated her with his fingers. A friend said that Reade told her the details of the allegation at the time. Another friend and a brother of Reade’s said she told them over the years about a traumatic sexual incident involving Biden.
A spokeswoman for Biden said the allegation was false. In interviews, several people who worked in the Senate office with Reade said they did not recall any talk of such an incident or similar behavior by Biden toward her or any women. Two office interns who worked directly with Reade said they were unaware of the allegation or any treatment that troubled her.
Last year, Reade and seven other women came forward to accuse Biden of kissing, hugging or touching them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable. Reade told The Times then that Biden had publicly stroked her neck, wrapped his fingers in her hair and touched her in ways that made her uncomfortable.
Soon after Reade made the new allegation, in a podcast interview released March 25, The Times began reporting on her account and seeking corroboration through interviews, documents and other sources. The Times interviewed Reade on multiple days over hours, as well as those she told about Biden’s behavior and other friends. The Times has also interviewed lawyers who spoke to Reade about her allegation; nearly two dozen people who worked with Biden during the early 1990s, including many who worked with Reade; and the other seven women who criticized Biden last year, to discuss their experiences with him.
No other allegation about sexual assault surfaced in the course of reporting, nor did any former Biden staff members corroborate any details of Reade’s allegation. The Times found no pattern of sexual misconduct by Biden.
On Thursday, Reade filed a report with the Washington, D.C., police, saying she was the victim of a sexual assault in 1993; the public incident report, provided to The Times by Reade and the police, does not mention Biden by name, but she said the complaint was about him. Reade said she filed the report to give herself an additional degree of safety from potential threats. Filing a false police report may be punishable by a fine and imprisonment.
Reade, who worked as a staff assistant helping manage office interns, said she also filed a complaint with the Senate in 1993 about Biden; she said she did not have a copy of it, and such paperwork has not been located. The Biden campaign said it did not have a complaint. The Times reviewed an official copy of her employment history from the Senate that she provided showing she was hired in December 1992 and paid by Biden’s office until August 1993.
The seven other women who had complained about Biden told The Times this month that they did not have any new information about their experiences to add, but several said they believed Reade’s account.
Last year, Biden, 77, acknowledged the women’s complaints about his conduct, saying his intentions were benign and promising to be “more mindful and respectful of people’s personal space.”
In response to Reade’s allegation, Kate Bedingfield, a deputy Biden campaign manager, said in a statement, “Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women. He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: It is untrue. This absolutely did not happen.”
Reade made her new allegation public as Biden was closing in on the Democratic presidential nomination after winning a string of primaries against his chief rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders. Reade, who describes herself as a “third-generation Democrat,” said she originally favored Marianne Williamson and Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the race but voted for Sanders in the California primary last month. She said her decision to come forward had nothing to do with politics or helping Sanders and added that neither his campaign nor the Trump campaign had encouraged her to make her allegation.
President Donald Trump has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by more than a dozen women, who have described a pattern of behavior that went far beyond the accusations against Biden. The president also directed illegal payments — including $130,000 to a pornographic film actress, Stormy Daniels — before the 2016 election to silence women about alleged affairs with Trump, according to federal prosecutors.
Trump has even boasted about his mistreatment of women; in a 2005 recording, he described pushing himself on women and said he would “grab them by the pussy,” bragging that he could get away with “anything” because of his celebrity.
Even so, Trump has at times attacked opponents over their treatment of women. The president has not mentioned Reade’s allegation, which has circulated on social media and in liberal and conservative news outlets.
Reade’s Account
Reade, 56, told The Times that the assault happened in the spring of 1993. She said she had tracked down Biden to deliver an athletic bag when he pushed her against a cold wall, started kissing her neck and hair and propositioned her. He slid his hand up her cream-colored blouse, she said, and used his knee to part her bare legs before reaching under her skirt.
“It happened at once. He’s talking to me, and his hands are everywhere, and everything is happening very quickly,” she recalled. “He was kissing me, and he said, very low, ‘Do you want to go somewhere else?’”
Reade said she pulled away and Biden stopped.
“He looked at me kind of almost puzzled or shocked,” she said. “He said, ‘Come on, man, I heard you liked me.’”
At the time, Reade said she worried whether she had done something wrong to encourage his advances.
“He pointed his finger at me, and he just goes, ‘You’re nothing to me. Nothing,’” she said. “Then, he took my shoulders and said, ‘You’re OK. You’re fine.’”
Biden walked down the hallway, Reade said, and she cleaned up in a restroom, made her way home and, sobbing, called her mother, who encouraged her to immediately file a police report.
Instead, Reade said, she complained to Marianne Baker, Biden’s executive assistant, as well as to two top aides, Dennis Toner and Ted Kaufman, about harassment by Biden — not mentioning the alleged assault.
The staff declined to take action, Reade said, after which she filed a written complaint with a Senate personnel office. She said office staff took away most of her duties, including supervising the interns; assigned her a windowless office; and made the work environment uncomfortable for her.
She said Kaufman later told her she was not a good fit in the office, giving her a month to look for a job. Reade never secured another position in Washington.
In an interview, Kaufman, a longtime friend of Biden’s who was his chief of staff at the time, said, “I did not know her. She did not come to me. If she had, I would have remembered her.”
Toner, who worked for Biden for more than three decades, said the allegation was out of character for Biden. Other senators and office staffs had reputations for harassing women at work and partying after hours, according to those who worked in the office at the time. Biden was known for racing to catch the train to get home to Wilmington, Delaware, every night.
“It’s just so preposterous that Sen. Biden would be faced with these allegations,” said Toner, who was deputy chief of staff when Reade worked in the office. “I don’t remember her. I don’t remember this conversation. And I would remember this conversation.”
The Biden campaign issued a statement from Baker, Biden’s executive assistant from 1982 to 2000.
“I never once witnessed, or heard of, or received any reports of inappropriate conduct, period — not from Ms. Reade, not from anyone,” she said. “I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade’s accounting of events, which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional and as a manager.”
Melissa Lefko, a former staff assistant for Biden from 1992 to 1993, said she did not remember Reade. But she recalled that Biden’s office was a “very supportive environment for women” and said she had never experienced any kind of harassment there.
“When you work on the Hill, everyone knows who the good guys are and who the bad guys are, and Biden was a good guy,” she said.
Reade said that she could not remember the exact time, date or location of the assault but that it occurred in a “semiprivate” place in the Senate office complex.
A friend said that Reade told her about the alleged assault at the time, in 1993. A second friend recalled Reade telling her in 2008 that Biden had touched her inappropriately and that she’d had a traumatic experience while working in his office. Both friends agreed to speak to The Times on the condition of anonymity to protect the privacy of their families and their self-owned businesses.
Reade said she also told her brother, who has confirmed parts of her account publicly but who did not speak to The Times, and her mother, who has since died.
Differing Recollections
At the time of the alleged assault, Reade said she was responsible for coordinating interns in the office. Two former interns who worked with her said they never heard her describe any inappropriate conduct by Biden or saw her directly interact with him in any capacity but recalled that she abruptly stopped supervising them in April, before the end of their internship. Others who worked in the office at the time said they remembered Reade but not any inappropriate behavior.
Friends and former co-workers describe Reade as friendly, caring, compassionate and trustworthy, though perhaps a bit naive. A single mother, she changed her name for protection after leaving an abusive marriage in the late 1990s and put herself through law school in Seattle. After leaving Biden’s office, she eventually returned to the West Coast, where she worked for a state senator; as an advocate for domestic violence survivors, testifying as an expert witness in court; and for animal rescue organizations.
During her time in Biden’s office, he was working to pass the Violence Against Women Act, which Biden has described as his “proudest legislative accomplishment.” In 2017, Reade retweeted praise for Biden and his work combating sexual assault. In more recent months, her feed has featured support for Sanders and criticism of Biden.
Reade said she did not disclose the sexual assault allegation last year when she spoke out because she was scared. After her initial complaints were reported last year by a local California newspaper, Reade said she faced a wave of criticism and death threats as well as accusations that she was a Russian agent because of Medium posts and tweets, several of which are now deleted, that she had written praising President Vladimir Putin.
Reade said that she was not working for Russia and did not support Putin and that her comments were pulled out of context from a novel she was writing at the time.
“It was trying to smear me and distract from what happened, but it won’t change the facts of what happened in 1993,” she said.
She called her praise for Putin “misguided.”
Reade tried to get legal and public relations support from the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, an initiative established by prominent women in Hollywood to fight sexual harassment. Her outreach to the group was first reported by The Intercept.
As it has for thousands of people who have contacted the group, the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, which does not represent clients, gave her a list of lawyers with expertise in such cases. She said she contacted every single one, but none took her case. Two lawyers confirmed speaking to Reade but declined to comment on the record about her or the allegation.
SKDKnickerbocker, the political consulting firm where Biden’s chief strategist, Anita Dunn, works as a managing director, has a contract with the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund. Dunn has never worked with the fund, and her firm was not told of Reade’s request, according to officials at the fund.
Reade also contacted at least one of the women who spoke out along with her last year about Biden’s penchant for physical contact.
Lucy Flores, a former Nevada state assemblywoman who accused Biden of making her uncomfortable by kissing and touching her during a 2014 campaign event, exchanged a few emails last year with Reade but said Reade did not share her full story.
“Biden is not just a hugger,” Flores said. “Biden very clearly was invading women’s spaces without their consent in a way that made them feel uncomfortable. Does he potentially have the capacity to go beyond that? That’s the answer everyone is trying to get at.”
Former Senate aide accuses Joe Biden of sexual assault; Biden team calls allegation false
Republican, The: Web Edition Articles (Springfield, MA)
April 12, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Joe Biden, the longtime Delaware senator and former vice president who's now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, faces a sexual assault allegation from former aide Tara Reade.
Reade, one of several women who last year accused Biden of uncomfortable kissing, hugging or touching, made the new allegation during a podcast interview last month.
On Sunday, The New York Times reported that it had interviewed Reade on the alleged assault. The newspaper also spoke with a friend of Reade's who was told details at the time, and another friend and a brother of Reade's who were told over the years about an incident involving Biden.
She filed a sexual assault report with Washington, D.C., police on Thursday, claiming that Biden, in 1993, pinned her against a wall, kissed her and placed his hand under her skirt. Reade alleged that he propositioned her but stopped after she pulled away.
Biden's team told the Times that the assault never happened.
Kate Bedingfield, a deputy campaign manager for Biden, said in a statement that the former vice president had "dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women," including his writing and push for passage of the Violence Against Women Act.
"He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully," she said. "Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: It is untrue. This absolutely did not happen."
The Times said it interviewed almost two dozen Biden staffers during the 1990s, including many who worked alongside Reade, with several saying they did not recall any discussion of the incident or similar behavior by Biden toward her or other women.
A pair of interns who worked directly with Reade told the Times they were unaware of her accusation or any concerns about Biden's behavior.
The Times found no pattern of sexual misconduct by Biden; no other allegations of assault surfaced and no former staff members corroborated Reade's allegation.
Reade said she complained to Marianne Baker, Biden's former longtime executive assistant, following the alleged assault. But Baker said in a statement that she "never once witnessed, or heard of, or received, any reports of inappropriate conduct, period — not from Ms. Reade, not from anyone. I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade's accounting of events, which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional, and as a manager."
Reade told The Times she came forward on her own and not to help Democratic rival Sen. Bernie Sanders or President Donald Trump. Trump, who's faced sexual assault and other allegations by more than a dozen women, has not yet referenced Reade's allegations against his likely foe in the general election.
The Intercept reported that Reade reached out to nonprofit Time's Up, which helps assault and harassment victims share their stories. Reade said she was provided a list of attorneys with Time's Up Legal Defense Fund, but none took her case, the Times reported.
Biden's inner circle no longer a boys club
Southern Illinoisan, The (Carbondale, IL)
April 12, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Weeks before Joe Biden launched his 2020 presidential campaign, he released a social media video to address allegations from women who said his uninvited displays of affection had made them uncomfortable.
“Social norms have begun to change. They've shifted,” said the former vice president, then 76. Looking straight into a cellphone camera, he added: “I hear what they are saying. I understand.”
Kate Bedingfield, an adviser the same age as Biden's youngest daughter, was first to propose a direct-to-lens declaration. She joined forces with Anita Dunn, an alumna of President Barack Obama’s West Wing and relative newbie to Biden's orbit. Together with two of Biden's longest-serving confidants- Steve Ricchetti and Mike Donilon- they convinced the almost-candidate it was the right course.
When the boss was ready, Bedingfield held up her phone to record.
Those early days of spring 2019 portended a defining new reality for Biden: His innermost circle for decades was dominated by men, with the crucial exceptions of his wife, Jill, and sister, Valerie. But the 50-year political veteran has expanded his brain trust, and the cadre of women now included have helped shape - and even rescue - a campaign that has whipsawed Biden from early favorite to disappointing afterthought and finally to prospective Democratic nominee.
“We don’t have a senior meeting on the campaign where women are not at least half the meeting,” said Bedingfield, the deputy campaign manager, who had joined Biden during his final years as Obama's vice president. Biden, she said, is “cognizant of the fact that we bring different life experiences to the table, and that that is valuable,” while also seeing women and men as equals in presidential politics.
It's a vital dynamic for a politician whose career is marked by both successes and controversies where women are concerned, and also for his party, which again will nominate a man despite a historically diverse field that fueled many Democrats' hopes that a woman finally could win the presidency.
Accordingly, Biden has highlighted that women are leaders on his campaign and assured voters they would remain so in his White House. He pledged days before the South Carolina primary to make a black woman his first Supreme Court nominee. After taking complete command of the nominating fight over subsequent weeks, he named Democratic operative Jen O’Malley Dillon as his campaign manager and promised to select a woman as his running mate.
Biden had previously tasked Dunn, 63, with leading his campaign after an embarrassing fourth-place finish in Iowa in February. Dunn already had bonded with two other top women advisers: Bedingfield, 38, and Symone Sanders, 30, who came to the campaign as one of the party's most high-profile black women strategists. Dunn also recommended Biden make O'Malley Dillon, 43, his permanent manager.
Bedingfield and Biden's first campaign manager, Greg Schultz, meanwhile, had built a team with women atop several divisions: policy, political outreach, research, fundraising and accounting. And Biden's traveling chief of staff is Annie Tomasini, making her the candidate's day-to-day shepherd.
That's a notable lineup for a man who came of age in a staunchly patriarchal era. He joined an all-male Senate in 1973. He's since authored the Violence Against Women Act, but also has been harangued over his handling of Anita Hill's accusations of sexual harassment against Clarence Thomas before his 1991 Supreme Court confirmation. Biden said that led him to recruit the first women to the Senate Judiciary Committee, though he's never personally apologized to Hill for anything he did as chairman, instead referring generally to how other senators treated her.
Dunn said it is Biden's “world view” to want women challenging him. But she and other women deflect credit for his campaign turnaround, pointing elsewhere, including at the men who remain fixtures.
“Successful campaigns are about addition,” Dunn said, “not subtraction.”
Indeed, while Dunn spent much of her time at Philadelphia headquarters before it was shuttered by the coronavirus, a trio of Biden's old-guard - Donilon, his speechwriter and ad guru since the early 1980s, and former chiefs of staff Ricchetti and Bruce Reed - comprised a traveling mainstay with the candidate. Still, interviews with nearly a dozen Biden aides and allies made clear that women are a driving force behind the candidate and his campaign.
Women were in the room when Biden reversed his decades-long support for the Hyde amendment, a prohibition on federal money paying for abortions. They’ve helped soften his defensiveness about lingering criticisms over Hill. And women urged Biden to talk more openly about a debilitating stutter that he learned to manage as a boy, convincing him it wasn't a weakness, but a humanizing strength.
When Biden granted Dunn final decision-making authority after the Iowa caucuses, she moved quickly. She recruited O'Malley Dillon, who'd never worked directly for Biden, to oversee the Nevada operation. Sanders headed to South Carolina. Those states resuscitated a campaign Dunn said was “on the brink of collapse.”
Bedingfield and Sanders were especially vocal in pressing Biden to bail on New Hampshire when it became clear he'd lose badly there. They helped convinced him to visit South Carolina for a rally on friendlier turf before traveling to Nevada.
“There was a big difference between a fifth-place finish in a ballroom in New Hampshire and a fifth-place finish being in South Carolina, making the case for where we thought our campaign would turn around,” Bedingfield said.
Former Biden aide escalates assault allegation
Marin Independent Journal (San Rafael, CA)
April 13, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON >> A former Senate aide who last year accused Joe Biden of inappropriate touching has made an allegation of sexual assault against the former vice president, the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee this fall.
The former aide, Tara Reade, who briefly worked as a staff assistant in Biden’s Senate office, told The New York Times that in 1993, Biden pinned her to a wall in a Senate building, reached under her clothing and penetrated her with his fingers. A friend said that Reade told her the details of the allegation at the time. Another friend and a brother of Reade’s said she told them over the years about a traumatic sexual incident involving Biden.
A spokeswoman for Biden said the allegation was false. In interviews, several people who worked in the Senate office with Reade said they did not recall any talk of such an incident or similar behavior by Biden toward her or any women. Two office interns who worked directly with Reade said they were unaware of the allegation or any treatment that troubled her.
Last year, Reade and seven other women came forward to accuse Biden of kissing, hugging or touching them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable. Reade told The Times then that Biden had publicly stroked her neck, wrapped his fingers in her hair and touched her in ways that made her uncomfortable.
Soon after Reade made the new allegation, in a podcast interview released March 25, The Times began reporting on her account and seeking corroboration through interviews, documents and other sources. The Times interviewed Reade on multiple days over hours, as well as those she told about Biden’s behavior and other friends. The Times has also interviewed lawyers who spoke to Reade about her allegation; nearly two dozen people who worked with Biden during the early 1990s, including many who worked with Reade; and the other seven women who criticized Biden last year, to discuss their experiences with him.
No other allegation about sexual assault surfaced in the course of reporting, nor did any former Biden staff members corroborate any details of Reade’s allegation. The Times found no pattern of sexual misconduct by Biden.
On Thursday, Reade filed a report with the Washington, D.C., police, saying she was the victim of a sexual assault in 1993; the public incident report, provided to The Times by Reade and the police, does not mention Biden by name, but she said the complaint was about him. Reade said she filed the report to give herself an additional degree of safety from potential threats. Filing a false police report may be punishable by a fine and imprisonment.
Reade, who worked as a staff assistant helping manage office interns, said she also filed a complaint with the Senate in 1993 about Biden; she said she did not have a copy of it, and such paperwork has not been located. The Biden campaign said it did not have a complaint. The Times reviewed an official copy of her employment history from the Senate that she provided showing she was hired in December 1992 and paid by Biden’s office until August 1993.
The seven other women who had complained about Biden told The Times this month that they did not have any new information about their experiences to add, but several said they believed Reade’s account.
Last year, Biden, 77, acknowledged the women’s complaints about his conduct, saying his intentions were benign and promising to be “more mindful and respectful of people’s personal space.”
In response to Reade’s allegation, Kate Bedingfield, a deputy Biden campaign manager, said in a statement, “Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women. He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: It is untrue. This absolutely did not happen.”
Reade made her new allegation public as Biden was closing in on the Democratic presidential nomination after winning a string of primaries against his chief rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders. Reade, who describes herself as a “third-generation Democrat,” said she originally favored Marianne Williamson and Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the race but voted for Sanders in the California primary last month. She said her decision to come forward had nothing to do with politics or helping Sanders and added that neither his campaign nor the Trump campaign had encouraged her to make her allegation.
President Donald Trump has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct by more than a dozen women, who have described a pattern of behavior that went far beyond the accusations against Biden. The president also directed illegal payments — including $130,000 to a pornographic film actress, Stormy Daniels — before the 2016 election to silence women about alleged affairs with Trump, according to federal prosecutors.
Reade’s account
Reade, 56, told The Times that the assault happened in the spring of 1993. She said she had tracked down Biden to deliver an athletic bag when he pushed her against a cold wall, started kissing her neck and hair and propositioned her. He slid his hand up her cream-colored blouse, she said, and used his knee to part her bare legs before reaching under her skirt.
“It happened at once. He’s talking to me, and his hands are everywhere, and everything is happening very quickly,” she recalled. “He was kissing me, and he said, very low, ‘Do you want to go somewhere else?’”
Reade said she pulled away and Biden stopped.
“He looked at me kind of almost puzzled or shocked,” she said. “He said, ‘Come on, man, I heard you liked me.’”
At the time, Reade said she worried whether she had done something wrong to encourage his advances.
“He pointed his finger at me, and he just goes, ‘You’re nothing to me. Nothing,’” she said. “Then, he took my shoulders and said, ‘You’re OK. You’re fine.’”
Biden walked down the hallway, Reade said, and she cleaned up in a restroom, made her way home and, sobbing, called her mother, who encouraged her to immediately file a police report.
Instead, Reade said, she complained to Marianne Baker, Biden’s executive assistant, as well as to two top aides, Dennis Toner and Ted Kaufman, about harassment by Biden — not mentioning the alleged assault.
The staff declined to take action, Reade said, after which she filed a written complaint with a Senate personnel office. She said office staff took away most of her duties, including supervising the interns; assigned her a windowless office; and made the work environment uncomfortable for her.
She said Kaufman later told her she was not a good fit in the office, giving her a month to look for a job. Reade never secured another position in Washington.
In an interview, Kaufman, a longtime friend of Biden’s who was his chief of staff at the time, said, “I did not know her. She did not come to me. If she had, I would have remembered her.”
Toner, who worked for Biden for more than three decades, said the allegation was out of character for Biden. Other senators and office staffs had reputations for harassing women at work and partying after hours, according to those who worked in the office at the time. Biden was known for racing to catch the train to get home to Wilmington, Delaware, every night.
The Biden campaign issued a statement from Baker, Biden’s executive assistant from 1982 to 2000.
“I never once witnessed, or heard of, or received any reports of inappropriate conduct, period — not from Ms. Reade, not from anyone,” she said. “I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade’s accounting of events, which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional and as a manager.”
Reade said that she could not remember the exact time, date or location of the assault but that it occurred in a “semiprivate” place in the Senate office complex.
Differing memories
At the time of the alleged assault, Reade said she was responsible for coordinating interns in the office. Two former interns who worked with her said they never heard her describe any inappropriate conduct by Biden or saw her directly interact with him in any capacity but recalled that she abruptly stopped supervising them in April, before the end of their internship. Others who worked in the office at the time said they remembered Reade but not any inappropriate behavior.
Friends and former co-workers describe Reade as friendly, caring, compassionate and trustworthy, though perhaps a bit naive. A single mother, she changed her name for protection after leaving an abusive marriage in the late 1990s and put herself through law school in Seattle. After leaving Biden’s office, she eventually returned to the West Coast, where she worked for a state senator; as an advocate for domestic violence survivors, testifying as an expert witness in court; and for animal rescue organizations.
During her time in Biden’s office, he was working to pass the Violence Against Women Act, which Biden has described as his “proudest legislative accomplishment.” In 2017, Reade retweeted praise for Biden and his work combating sexual assault. In more recent months, her feed has featured support for Sanders and criticism of Biden.
Reade said she did not disclose the sexual assault allegation last year when she spoke out because she was scared. After her initial complaints were reported last year by a local California newspaper, Reade said she faced a wave of criticism and death threats as well as accusations that she was a Russian agent because of Medium posts and tweets, several of which are now deleted, that she had written praising President Vladimir Putin.
Reade said that she was not working for Russia and did not support Putin and that her comments were pulled out of context from a novel she was writing at the time.
Reade tried to get legal and public relations support from the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, an initiative established by prominent women in Hollywood to fight sexual harassment. Her outreach to the group was first reported by The Intercept.
As it has for thousands of people who have contacted the group, the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, which does not represent clients, gave her a list of lawyers with expertise in such cases. She said she contacted every single one, but none took her case. Two lawyers confirmed speaking to Reade but declined to comment on the record about her or the allegation.
Reade also contacted at least one of the women who spoke out along with her last year about Biden’s penchant for physical contact.
Lucy Flores, a former Nevada state assemblywoman who accused Biden of making her uncomfortable by kissing and touching her during a 2014 campaign event, exchanged a few emails last year with Reade but said Reade did not share her full story.
“Biden is not just a hugger,” Flores said. “Biden very clearly was invading women’s spaces without their consent in a way that made them feel uncomfortable. Does he potentially have the capacity to go beyond that? That’s the answer everyone is trying to get at.”
The Times Took 19 Days to Report an Accusation Against Biden. Here’s Why.
Dean Baquet, the executive editor of The New York Times, said the article was published when there was enough reporting “to present to readers for them to make their own judgment.”
On March 25, Tara Reade, a former Senate aide for Joseph R. Biden Jr., alleged in an interview on a podcast that Mr. Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, had sexually assaulted her in 1993.
The New York Times did not immediately report the allegation.
More than two weeks later, on April 12, The Times published an article by Lisa Lerer and Sydney Ember that included an interview with Ms. Reade detailing her claims. The article reported that a friend said that Ms. Reade had recounted the details of the alleged assault to her at the time, and that former Senate colleagues of Ms. Reade said they did not recall any talk of the episode. In the course of their reporting, the authors said, “The Times found no pattern of sexual misconduct by Mr. Biden.”
The timing of the article has been questioned by critics who say that a delay was a way to play down allegations against Mr. Biden in the midst of a race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Mr. Biden’s allies, who strenuously deny Ms. Reade’s accusation, believe her allegation is not supported strongly enough to publish at all.
I asked Dean Baquet, the executive editor of The Times, about the decision to wait, and the decision to publish.
Tara Reade made her allegation on a podcast on March 25. Why not cover it then as breaking news?
Lots of people covered it as breaking news at the time. And I just thought that nobody other than The Intercept was actually doing the reporting to help people figure out what to make of it. I thought what The New York Times could do and bring to the story was the expertise we had developed over doing more than a dozen of these kinds of stories.
We did what we always do. One thing we have tried to do, going all the way back to the Bill O’Reilly story, is to find out whether people talk to people contemporaneously, whether they describe their stories to people before they became public. And in fact, she had talked to a couple of people who confirm that to us.
But mainly I thought that what The New York Times could offer and should try to offer was the reporting to help people understand what to make of a fairly serious allegation against a guy who had been a vice president of the United States and was knocking on the door of being his party’s nominee.
Look, I get the argument. Just do a short, straightforward news story. But I’m not sure that doing this sort of straightforward news story would have helped the reader understand. Have all the information he or she needs to think about what to make of this thing.
How do you think about the timing with a story like this? The story broke at a time when Bernie Sanders was deciding whether or not to drop out of the race. Do you feel some obligation to him or to his supporters to try to figure out what’s going on?
At that time, we didn’t know he was about to drop out of the race. I guess everybody knew he was thinking about it. But I thought the biggest obligation we had, frankly, was to the story and to having multiple conversations with Tara Reade. And to be honest at that point it wasn’t like we were in a heated race with the clock ticking. The main obligation was to get a really sensitive story as close to right as we could.
What about Twitter? You have people on Twitter asking, “Where’s The New York Times?” and a narrative developing that The Times’s decision not to cover it represents a political stance. And you and your team are silent through that. You don’t think to say, “Hey, we’re working on it”?
So this is a tricky question. You wish you could say to the world, “Hey, we’re working on this.” But you don’t actually know what you’re going to end up writing. Let’s say for some reason we found out something that made us not want to write a story. Then what do we say to readers? “We looked at this hard and we found a reason. We found out something that made us not want to write. But we’re not going to tell you about it.” So it felt to me like that wasn’t quite the right alternative either.
Once the story came in, did you have any hesitation about publishing it at all? It doesn’t have some of the features that much of The Times’s #MeToo reporting has: In particular, the people to whom she gave the contemporaneous accounts are not on the record. There’s no iron law that you have to get those people on the record?
There are no iron laws. I started the O’Reilly story. We’ve done about 20 of these. [The Times’s political editor] Pat Healy has edited half a dozen of them. There can’t be any iron laws. The iron laws are you try to find everything you can to corroborate the story. There’s a lot of reporting that’s not in the story.
But it was pretty clear to me that we were going to write a story. He also stands an X percent chance of being the next president of the United States. And at that point, that’s a pretty powerful reason to write and to publish.
Does the ultimate decision to publish mean that there’s at least some credibility to her allegation?
It means that there is enough about her case and her allegation to present to readers for them to make their own judgment.
I’ve been looking at The Times’s coverage of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. I want to focus particularly on the Julie Swetnick allegations. She was the one who was represented by Michael Avenatti and who suggested that Kavanaugh had been involved in frat house rapes, and then appeared to walk back elements of her allegations. The Times wrote that story the same day she made the allegation, noting that “none of Ms. Swetnick’s claims could be independently corroborated.”
Why was Kavanaugh treated differently?
Kavanaugh was already in a public forum in a large way. Kavanaugh’s status as a Supreme Court justice was in question because of a very serious allegation. And when I say in a public way, I don’t mean in the public way of Tara Reade’s. If you ask the average person in America, they didn’t know about the Tara Reade case. So I thought in that case, if The New York Times was going to introduce this to readers, we needed to introduce it with some reporting and perspective. Kavanaugh was in a very different situation. It was a live, ongoing story that had become the biggest political story in the country. It was just a different news judgment moment.
Christine Blasey Ford seemed to remember it clearly and told the story very, very clearly. But reporters didn’t speak to anyone who recalled her telling them contemporaneously. Do you think that her allegation on its face is more credible than Tara Reade’s?
I don’t mean to imply that the notion that the person told someone contemporaneously is the ultimate test. It’s not. There are a lot of tests. How did the person appear as they tell the story? What could the person’s motivation be? Was the person clearly in the place of the alleged assault?
Having gone through Harvey Weinstein and all of them, you make these judgments. It’s very subjective. It has to be. You just gotta add up all the pieces and talk to as many people as possible and then do a gut check. There’s no magic formula.
But do you think looking back that The Times hewed to its standards both on Kavanaugh and on Biden, even though the treatment in the moment was so different?
I do. The standard, to be really simple, is that we try to give the reader the best information we can come up with at the time. And we try to give the reader the information they need to make their own judgments. Unless we can make the judgment. And Kavanaugh was a running, hot story. I don’t think it’s that the ethical standards were different. I think the news judgments had to be made from a different perspective in a running hot story.
Do you think that, in your heart, you’re reluctant to promote a story that would hurt Joe Biden and get Donald Trump re-elected?
I can’t make that calculation. I won’t. I won’t let my head or my heart go there. I think once you start making those kinds of calculations, you are not a journalist anymore. You’re some sort of political actor.
I want to ask about some edits that were made after publication, the deletion of the second half of the sentence: “The Times found no pattern of sexual misconduct by Mr. Biden, beyond the hugs, kisses and touching that women previously said made them uncomfortable.” Why did you do that?
Even though a lot of us, including me, had looked at it before the story went into the paper, I think that the campaign thought that the phrasing was awkward and made it look like there were other instances in which he had been accused of sexual misconduct. And that’s not what the sentence was intended to say.
And why not explain that?
We didn’t think it was a factual mistake. I thought it was an awkward phrasing issue that could be read different ways and that it wasn’t something factual we were correcting. So I didn’t think that was necessary.
There’s one other line that jumped out at me, which is: “Filing a false police report may be punishable by a fine and imprisonment.” I’ve just never seen that line in other stories about police reports. And I wondered if that was intended to convey The Times’s skepticism about her claim.
I could read it as the opposite. That we were saying that filing a police report is not a frivolous matter. That’s how I interpreted it.
I’m not the public editor and I don’t necessarily speak for the readers. But you said the goal was to help readers think about this. How should readers think about this? Should readers believe Tara Reade or not?
If we could write the sentence that said you should believe this person or you shouldn’t believe this person, we would have written that sentence. What I think readers should take away from this is that this is a serious allegation made by somebody who has some standing. It is denied strenuously by Mr. Biden and his campaign. Here’s everything we know and you have to make your own judgment.
Sometimes I think it is OK to tell readers they have to make their own judgment. I understand that people want simple answers, but in my experience editing stories like this, sometimes there aren’t simple answers and sometimes you just have to figure that the reader is sophisticated, thoughtful, will read it, weigh it and make his or her own judgment. And I think in this case, that’s the best we could offer.
And that’s a lot, by the way. We took two and a half weeks to talk to a whole lot of people to provide that information to the reader.
Former Joe Biden Aide: ‘Woman’ Running Mate Could Be Transgender; ‘Everything’s Possible’
Joe Biden could select a vice-presidential running mate who identifies as a woman, speculated Moe Vela, former senior adviser to the former vice president and founder of the Vela Group. He offered his remarks on SiriusXM’s Breitbart News Sunday with host Joel Pollak.
Pollak recalled the Biden campaign’s characterization of “transgender equality” as “the civil rights issue of our time.”
Pollak asked, “This vice presidential choice, now — I’m saying the next bit facetiously, but I hope you’ll take it in the spirit it’s given — Joe Biden has said that the transgender movement is the civil rights movement of our time, so isn’t it somewhat cisgenderist to say you’re going to pick a female vice president, or can one qualify by identifying as female?”
Vela replied, “Oh wow, Joel. I never thought I’d get a question I’d never heard before. This is my 179th interview in four months and you just did it. I have to send you something like a gift of some kind.”
Vela continued, “I don’t think anything’s out of the realm of possibility. I do not — as an openly gay man myself, and as hopefully somewhat of a leader nationally in the LGBTQ movement — I do not anticipate that, but everything’s possible. Certainly they would qualify as in the woman’s category, but, in fact, I don’t even know of anybody who would be qualified at this point to play that role, so I don’t think we’re going to see that, but you know what? I think that’s a really interesting question, actually.”
Vela listed Democrat women whom Biden may select as a running mate.
“I feel like [Joe Biden] is drowning in a sea of blessings,” Vela said. “He’s got so many incredible women to pick from. I love that he already announced it was going to be a woman. I thought that was fantastic on his part.”
Vela continued, “He’s got so many incredibly talented women to pick from. We have a bench that would make any pro team very highly successful. From the West Coast with Kamala Harris, to Nevada with Catherine Cortez Masto, to Amy Klobuchar in the Midwest and the Heartland, to Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan, to Elizabeth Warren in Boston, and so many other women in between. He’s got a ton of women to pick from I can’t wait to see who he picks.”
Biden publicly committed to choosing a woman as a running mate during a CNN-hosted political event with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in March. “If I’m elected president, my cabinet, my administration will look like the country,” he said. “I commit that I will, in fact, pick a woman to be my vice president.”
In February, Biden promised to nominate a black woman to the Supreme Court if elected president, emphasizing his pledge with two declarations of “Not a joke!”.
Biden’s campaign has proposed the extension of federal funding for “transgender women of color” via the “Violence Against Women Act.”
Men who identify as women will be included in “The Biden Plan to End Violence Against Women,” says Joe Biden’s campaign website.
INCREASED RISK OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REQUIRES PROPER GUN SAFETY
Courtesy of Laura L. Rogers, Principal Deputy Director, Office on Violence Against Women
As citizens across the nation follow public health instructions to shelter in their homes to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus Disease, victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse are facing increased risk to their own personal safety.
For many people, home may not be safe when there is a history of domestic violence or sexual abuse.
Additionally, a recent surge in gun sales has increased already rising concerns among those of us working to protect people from domestic violence and sexual assault due to the already tense situations that may become more dangerous with a (new) firearm in the house.
Stress and financial uncertainty can exacerbate domestic or sexual abuse and adding a firearm to the situation equals an even more deadly equation. We know from research and prosecutorial experience that loss of employment and the escalation of abusive behavior may lead to the murder of an intimate partner.
I strongly encourage families that have a gun in the home to take time to discuss and think about safety issues. Domestic violence safety plans call for weapons to be locked away. The National Rifle Association’s safety rules also suggest guns be stored unloaded and securely out of reach of unauthorized users like children. Children should be educated about what to do if they find a gun, which includes not touching it and telling an adult they found a firearm.
A gun should never be handled after consuming alcohol.
These safety tips may seem obvious, but in a crisis our brain doesn’t always work the way it normally does when we are calm. Making sure a gun is unloaded and locked away can help protect us during stressful moments.
Free help is available from our grantees, including the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Firearms, which has experts who can provide assistance to victims, family, and friends by calling 800-903-0111 x1 or by email to info@preventdvgunviolence.org.
Other helpful contacts include: The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233; Stronghearts Native Helpline at 1-844-762-8483; and local domestic violence, mental health and public safety providers. If you feel your life is in danger, call 9-1-1.
I ask everyone to follow the guidance of the COVID-19 medical experts to be healthy and to heed the advice of the weapons experts to take precautions to be safe from gun violence so that we can all survive this pandemic together.
Component(s): Office on Violence Against Women
Pandemic puts domestic violence victims, survivors ‘in dire straits’
Le Sueur County News (MN)
April 16, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON — For victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, staying at home may be more dangerous than leaving it — even during a pandemic.
Indeed, reports of abuse are on the rise in many cities as COVID-19 continues to spread and people are confined to their homes, according to an NBC News investigation. And communities across the country are reporting increased demands on victim service providers, according to Minnesota DFL Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith.
The Minnesota senators are prodding Congress to tackle the domestic violence problems exacerbated by the pandemic.
Klobuchar led a bipartisan letter, signed by Smith and more than thee dozen other senators, urging Senate leaders to pass emergency aid to help states respond to incidents of violence, strengthen victim services and provide sexual assault services and housing assistance. They also want special assistance for tribal communities and to waive certain grant requirements so providers can more quickly meet survivors' needs.
Victims of domestic violence, trapped
"At a time when people who experience domestic violence are at increased risk, and requests for sexual assault and domestic violence-related services have sharply increased, additional funding for these programs is critical," Klobuchar, Smith and other senators wrote.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the usual advice to victims doesn't always apply.
Safety advocates tell victims to leave the house, Klobuchar said in a recent call with reporters. "And the opposite message, for good public health reasons, is being conveyed right now."
Colleen Schmitt, director of programs at Cornerstone Services, an organization working to reduce domestic and sexual violence, human trafficking and crime in Minnesota, said shelters are open in the state and providers are redesigning services to meet emergency needs.
But the pandemic has certainly intensified the problem, she said. "Even long after the main peak of the virus, this will leave many victims and survivors in dire straits."
In addition to being forced to stay home with abusers, survivors may face additional stress due the loss of a job or reduced income. Abusers may withhold health supplies or important information or documents or prevent survivors from seeking medical attention. Survivors may fear going to hospitals, shelters or other places of support — like counseling centers and courthouses — and travel restrictions may prevent their escape.
"It's not just the immediate crisis," Schmitt said. "It's the long-term impact. As dedicated service providers, we are going to be here at this time and throughout all that."
At the same time, service providers are facing funding and staffing challenges and have seen an increased need for crisis intervention, shelter and legal assistance, the senators wrote.
Problems are heightened in rural areas and other underserved communities, and particularly on tribal lands, they noted. Survivors in rural communities face barriers such as isolation, lack of access to transportation and small program staff, Schmitt said.
To help address the issue, Klobuchar, Smith and other senators are asking for some $430 million in the next coronavirus relief package. If passed, the money would build on $45 million for domestic violence services and $2 million for the National Domestic Violence Hotline approved in last month's coronavirus relief package.
Klobuchar and Smith also signed recent letters in support of domestic violence programs authorized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and urging the Trump administration to make sure organizations serving domestic violence victims and survivors have the flexibility and resources they need during the crisis.
VAWA momentum?
Klobuchar is also pushing to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which funds programs and services that aim to prevent violence, support crime victims and change public attitudes about violence against women. The bill lapsed in early 2019.
"We know that we need to pass VAWA and get it reauthorized," Klobuchar told reporters last month. "We're going to keep working on this."
DFL Rep. Betty McCollum of St. Paul echoed the call. "People experiencing domestic violence already face challenges, and shelter-in-place orders, which are extremely important to stop the spread of #COVID19, can make a bad situation worse," she tweeted last week. "It's time for the Senate to pass #VAWA4ALL and expand protections for survivors."
The U.S. House voted last April to renew and expand the bill, in part by making it easier to keep guns away from stalkers or dating partners convicted of abuse or assault — a provision opposed by the National Rifle Association.
Five Minnesota lawmakers — four Democrats and GOP Rep. Pete Stauber — backed the bill, while three — two Republicans and DFL Rep. Collin Peterson — opposed it.
Senate Democrats sought to move forward with a Senate version of the bill last fall, but GOP Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault, objected, calling it a "non-starter" on the Senate floor. Instead, she introduced her own version of the bill.
Neither bill has since advanced, though Congress has continued to appropriate funds for VAWA programs, which are administered by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Closing the so-called "boyfriend loophole" is especially important now, in light of increased gun sales, said Julia Weber, implementation director at the Giffords Law Center. Research shows that the presence of a firearm increases the lethality of domestic violence incidents, she added.
"We're hopeful," she said, citing greater awareness about the threat of domestic violence amid the pandemic. "We're continuing to push it as a priority."
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says Biden sexual assault claim 'legitimate to talk about'
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday addressed a sexual assault allegation against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden by a former Senate staffer, saying it was "legitimate to talk about."
Ocasio-Cortez was asked about the allegation against the former vice president during an online forum hosted by The Wing, a women's network and community space, by a questioner who said she was strongly opposed to President Trump's reelection but that she also "really resent[s] the fact that the other choice is someone who has a really long history of being creepy to women," citing the allegation by former staffer Tara Reade.
"I think it's legitimate to talk about these things," Ocasio-Cortez responded, according to CBS News. "And if we want, if we again want to have integrity, you can't say, you know - both believe women, support all of this, until it inconveniences you, until it inconveniences us."
"I think a lot of us are just in this moment where it's like, how did we get here? You know, it almost felt like we started this cycle where we had kind of moved on from, you know, from all of this. And now it feels like we're kind of back in it," she added. "You know, the most diverse field that we've ever seen - that we're kind of back kind of replaying old movies in a way."
Reade has said Biden sexually assaulted her when she worked in the then-Delaware senator's office in 1993. Biden has yet to address the allegation, but his campaign has denied it.
"Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: It is untrue. This absolutely did not happen," Biden's deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, told CBS.
Reade first alleged Biden had touched her inappropriately in April 2019 as one of several women who made similar allegations at the time against Biden, prompting an apology from the former vice president. But Reade did not specify at the time that she was alleging sexual assault.
Ocasio-Cortez was a prominent surrogate for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) during his presidential campaign before his withdrawal earlier this month. Ocasio-Cortez has yet to formally endorse Biden but said in March she would support Biden if he became the Democratic nominee.
Nancy Pelosi delays "Violence Against Women Act" reauthorization over 'boyfriend' language
Washington Times, The (DC)
April 17, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Stay-at-home orders to help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus have spurred fears about a wave of domestic violence, but the Violence Against Women Act, a key federal law on the matter, lapsed more than a year ago during a gun control debate.
Senate Republicans wanted to renew the law as-is, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, insisted that any reauthorization add "boyfriend" language that would strip gun rights from dating partners accused of domestic violence in a relationship.
Republicans said the idea needed more study, and the law lapsed during the stalemate.
"Simply put, Republicans are willing to almost unanimously approve a clean reauthorization. Democrats want to load it up with all kinds of controversial provisions that probably couldn't pass on their own," said Thomas Jipping, deputy director of the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation.
Democrats said Republicans blocked a bill that had bipartisan support without offering an alternative.
"Our calculation was that we're in charge now, we can pass a bill that we think is a comprehensive bill to protect all women," said House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat. "I'm hopeful that the Senate will take it up or ask to go to conference on it."
First approved in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act instituted a federal framework and funding for a host of programs dedicated to helping victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and other crimes against women.
It led to the creation of the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other programs.
Congress last reauthorized the law in 2013 after a partisan dispute that laid the groundwork for the current impasse. Back then, the scheduled 2012 reauthorization vote dragged into the next year as Republicans objected to a Democratic push to expand the law to cover same-sex couples and to add a provision allowing illegal immigrant victims to obtain temporary visas.
Unlike that debate, Democrats didn't get their way on their latest proposed expansion, and the Violence Against Women Act expired in February 2019.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, wanted a "clean" extension of the existing law in a spending deal working its way through Congress at the time. Democrats said they wanted to expand protections to transgender women.
Deborah Tucker, president of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, called the lapse a sign of the times.
"There was a time when everyone looked at the issues and the need and responded in a bipartisan collective way to do the best work that they can," she said. "I think that VAWA is another example of how legislating and working together has really broken down."
The House passed the Democrats' version of a revamped Violence Against Women Act in April 2019 with the support of 33 Republicans in a 263-158 vote.
On the other side of the Capitol, Sen. Joni Ernst, Iowa Republican, and Sen. Diane Feinstein, California Democrat, spearheaded bipartisan talks for a compromised reauthorization, but those negotiations stalled in November.
Ms. Ernst and Ms. Feinstein introduced separate versions of the Violence Against Women Act late last year. Neither bill gained momentum in the Senate, though the senators said they would continue their dialogue.
Democrats said Mr. McConnell should have turned to the House bill.
Though the act has expired, funding for anti-violence programs is part of annual spending legislation and continues uninterrupted. Advocates said the chief detriment to the lapse in the law is uncertainty and confusion for groups across the country.
"It doesn't give you the ability to plan and work towards really trying to make systemic change. That's really where it impacts us," said Jane Fredricksen, executive director of the FaithTrust Institute, which works to end sexual and domestic violence.
Some advocates argue that the reauthorization should be used to expand the scope of the act.
"The reauthorization process also has been used each time to address significant gaps in the current law, so failure to reauthorize and expand the law means that some survivors lack access to safety and justice," said Deborah Vagins, president and CEO of the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
But Mr. Jipping said there is reason to be wary of the expanded gun provisions that Democrats are proposing.
"Things like stalking have different definitions in all 50 states. That is an enormous constitutional red flag. That is not simply extending what's already in the bill," he said. "There ought to be separate, direct and transparent consideration of that kind of policy change."
Given the workload in Congress and the looming elections, he said, chances for a reauthorization this year are slim.
Groups working against domestic violence have switched to another strategy: lobbying Capitol Hill to boost funding for programs, even if the Violence Against Women Act can't be renewed. That idea has bipartisan support in both chambers.
On The Record: A Former Biden Staffer's Sexual Assault Allegation
NPR: Blogs
April 19, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Editor's note: This story contains a graphic description of an alleged sexual assault.
Tara Reade, a former junior staffer in Joe Biden's Senate office, has accused the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee of sexually assaulting her in 1993, when she was working as a staff assistant. The Biden campaign denies the accusation and says the alleged incident "absolutely did not happen."
Reade detailed her account in multiple conversations with NPR, and it was corroborated by a friend of hers who declined to be identified. Reade's brother also corroborated some parts of her story. No contemporaneous notes or documentation of the alleged incident have been found, and Reade's account has been denied by longtime Biden staffers whom she worked for at the time.
In interviews with NPR, Reade, now 56 and living in California, said the alleged assault happened when she was asked by her then-supervisor to deliver a duffel bag to Biden as he was heading to the Capitol.
When Reade met up with the senator, she said, he pinned her up against a wall and penetrated her vagina with his fingers.
"His hands went underneath my clothing and he was touching me in my private areas and without my consent," Reade told NPR. She said Biden asked her whether she wanted to go somewhere else.
Reade said that she pulled away and that Biden pointed his finger at her and said, "You're nothing to me, nothing."
Reade thinks she must have responded emotionally, because, she said, Biden then took her by the shoulders and said, "You're OK. You're fine. You're OK," before grabbing his bag and walking away.
Reade could not recall the exact location or date of the alleged incident but said it was likely in the basement of a Senate office building in the spring of 1993.
Reade says she filed a police report just over a week ago with the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department because she was worried about her safety after receiving "online harassment."
The police investigation is currently open, though the statute of limitations for prosecuting the alleged assault has expired.
NPR obtained confirmation of the police report from a law enforcement source. A record of the report names Biden. NPR has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the full report.
Some details of Reade's account have been inconsistent, and her story has changed over time. In spring 2019, she came forward with an account of Biden touching her shoulder and neck in a way that made her feel uncomfortable, but she never mentioned sexual assault. Then in late March of this year, she went on a left-leaning podcast, The Katie Halper Show, and gave a graphic account of sexual assault similar to what she has told NPR. The story took off on left-wing and right-wing corners of the Internet.
Some supporters of the former vice president, suggest Reade has a political motive. They have tried to discredit her by pointing to her changing story, as well as her outspoken support for Bernie Sanders, who was Biden's final presidential primary challenger. Reade also had demonstrated support for candidates Elizabeth Warren and Marianne Williamson, both of whom had earlier dropped out of the race.
Other critics have pointed to her effusive online posts praising the Russian leader Vladimir Putin; Reade says she was enamored with Russia while writing a novel and has publicly walked back those statements. And yet others have questioned why, as recently as 2017, she had taken to the Internet to praise Biden.
Reade wonders why any of that information is relevant in assessing a sexual assault allegation.
"This isn't a partisan issue. This is about power and the abuse of power, and the people around that person that enabled that behavior," she told NPR.
Reade described herself as a third-generation Democrat and said she supports the work Biden did to advocate for the the Violence Against Women Act. She's a domestic abuse survivor and said that legislation personally helped her.
"Many things can be true at once. Someone can do something really awesome, then they can also commit a crime," Reade said, describing her conflicting feelings about Biden.
Reade said she voted for the Obama-Biden ticket twice but does not intend to cast a vote for president this November.
"I personally do not want Trump to become president again. I will not vote for a Republican," she said. "However, I am not going to vote for the person who assaulted me this time ... So where it leaves me is politically homeless, essentially."
Reade's allegation emerged as Biden was securing his position as the presumptive Democratic nominee to take on President Trump in November. More than a dozen women have publicly accused Trump of various incidents of sexual assault. Reade is the only woman to have publicly accused Biden of sexual assault.
Last spring, before Biden jumped into the presidential race, a former Nevada state legislator named Lucy Flores said Biden once grabbed her shoulders, sniffed her hair and gave her an unwanted kiss on her head. "His behavior wasn't violent or sexual, it was demeaning and disrespectful," Flores wrote in March 2019, noting a key distinction. Other complaints of Biden invading women's personal space followed.
Reade was one of the women who came forward with a similar account then, but did not raise an accusation of sexual assault publicly until March of this year.
Reade said she told one of her friends about the alleged 1993 assault around the time she said it happened. That friend, who asked to remain anonymous in part to protect her business interests, spoke with NPR and corroborated Reade's description of the assault and its aftermath.
That friend said she discouraged Reade from going to the police at the time, believing in that era that it would not have resulted in any action and could have hurt Reade professionally.
Reade said she also told her mother, who has since passed away, and her brother, Collin Moulton.
Moulton did not respond to NPR's initial requests for comment, but in a text message on Saturday night said he recalled Reade telling him about an incident in the early 1990s that happened when she was asked to bring Biden a gym bag.
"They were alone in a private area or room. He more or less cornered her against the wall. He put his hands 'under her clothes.' My mom wanted her to go to the police," Moulton wrote.
Moulton also backed up Reade's recollection that she was fired. NPR could not otherwise confirm the circumstances of Reade's departure from the office.
Reade said she never told anyone in Biden's office about the assault, though she said she did complain about harassment, saying she felt uncomfortable on multiple occasions because of Biden and his staff. Reade said Biden would run his hands through her hair at meetings and said she was asked to serve drinks at a fundraiser because the senator apparently liked her legs. Moulton said in his text message that Reade told him about such incidents.
NPR spoke with multiple former Biden staffers from the time, and none of them could confirm Reade's recollections.
Melissa Lefko had the same job as Reade in the early 1990s, both serving as staff assistants in roughly the same time period. Lefko told NPR that the position did not involve the kind of regular interactions with Biden that Reade has at times described and that she was never asked to take the senator personal items or attend fundraisers. Lefko said the job entailed answering phone calls and performing constituent services.
Lefko added that she does not personally remember Reade and that Reade's description of the office environment doesn't align with her experience.
"The culture of the office was very professional in every way, with women in senior positions at a time when that was not the norm," said Lefko. "When you work on the Hill, you know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. And Biden was a good guy, and I mean that wholeheartedly."
Although Reade said she never spoke about the assault to anyone on Biden's staff, she said she filed a formal written complaint about harassment to a Senate personnel office but did not receive any follow-up. She did not have a copy of the complaint and said she could not recall the name of the office where she had filed paperwork.
Reade also said she reported her concerns about harassment to three people in the office: Biden's longtime aide, Dennis Toner; his then-chief of staff, Ted Kaufman; and his executive assistant, Marianne Baker. Reade recalls having multiple conversations and meetings with them about the alleged harassment.
Both Toner and Kaufman told NPR they had no recollection of Reade. Congressional files confirm she worked in the office for about nine months from December 1992 to August 1993.
"She did not come to me," Kaufman said. "I would have remembered if she had."
Kaufman stepped in to fill Biden's Senate seat when he became vice president in 2009 and remains a close confidant.
Toner, who worked for Biden for 34 years, told NPR the same. "I would recall any conversation with any staff member with Senator Biden that was along the lines of sexual harassment," he said.
"It's something that would be so out of character with how you would describe Joe Biden," Toner added, reiterating that he has never heard any other such complaints from other staff.
Baker worked for Biden for 18 years and, in a statement sent from the Biden campaign, said she took her duties related to human resources very seriously: "In all my years working for Senator Biden, I never once witnessed, or heard of, or received, any reports of inappropriate conduct, period — not from Ms. Reade, not from anyone. I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade's accounting of events, which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional, and as a manager. These clearly false allegations are in complete contradiction to both the inner workings of our Senate office and to the man I know and worked so closely with for almost two decades."
Biden's deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield also put out a statement disputing the allegation: "Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women. He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: it is untrue. This absolutely did not happen."
Biden himself has not responded to the allegation, a point of particular frustration for Reade.
In the weeks before he launched his candidacy last year, when Biden faced accusations of contact that was said to be unwanted but not sexual in nature, his response to those complaints appeared uneven. The former vice president said he recognized that social norms had changed, and he released a video saying that he would be "more mindful about respecting personal space in the future." But he also joked about having permission to hug people at a union event days later.
Biden's campaign and his surrogates have been careful in denying this new allegation, trying not to personally discredit Reade. Ever since the #MeToo movement erupted, Democrats including Biden have been insisting that society should believe women, but they are grappling with what that means.
When asked about Reade's allegation, some allies have pointed to Biden's legislative record on these issues. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., also a former presidential candidate, told NPR last week, "All women in these cases have the right to be heard and have their claims thoroughly reviewed." [Copyright 2020 NPR]
Memo: Tara Reade, who worked in Joe Biden's Senate office, has accused the presumptive Democratic nominee of a 1993 sexual assault. His campaign said it "absolutely did not happen."
Team Trump Debated How to Weaponize Biden Assault Allegation
Daily Beast, The
April 20, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
As the primary winds down and former Vice President Joe Biden, the party's presumptive nominee, pivots to the general election, a claim that he sexually assaulted a former staffer in the early 1990s is already popping up on the virtual campaign trail from Democrats and Republicans alike.
Biden's pledge to select a female running mate to round out the Democratic ticket has recently put several of the top women thought to be considered for that role in a tough spot: how to respond to the decades-old allegation against him by Tara Reade.
In President Donald Trump's vast network, the Reade assault allegation had already piqued the interest of some of the president's top operatives, as well as the president himself. For weeks, the claim has been the subject of a quiet deliberation within the 2020 Trump campaign and the broader Trump re-election project about how much, and how aggressively, to promote the accuser and her story, according to three sources with knowledge of the various deliberations.
After the shocking allegation appeared weeks ago in The Intercept, The New York Times published on Sunday a lengthier investigation into the claim by Reade, a former staff assistant in Biden's Senate office who says that he assaulted her in 1993. Reade told the Times that he "pinned her to a wall in a Senate building, reached underneath her clothing, and penetrated her with his fingers." According to the paper, two of Reade's friends said they remembered hearing about an alleged incident; Reade also said she mentioned to top Biden staffers that she was harassed by him at the time, but did not bring up an allegation of assault. The Times reported that it interviewed "nearly two dozen people who worked with Mr. Biden during the early 1990s," none of whom could corroborate Reade's story. The Daily Beast spoke to a smaller number of Biden staffers from that era, with similar results.
The Biden campaign has categorically denied the allegation. "Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women," Biden's Deputy Campaign Manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement on Sunday. "He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard—and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: it is untrue. This absolutely did not happen," she said.
While several of Biden's highest-profile potential VP picks have yet to comment, other influential female leaders thought to be in the running are beginning to play interference over the charge.
The Daily Beast contacted the offices of seven female Democrats floated as possible Biden running mates who have not already spoken publicly about Reade's claim, including three of the most prominent public figures: Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who both ran against Biden in the crowded primary before endorsing his bid, and former Georgia gubernatorial Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams. On Wednesday, Abrams seemed to endorse the possibility of becoming VP when asked in an interview, saying she would make an "excellent running mate," while Warren told a cable news host the same day that she would accept the position as Biden's No. 2 if offered. Out of the seven Democrats contacted, only Abrams responded to requests or provided comment by press time.
In an exclusive statement to The Daily Beast, Abrams said: "Women have the right to be heard and we have the responsibility to listen. Allegations should be given serious independent review, as was done by The New York Times. Vice President Biden has spent over 40 years in public life advocating for women, and nothing in the Times review suggests anything other than what I already knew: That Joe Biden is a man of highest integrity who will make all women proud as our next president."
Among those who have spoken freely, however, a similar response appears to be emerging, which combines an emphasis on recent exhaustive news reporting, coupled with a reiteration of support for Biden and his career legacy on women's issues. That balance—an acknowledgement that women's stories should be heard, along with an impartial investigation and statement of loyalty to the former vice president—was particularly evident in recent comments from Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Klobuchar, a former prosecutor, appeared to defend Biden when questioned about the allegation in a recent interview. When asked what she needs to know about the charge, the Minnesota senator, who swiftly endorsed the former vice president immediately after withdrawing from the race, said all women have a right to be heard and to have their claims reviewed thoroughly. She also referenced the investigation by the Times.
"There was a thorough review by The New York Times," she told NPR on Tuesday. "And I think that's very important to have, especially involving public figures. But I think when I look at—when I see Vice President Biden, someone I worked with, I see him on—a leader on domestic abuse, led the bill before people were even willing to talk about those horrific crimes and has really been a champion of abuses of power against women and has used his voice on the domestic abuse front in such a big way." On Thursday night, she doubled down in an interview on MSNBC. "I think this case has been investigated. I know the vice president as a major leader on domestic abuse, I worked with him on that and I think again, the viewers should read the article."
Whitmer, who has spoken publicly about her experience as a sexual assault survivor as a freshman at Michigan State University in the late 1980s, was asked if the allegation caused her to pause. In responding, she echoed sentiments similar to Klobuchar's.
"Well, I think women should be able to tell their stories. I think that it is important that these allegations are vetted, from the media to beyond. And I think that, you know, it is something that no one takes lightly," she told NPR on Tuesday. "But it is also something that is, you know, personal. And so it's hard to give you greater insight than that, not knowing more about the situation." When asked this week if she would consider being Biden's running mate, the governor said, "I think the world of Joe Biden. You know, I would do just about anything for Joe Biden and to be even mentioned among the phenomenal caliber of women leaders across the country—that in it of itself is an honor."
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), whose name has been thrown out as a potential dark horse pick for Biden to help woo Midwestern voters, in particular those in the critical Wisconsin battleground, said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Wednesday that the "allegations are being aired publicly," but declined to elaborate much beyond that. "There's a statement that Joe Biden and his team have put out and there is a report, I believe in The New York Times, indicating that there's not corroboration," she said. "I would feel more comfortable had I read every word of the article before commenting at greater length."
During Biden's lengthy career in the Senate, his record on issues involving women is mixed. The former vice president was widely criticized for his handling of sexual harassment allegations against then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas by Anita Hill in 1991. Biden, who chaired the Senate's Judiciary Committee, declined to call additional witnesses to the stand and allowed Republicans to smear Hill as uncredible. Biden called Hill to express regret over the role he played in the event before he launched his presidential bid in April.
Other parts of his legacy, however, sought to advance women's rights, a point his campaign has leaned into throughout his candidacy. In 1994, Biden championed the Violence Against Women Act, a signature legislative achievement that he promoted in an campaign ad earlier in the primary, showcasing new efforts he would take to expand the plan during his first 100 days in office.
But as his campaign looks ahead to the general election, the allegation is already on the minds of at least some progressives he'll have to win over, including freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), said it was "legitimate to talk about."
And if some Democrats aren't prepared to talk about it in a substantive manner, there are many in the Republican Party who have already started discussing—and strategizing on—Reade's claim behind the scenes.
Publicly, a number of Trump's more prominent lieutenants have already taken to social media to highlight the Reade story—but primarily in the form of working the refs and bashing mainstream print and TV news outlets for being slow to cover it.
"CNN Search Results: Christine Blasey Ford: 678 [but] Tara Reade: 0," GOP chairwoman Ronna McDaniel posted to Twitter on Wednesday. The day before, Trump campaign official Matt Wolking had also tweeted, "CNN missing in action on Joe Biden assault accuser Tara Reade's story." The same day, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted, "Is anyone at all surprised that the NYT would bow to the requests of the Biden Campaign?…You think they would give Trump or even Kavanaugh the same treatment?" The post was then shared by Trump campaign senior adviser Katrina Pierson.
And on Wednesday, the president's campaign manager Brad Parscale tweeted a video made by Trump campaign staff that chided the Times for its coverage of Biden and Reade.
Some on Team Trump, however, also think that going harder at Biden for this could easily and inconveniently boomerang on the president, given the numerous women who've gone on the record, or to court, with their sexual misconduct, harassment, assault, attempted rape, and rape allegations against Trump in recent years and months.
The official position of the Trump White House is that all the women who've accused Trump are just lying.
And among those who have kept noticeably quiet on Reade's allegation is none other than Biden's 2020 foe, Trump himself, who often just runs with rumors and accusations, including completely baseless ones, against Biden and other political enemies—even when doing so has gotten the president impeached. It's not out of a lack of awareness, though. Two sources with direct knowledge tell The Daily Beast that the president has been shown news articles on Reade and in recent weeks has casually discussed the matter with administration officials and people close to him. In one of these conversations in the White House that occurred about two weeks ago, Trump asked about how credible the allegations were, one of the sources said.
Still, the president has yet to publicly weigh in on the subject. It appears it is one of the few topics he hasn't had time to weigh in on during the ongoing pandemic and economic collapse, as he's had time to tweet about and discuss subjects ranging from his interpretation of the classic film Mutiny on the Bounty to the Netflix true crime show Tiger King.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment, and a Trump campaign spokesperson declined to comment.
But among some of Trump's senior campaign staffers and other officials at allied organizations, including the Republican National Committee, a general consensus has emerged that—at least for now—the best way to address Reade's story is to accuse CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and other major media of "protecting" Biden and approaching this assault allegation with a double standard that Republicans such as Brett Kavanaugh did not enjoy. Part of the restraint is explained by Trump officials believing that it's not worth it at this time to go all-in on Biden on the sexual-assault claim, arguing that Biden has far greater vulnerabilities, especially on China policy, that they should be focusing on, the sources said. Certain officials working on the Trump reelection effort have also chosen to prioritize for now attacks that have to do with China, because there is a more direct link to the coronavirus, and thus ensuring greater visibility in a media environment completely inundated with pandemic coverage.
Several officials on and close to Trump 2020 expect messaging regarding Reade to increase when coronavirus starts to move out of the news cycle, or as the country approaches election day in November.
The fact that Trump can be hit with similar, if not more serious and a greater quantity of, assault allegations may not end up mattering, at least not to the president.
Charges of hypocrisy haven't seemed to bother Team Trump much in the past. In the closing weeks of the 2016 campaign, when the then GOP nominee, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by roughly two dozen women, was being flooded with accusations in the aftermath of the publication of the "grab 'em by the pussy" tape, his campaign responded by holding a public event for the cameras featuring Trump and several accusers of the Democratic nominee's husband, Bill Clinton. And early this year, when former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg seemed like a rising threat in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, the Trump team was already planning to attack Bloomberg for sexist and racist things… that Trump himself had also clearly done.
With additional reporting from Will Bredderman
NEW EVIDENCE SUPPORTING CREDIBILITY OF TARA READE’S ALLEGATION AGAINST JOE BIDEN EMERGES
Former Biden staffer Tara Reade’s mother called into the Larry King Live show in 1993 and discussed her daughter’s time with a “prominent senator.”
A NEW PIECE of evidence has emerged buttressing the credibility of Tara Reade’s claim that she told her mother about allegations of sexual harassment and assault related to her former boss, then-Sen. Joe Biden. Biden, through a spokesperson, has denied the allegations. Reade has claimed to various media outlets, including The Intercept, that she told her mother, a close friend, and her brother about both the harassment and, to varying degrees of detail, the assault at the time. Her brother, Collin Moulton, and her friend, who has asked to remain anonymous, both confirmed that they heard about the allegations from Reade at the time. Reade’s mother died in 2016, but both her brother and friend also confirmed Reade had told her mother, and that her mother, a longtime feminist and activist, urged her to go to the police.
In interviews with The Intercept, Reade also mentioned that her mother had made a phone call to “Larry King Live” on CNN, during which she made reference to her daughter’s experience on Capitol Hill. Reade told The Intercept that her mother called in asking for advice after Reade, then in her 20s, left Biden’s office. “I remember it being an anonymous call and her saying my daughter was sexually harassed and retaliated against and fired, where can she go for help? I was mortified,” Reade told me.
Reade couldn’t remember the date or the year of the phone call, and King didn’t include the names of callers on his show. I was unable to find the call, but mentioned it in an interview with Katie Halper, the podcast host who first aired Reade’s allegation. After the podcast aired, a listener managed to find the call and sent it to The Intercept.
On August 11, 1993, King aired a program titled, “Washington: The Cruelest City on Earth?” Toward the end of the program, he introduces a caller dialing in from San Luis Obispo, California. Congressional records list August 1993 as Reade’s last month of employment with Biden’s Senate office, and, according to property records, Reade’s mother, Jeanette Altimus, was living in San Luis Obispo County. Here is the transcript of the beginning of the call:
KING: San Luis Obispo, California, hello.
CALLER: Yes, hello. I’m wondering what a staffer would do besides go to the press in Washington? My daughter has just left there, after working for a prominent senator, and could not get through with her problems at all, and the only thing she could have done was go to the press, and she chose not to do it out of respect for him.
KING: In other words, she had a story to tell but, out of respect for the person she worked for, she didn’t tell it?
CALLER: That’s true.
King’s panel of guests offered no suggestions, and instead the conversation veered into a discussion of whether any of the men on set would leak damaging personal information about a rival to the press.
Reade, after being read the transcript of the call, said that it gelled with her memory of it, and, after the video was surfaced, confirmed it is her mother’s voice on the call. “Aww, I have not heard my mom’s voice in awhile,” she said.
There are several notable things about the emergence of the call. On the one hand, the caller does not specifically mention “sexual harassment” or retaliation, as Reade had recalled. On the other hand, the reference to being unable to “get through with her problems” aligns with Reade’s claim that she complained to superiors in Biden’s office and got nowhere, and the reference to going to the press makes clear that the caller is talking about more than just generic problems at the office. The problems, she makes clear, would damage the senator if exposed.
Reade’s inability to remember the exact date of the alleged assault, or its precise location, or the precise location of the office where she picked up the form needed to file a complaint, has been used by skeptics to suggest the allegation is fabricated. What the emergence of the call shows is that even if Reade’s memory is off on timing or details, the substance of her claims — in this case, that her mother called Larry King and discussed her situation — can still be true.
The call also calls into question the credibility of Biden’s denial. Reade said that she filed a complaint about Biden’s harassment with Marianne Baker, effectively the office manager in the Biden office. The Biden campaign released a statement from Baker, which said that neither Reade nor any other employee had ever complained about improper behavior. “In all my years working for Senator Biden, I never once witnessed, or heard of, or received, any reports of inappropriate conduct, period — not from Ms. Reade, not from anyone,” Baker said in the campaign’s statement. “These clearly false allegations are in complete contradiction to both the inner workings of our Senate office and to the man I know and worked so closely with for almost two decades.”
For Baker’s statement to be true, Reade would have had to have lied to her friend, brother, and mother about having complained to Biden’s office. There is no obvious reason Reade would make up a story to those closest to her about the Senate office not taking Biden’s harassment seriously, while at the same time resisting pressure to go to the press.
Reade has said that the complaint she filed was related to the harassment she said she faced, and did not address the assault. The complaint was left with Biden’s office, and if it still exists, is with Biden’s papers at the University of Delaware. The school recently told reporter Rich McHugh that the papers are sealed until two years after Biden leaves public life.
The harassment Reade first went public with last year involves stroking her neck and running his fingers through the curls in her hair, as well as asking her to effectively serve as a cocktail waitress at an event.
Reade’s assault allegation, which became public last month, involves an interaction in the spring of 1993. She said that she was sent by her manager to bring a gym bag to Biden, and they met in a hallway of the Russell Senate Office Building, in a tucked away corner. Before she knew it, he pressed her up against the wall, forcibly kissed her, and put a hand each up her blouse and skirt, penetrating her with his fingers. She had what she recalls now as an “absurd” thought. “I remember thinking, where’s the gym bag? Because he had taken it in his hand, but all of a sudden it wasn’t in his hands and his hands were where they weren’t supposed to be,” she said.
Reade said that her impression was that Biden believed he had consent, and was surprised at the rejection, but that she had done nothing to give him that impression. “There was no flirtation, he had no consent. He was by my ears when he said, ‘Do you wanna go somewhere else?’” She pushed him off and he stepped back, looking surprised, she recalled, and flashing a huge smile.
“‘Come on, man,’” she said he told her. “‘I heard you liked me.’”
“He had that smile he gets, but his eyes were not smiling,” she said.
“You’re fine,” she recalled he said, grabbing her by her shoulders. As he walked away, he pointed back, “You’re fine.”
Update: April 24, 2020, 6:55 p.m.
The piece has been updated to add video that surfaced of the caller on the Larry King show, and Reade’s confirmation to The Intercept that the voice on the call was her mother’s.
Krystal Ball: Is the #DropOutBiden movement gaining steam after new Tara Reade evidence emerges?
Krystal Ball blasts the media and liberal figures for the blatant hypocrisy of Tara Reade, as new reports emerge that back Tara's credibility.
A former neighbor of Joe Biden's accuser Tara Reade has come forward to corroborate her sexual-assault account, saying Reade discussed the allegations in detail in the mid-1990s
⦁Tara Reade, a former staffer in Joe Biden's Senate office, has accused the Democratic presidential nominee of sexually assaulting her in a congressional hallway in 1993.
⦁Now Reade's former neighbor Lynda LaCasse, a Biden supporter, tells Insider that Reade told her about the alleged assault in detail in 1995 or 1996: "This happened, and I know it did because I remember talking about it."
⦁A former colleague of Reade's also told Insider that Reade talked in the mid-1990s of being sexually harassed by her former boss in Washington, DC.
⦁The women have come forward just days after video emerged of a woman that Reade says is her mother calling into CNN's Larry King Live in 1993 to talk about her daughter's "problems" with a prominent senator.
⦁Biden has not addressed the accusations, but a campaign spokesperson says they are false.
In March, when a former aide to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden accused the candidate of sexually assaulting her in 1993, two people came forward to say that the woman, Tara Reade, had told them of the incident shortly after it allegedly occurred — her brother, Collin Moulton, and a friend who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution.
Now two more sources have come forward to corroborate certain details about Reade's claims. One of them — a former neighbor of Reade's — has told Insider for the first time, on the record, that Reade disclosed details about the alleged assault to her in the mid-1990s.
"This happened, and I know it did because I remember talking about it," Lynda LaCasse, who lived next door to Reade in the mid-'90s, told Insider.
The other source, Lorraine Sanchez, who worked with Reade in the office of a California state senator in the mid-'90s, told Insider that she recalls Reade complaining at the time that her former boss in Washington, DC, had sexually harassed her, and that she had been fired after raising concerns.
In interviews with Insider, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the politics podcaster Katie Halper — who broke the story of the assault allegations — Reade has said that in the spring or summer of 1993, she was told to meet Biden in a semiprivate corridor to deliver a duffel bag. There, she said, Biden pushed her up against a wall, reached under her skirt, and penetrated her with his fingers. When she resisted his advances, Reade said, Biden expressed annoyance and said, "Aw man, I heard you liked me." Then, she said, he pointed a finger at her and said, "You're nothing to me." After that, she said, he shook her by the shoulders and said, "You're OK, you're fine," before walking away.
Before the alleged assault, Reade said, she had already complained to her superiors in Biden's office that the way Biden looked at her and touched her made her uncomfortable. She got no response, she said, and after the alleged assault was abruptly relieved of her duties managing interns. She said she later filed a complaint about her treatment — but not the about the assault allegation — with a Senate human-resources office.
The Biden camp has denied Reade's allegations. "Women have a right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims," Kate Bedingfield, Biden's communications director said in a statement earlier this month. "We encourage them to do so, because these accusations are false."
Asked to comment specifically on LaCasse's and Sanchez's comments, Bedingfield referred Insider to her previous statement. She did not respond to a request to interview Biden about Reade's accusations.
Insider sought access to Biden's senatorial papers, which are housed at the University of Delaware, to search for records that may shed light on Reade's claims. The university denied the request, saying Biden's papers "will remain closed to the public until two years after Mr. Biden retires from public life."
'I remember she was devastated'
LaCasse told Insider that in 1995 or 1996, Reade told her she had been assaulted by Biden. "I remember her saying, here was this person that she was working for and she idolized him," LaCasse said. "And he kind of put her up against a wall. And he put his hand up her skirt and he put his fingers inside her. She felt like she was assaulted, and she really didn't feel there was anything she could do."
LaCasse said that she remembers Reade getting emotional as she told the story. "She was crying," she said. "She was upset. And the more she talked about it, the more she started crying. I remember saying that she needed to file a police report." LaCasse said she does not recall whether Reade supplied any other details, like the location of the alleged assault or anything Biden may have said.
"I don't remember all the details," LaCasse said. "I remember the skirt. I remember the fingers. I remember she was devastated."
LaCasse is the first person to independently corroborate, in detail and on the record, that Reade had told others about her assault allegations contemporaneously. Reade's brother Collin Moulton previously told Insider that he recalled his sister saying that Biden "had his hand under her clothes at some point."
In a series of interviews with Insider over the past week, LaCasse said she decided to speak up now, at a time when Reade's story is under intense scrutiny in the media and facing denials from the Biden campaign, because she believed Reade's account when she first heard it.
"I have to support her just because that's what happened," LaCasse said. "We need to stand up and tell the truth."
'It takes a lot of guts to do what she's doing'
LaCasse, 60, is a retired former medical staff coordinator and emergency-room clerk for San Luis Obispo General Hospital. She lived next door to Reade in 1995 and 1996 in an apartment complex near the beach in Morro Bay, California, a seaside community between Santa Barbara and Monterey. She told Insider that she and Reade shared a bond because they were both mothers, and their young daughters swam together in the apartment complex's indoor pool.
LaCasse said she would sometimes sit on her front stoop to smoke cigarettes after putting her daughter to bed, and that Reade would occasionally join her. It was during one of these evening conversations, she said, that Reade told her about the alleged assault. "We were talking about violent stories," LaCasse said, "because I had a violent situation. We just started talking about things and she just told me about the senator that she had worked for and he put his hand up her skirt."
LaCasse acknowledged that coming forward to support an allegation against the Democratic presidential nominee "may have repercussions for me." But she said she has no political ax to grind and intends to vote for Biden.
"I personally am a Democrat, a very strong Democrat," she said. "And I'm for Biden, regardless. But still I have to come out and say this."
Insider has verified, through publicly available records, that Reade and LaCasse were neighbors at a Morro Bay apartment complex in 1995. A review of LaCasse's social-media presence shows a long history of anti-Trump sentiments. She has written approvingly of both Biden and his Democratic rival Bernie Sanders on Twitter. In March, she shared a link on Facebook to a story detailing Reade's allegations, with the message, "This is my good friend Tara Reade, who was assaulted by Joe Biden in 1993."
LaCasse told Insider that she and Reade fell out of touch after Reade moved out of their apartment complex in the late '90s. But the two reconnected in 2016, she said, when Reade reached out to her on Facebook.
In April 2019, Reade told a Nevada City, California, newspaper that Biden had inappropriately touched her and made her uncomfortable, though she did not accuse him of assaulting her.
It was after that story, LaCasse said, that she and Reade first revisited the conversation they'd had about Biden in the mid-'90s. "She mentioned that she had come forward," LaCasse said, "and so I said, 'Oh my gosh. Yeah. I do remember that.'"
Then late last month, in a podcast interview with Halper, Reade made her full accusation known — that Biden had attacked her in a corridor, shoved his hand up her skirt, and digitally penetrated her.
After seeing how political operatives and news organizations responded to the claim — the Biden camp denied it outright, and critics scoured Reade's social-media accounts for evidence of a purported affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin — LaCasse said she decided to come forward.
"She didn't ask me to," LaCasse said. "I volunteered to do that just recently. If this was me, I would want somebody to stand up for me. It takes a lot of guts to do what she's doing."
Reade told a former colleague she had been fired for voicing concerns
Yet another source reached by Insider corroborates some of Reade's claims about her time working for Biden.
After she left Washington, DC, Reade worked for California state Sen. Jack O'Connell. Lorraine Sanchez, a former legislative staffer in O'Connell's office, mentored Reade and worked alongside her from 1994 through 1996. Sanchez told Insider that Reade complained at the time about being mistreated by her former employer.
"[Reade said] she had been sexually harassed by her former boss while she was in DC," Sanchez said, "and as a result of her voicing her concerns to her supervisors, she was let go, fired."
Sanchez said she does not recall if Reade offered details about the sort of harassment she allegedly suffered, or if she named Biden. "What I do remember," Sanchez said, "is reassuring her that nothing like that would ever happen to her here in our office, that she was in a safe place, free from any sexual harassment." Reade said she never experienced harassment from any other employer she had during her time in Washington, and that the employer Sanchez recalls her complaining about was Biden.
Sanchez praised Reade for speaking out. "It takes great courage and strength to come forward," Sanchez said in a statement to Insider. "It's much easier to keep silent. However, I also understand the duty we have as women to share our story regardless of who the perpetrator may be."
Reade went on to work in the domestic-violence unit for the King County prosecutor in Seattle, and she received her law degree from Seattle University School of Law in 2004. She later served as a legal-services director for the Snohomish County Center for Battered Women.
An anonymous 1993 call to 'Larry King Live'
Last week, video emerged of an unnamed woman that Reade says is her mother calling into a 1993 broadcast of CNN's "Larry King Live" devoted to the culture of Washington, DC. The woman claimed that her daughter had run into unspecified "problems" with a US senator.
"I'm wondering what a staffer would do besides go to the press in Washington," the caller said. "My daughter has just left there, after working for a prominent senator, and could not get through with her problems at all, and the only thing she could have done was go to the press, and she chose not to do it out of respect for him."
Reade had previously told The Intercept's Ryan Grim that her mother, who died in 2016, had made such a call, but couldn't recall the date. When Grim mentioned it on a podcast, Twitter users dug up the transcript and video.
Reade, who has listened to the newly unearthed phone call, told Insider that it was indeed her mother's voice speaking to King. "It was almost a spiritual experience, because my mom loved me so much and supported me," Reade said, choking back tears. "I get emotional even now, and I gave her such a hard time about [calling] Larry King's show that I feel really bad that I couldn't say to her now, 'Thank you so much,' and give her a hug. And I think the most powerful part for me was just how she crossed space and time to help me."
Some former coworkers cast doubt
In addition to the denial from Biden's campaign, other former Senate staffers have emerged to cast doubt on Reade's accusations.
Marianne Baker, who was Biden's executive assistant for almost two decades, including in 1993, issued a statement saying she never witnessed or heard of any inappropriate conduct: "I have absolutely no knowledge or memory of Ms. Reade's accounting of events, which would have left a searing impression on me as a woman professional, and as a manager."
Insider has reached out to other staffers who worked in Biden's office during the time Reade worked there. Melissa Lefko, at the time a staff assistant, said she doesn't remember Reade at all, and that she would have been aware of any accusations of assault or harassment at the time. "Had there been anything, I would have heard about it," she said.
An intern who worked under Reade, and who asked to remain anonymous, said she does not recall Reade discussing any allegations of assault or harassment. But she does corroborate Reade's claim that she was abruptly relieved of her duties as intern supervisor in April 1993, a move that the former intern found odd at the time.
A police investigation has been moved to 'inactive status'
Earlier this month, Reade filed a report with the DC Metropolitan Police department memorializing her allegations about the 1993 incident. Even though the statute of limitations rendered a full investigation highly unlikely, she took the step, she told Insider at the time, for "safety reasons" because she had faced online harassment. "I also wanted to make it clear that I would be willing to go under oath or cooperate with any law enforcement regarding it, because it did happen," she said. "Even if it was 26 years ago."
On April 20, a police spokesperson told Insider that there was "an active investigation" into Reade's complaint. But in a statement on Saturday, the department said the case had been "moved to an inactive status." Reade said she expected that outcome, and said she is not backing down.
"I'd like to be heard in a fair and objective way," she said. "And I'd also like to hear Joe Biden's response, which has not happened. My hope is that the conversation will move forward and we will examine how I was treated when I came forward, and really look at the fact that, like domestic violence, sexual assault, and sexual harassment is not a partisan issue. It is an equal-opportunity offender."
Exclusive: Reporter discusses his Tara Reade bombshell, responds to accusations he's helping Trump
Rich McHugh shares and an inside look at his new evidence to support the sexual assault allegation against former Vice President Joe Biden, who was accused last month by a former staff assistant, Tara Reade, of sexually assaulting her when he was a senator in 1993.
McHugh reported that Reade’s former next-door neighbor recalls that Reade described an incident in detail in the mid-1990s.
Krystal Ball: Bombshell Joe Biden Tara Reade story forces liberal feminists to reckon with silence
Krystal Ball uncovers new Tara Reade evidence from Rich McHugh, who worked with Ronan Farrow on Harvey Weinstein story, reports in Business Insider that Tara's neighbor has come forward to corroborate her sexual assault allegations.
Democrats Will Have To Answer Questions About Tara Reade
The Biden Campaign Is Advising Them To Say Her Story “Did Not Happen.”
Joe Biden has yet to personally address Tara Reade’s sexual assault allegation, but his campaign has circulated talking points.
While Joe Biden has remained publicly silent about a sexual assault allegation made against him, his presidential campaign has sought to coordinate and unify Democratic messaging on the matter, advising surrogates earlier this month to say that the allegation “did not happen.”
The Biden campaign circulated talking points among top Democratic supporters shortly after the New York Times published a story earlier this month about the allegation by Tara Reade, a former staff assistant in Biden’s Senate office who says he assaulted her in 1993.
With good news and bad, talking points are standard fare on presidential campaigns. In substance, the private guidance largely hews to the sole public statement on the matter from Biden’s deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield.
But the messaging shows that while Biden has stayed quiet on the allegations on the eve of his nomination, aides were taking the claims seriously enough behind the scenes to coordinate messaging among other Democrats to try to cast the matter as one that’s been thoroughly vetted and determined to be unfounded.
“Biden believes that all women have the right to be heard and to have their claims thoroughly reviewed,” the talking points read, according to a copy sent to two Democratic operatives. “In this case, a thorough review by the New York Times has led to the truth: this incident did not happen.”
“Here’s the bottom line,” they read. “Vice President Joe Biden has spent over 40 years in public life: 36 years in the Senate; 7 Senate campaigns, 2 previous presidential runs, two vice presidential campaigns, and 8 years in the White House. There has never been a complaint, allegation, hint or rumor of any impropriety or inappropriate conduct like this regarding him — ever.”
Democrats are in an increasingly precarious position as reporters assess Reade’s allegation. By any measure of the #MeToo movement that has seen the Democratic Party embrace “believe women” as a mantra, Reade, 56, has provided a serious account, disputed by Biden’s campaign and former senior staffers who worked in his office in 1993 but corroborated in part by people she told about the incident in the 1990s. This week, after Reade said her late mother had called Larry King Live about the incident, the Intercept published a transcript showing she called in to ask for advice about her daughter’s negative experience with a “prominent senator.”
Since news outlets began to investigate her claims, Biden has participated in more than a dozen television interviews and virtual fundraisers but has not addressed Reade’s allegation himself.
The guidance to top Democrats casts Biden as a lifelong “fierce advocate for women” and the claims as unequivocally untrue, leaning heavily on the April 12 report by the New York Times outlining the allegations by Reade.
Biden’s campaign’s talking points say the Times story served as proof that Reade’s allegation “did not happen” — but the story did not conclude this, nor did it conclude that an assault definitively did happen. The Times reported that three former Senate aides, all of whom Reade said she complained to at the time, either did not remember the incident or said that it did not happen. The Times also spoke to former interns who said they did remember Reade suddenly ceasing to oversee them, aligning with Reade’s claim that she was pulled from that duty.
Reade has said that Biden digitally penetrated her in a Senate hallway and told her, “You’re nothing to me.” In multiple interviews with several outlets, Reade has said she complained to others in Biden’s office, filed a report at the time to a Senate personnel office, and said she was demoted after the incident. Reade stood by her recollections in interviews with BuzzFeed News this month.
“All four of the people Mrs. Reade says were notified of an official complaint told the New York Times on the record that they have absolutely no recollection of any such conversation,” the Biden campaign told Democrats, echoing testimonials from former staffers who have painted the claims as “so wildly out of character for Joe Biden.”
The Biden campaign also pointed to the former vice president’s lead role in crafting the Violence Against Women Act, the landmark 1994 bill that significantly increased funding for the prosecution of violent crimes against women. In a livestreamed event with Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, billed as a “Women’s Town Hall,” the Biden campaign began a Q&A session with a question from a voter about women stuck in abusive relationships, now stuck at home in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Violence against women is a huge problem, and especially right now,” Biden said, calling domestic violence prevention “one of the leading causes of my life.”
Last year, when other women came forward to say Biden touched them in a way that was uncomfortable, Reade told the Union, a California newspaper, that while she worked for Biden, the then-senator touched her neck and shoulders. She also told the paper that Biden wanted her to serve drinks at one of his events because he liked her legs. When she refused, she said, her responsibilities were reduced.
Reade first publicly described her recollection of the 1993 assault earlier this year.
The story began to gain momentum outside the mainstream media when Reade went on the podcast of Katie Halper, a left-wing commentator, in late March, and described the more serious allegation of sexual assault. The Intercept reported in March that the Time's Up initiative declined to fund her allegation when she approached the group earlier this year; the Intercept also recently reported that Reade’s mother made the call to Larry King Live in 1993.
The fact that Reade’s story first gained traction in the left-wing independent media led some Biden defenders to dismiss it as a plot by disgruntled Bernie Sanders supporters to hurt Biden. But the story has gone mainstream, being covered in outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post, both of which gave a serious assessment of Reade’s claim.
Business Insider reporter Rich McHugh, an investigative journalist who served as a producer on Ronan Farrow’s Harvey Weinstein reporting at NBC News, has identified more people who have corroborated elements of Reade’s claim. Those people include a former neighbor of Reade’s who said they discussed the assault allegation at the time and a former colleague who said Reade had told her about more general harassment.
In an interview with BuzzFeed News on Tuesday, Reade said she “would like to know what [Biden and his campaign] think about the reporting of Rich McHugh, who was formerly reporting on the Weinstein case and is a well-renowned investigative reporter. What is their comment on the Business Insider articles that did a deep dive investigation into what I’ve asserted that resulted in multiple corroborations on the record of what I experienced of sexual harassment and sexual assault by Joe Biden?”
The two Democratic operatives who received the talking points earlier this month following the publication of the New York Times report said they had yet to receive further guidance from the Biden campaign.
Reached for comment on Tuesday night, the Biden campaign pointed to the statement issued by Bedingfield, the deputy campaign manager, dated April 13: “Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women. He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: it is untrue. This absolutely did not happen."
In line with the guidance from Biden’s campaign, Democrats who have been asked about the story in recent weeks have pointed to the New York Times report and other stories, including in the Washington Post and the Associated Press, featuring denials by the three former Senate aides: two top staffers, Dennis Toner and Ted Kaufman, as well as Biden’s executive assistant from 1982 to 2000, Marianne Baker.
"I think this case has been investigated,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in an MSNBC interview earlier this month, pointing to the New York Times article a few days after its publication.
Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, dropped out of the presidential race to endorse Biden in March. Before the pandemic shut down campaign events, she was one of his most active supporters, holding rallies for his campaign as he sought to defeat Sanders in the primary.
“I know the vice president as a major leader on domestic abuse. I worked with him on that. And I think that, again, the viewers should read the article. It was very thorough.”
Other Democrats have defended Biden as a trusted advocate for women, particularly in a race against President Donald Trump, who has been accused of more than a dozen acts of sexual misconduct, including assault.
Sen. Kamala Harris said in a recent podcast interview that Reade “has a right to tell her story” and that she could “only speak to the Joe Biden I know. He’s been a lifelong fighter, in terms of stopping violence against women.”
“Vice President Biden has a strong record for fighting for women in his life,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a fierce #MeToo advocate, in a radio interview earlier this month.
“We are right now at the investigation stage of the allegation.”
The talking points obtained by BuzzFeed News are printed below:
The New York Times did weeks of extensive investigative research, talking to nearly two dozen former Biden staff from the 1990s, including those who worked directly with Ms. Reade. Here is what they found: “No other allegation about sexual assault surfaced in the course of reporting, nor did any former Biden staff members corroborate any details of Ms. Reade’s allegation. The Times found no pattern of sexual misconduct by Mr. Biden.”
● All four of the people Mrs. Reade says were notified of an official complaint told the New York Times on the record that they have absolutely no recollection of any such conversation -- and that they certainly would have remembered it, especially because this alleged conduct would have been so wildly out of character for Joe Biden.
● Biden has been a fierce advocate for women, authoring and fighting to pass the Violence Against Women Act and launching a campaign to end sexual assault on college campuses. He has spent his life fighting to end abuses of power against women and using his voice to advocate for women across the country and around the world.
● Here’s the bottom line: Vice President Joe Biden has spent over 40 years in public life: 36 years in the Senate; 7 Senate campaigns, 2 previous presidential runs, two vice presidential campaigns, and 8 years in the White House. There has never been a complaint, allegation, hint or rumor of any impropriety or inappropriate conduct like this regarding him – ever.
● Biden believes that all women have the right to be heard and to have their claims thoroughly reviewed. In this case, a thorough review by the New York Times has led to the truth: this incident did not happen.
Report: Biden Campaign ‘Circulated Talking Points’ About Tara Reade Allegations
The Joe Biden campaign is circulating talking points regarding the sexual assault allegations made by Tara Reade, BuzzFeed reported on Tuesday.
The report stated that while Biden has not addressed the allegations publicly, his campaign “has sought to coordinate and unify Democratic messaging on the matter, advising surrogates earlier this month to say that the allegation ‘did not happen.’
The report stated that aides were “coordinating messaging” to appear as if the allegations had been “thoroughly vetted and determined to be unfounded.”
“Biden believes that all women have the right to be heard and to have their claims thoroughly reviewed,” the talking points read, according to BuzzFeed. “In this case, a thorough review by the New York Times has led to the truth: this incident did not happen.”
“Vice President Joe Biden has spent over 40 years in public life: 36 years in the Senate; 7 Senate campaigns, 2 previous presidential runs, two vice presidential campaigns, and 8 years in the White House,” they went on.
“There has never been a complaint, allegation, hint or rumor of any impropriety or inappropriate conduct like this regarding him — ever.”
While Biden has not personally denied the allegations, BuzzFeed reported that his campaign referred the news site to a previous statement from April 13:
Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women. He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: it is untrue. This absolutely did not happen.
When Bernie Sanders dropped out of the presidential race, Reade took to Twitter to lament the news:
In late March, Reade detailed the attack she said took place near the U.S. Capitol:
And then he went down my skirt and then up inside it. And he penetrated me with his fingers, whatever. And he was kissing me at the same time and he was saying something to me. He said several things and I can’t remember everything [that] he said. I remember a couple of things. I remember his saying, first, like as he was doing it, ‘Do you want to go somewhere else?’ and then him saying to me, when I pulled away, he got finished doing what he was doing and I, how I was pulled back and he said, ‘Come on man, I heard you liked me.’ That phrase stayed with me because I kept thinking what I might have said. And I can’t remember exactly if he said ‘I thought’ or if ‘I heard.’ It’s like he implied that I had done this.
“For me, everything shattered in that moment,” she added. “He wasn’t trying to do anything more. But I looked up to him. He was my father’s age. He was this champion of women’s rights in my eyes and I couldn’t believe it was happening.”
Potential Running Mates Undeterred by Biden Sex Assault Claim
Newsmax.com
April 28, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's potential running mates are reportedly undeterred by the sexual assault allegations made by former Senate staffer Tara Reade.
Aides to four potential partners on the Biden ticket – Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.; former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams; and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer – refused to comment on the allegations made by Reade, instead pointing The Wall Street Journal to past public comments on Biden and women in the #MeToo era.
"I see him (as) a leader on domestic abuse," Sen. Klobuchar told National Public Radio.
Biden has said he'll name a woman as his running mate in his bid to unseat President Donald Trump, but Reade's allegations loom as a test for any woman who might stand beside former President Barack Obama's vice president.
Reade "has a right to tell her story, and I believe that," Harris told the San Francisco Chronicle. "And I believe Joe Biden believes that, too."
Biden, she added, has "been a lifelong fighter, in terms of stopping violence against women."
Abrams has not changed her opinion of Biden amid the Reade allegations, according to the Daily Beast.
"Women have the right to be heard, and we have the responsibility to listen," Abrams told the news organization, adding that Biden "has spent over 40 years in public life advocating for women."
Most notably, Whitmer told HuffPost she "believes that it is important that these allegations are vetted, from the media to beyond, and that it is something that no one takes lightly.
"But it is also something that is personal. We will not speculate or provide greater insight without knowing more about the situation."
The Biden campaign has emphatically rejected Reade's allegations, which include saying that back in the 1990s, he "cornered her in a corridor of the U.S. Capitol complex and touched her genitals without permission," according to The Journal.
"Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women," Biden campaign communications director Kate Bedingfield told The Journal in a statement. "He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act.
"He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: It is untrue. This absolutely did not happen."
Reade, now 56, a lifelong Democrat, told The Journal she has no regrets bringing the allegations forward.
"I can't get restorative justice, but I wanted to further the sexual harassment conversation, particularly about how powerful men can use the system," she told The Journal.
Woman who accused Joe Biden of sexual assault used to live in Morro Bay
Tribune, The: Web Edition Articles (San Luis Obispo, CA)
April 28, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
The woman who says former Vice President Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993 used to live in Morro Bay and apparently returned here shortly after the alleged incident.
Video uncovered over the weekend and first reported by The Intercept shows an August 1993 segment on CNN’s “Larry King Live” in which a caller from San Luis Obispo County later confirmed by media outlets to be the mother of former Biden staffer Tara Reade appears to confirm that Reade had told her mother of an alleged sexual assault by Biden, who is the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee for president.
“I wonder what a staffer would do besides go to the press in Washington,” the caller says in the segment, which was reportedly titled, “Washington: The Cruelest City on Earth?”
“My daughter has just left there, after working for a prominent senator, and could not get through with her problems at all, and the only thing she could have done was go to the press, and she chose not to do it out of respect for him,” she says.
King responds in the video: “In other words, she had a story to tell, but out of respect for the person she worked for, she didn’t tell it?
“That’s true,” the caller replies.
King’s panel does not offer the caller advice in the 58-second clip released by The Intercept.
Reade and her mother lived in SLO County in the 1990s
Public records databases and several media reports indicate that Reade and her mother, Jeanette Altimus, lived in Morro Bay in the 1990s. Altimus reportedly died in 2016.
Reade confirmed to Politico on Friday that the voice in the segment was her mother and wrote in a tweet Sunday: “My mother reached out in August 1993. Joe Biden sexually harassed & sexually assaulted me. Those who remain silent are complicit to rape.”
She tagged several female Democratic figures in the social media post, including Michelle Obama and U.S. senators Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, as well as former President Barack Obama, who has endorsed his former VP.
It appears a second San Luis Obispo County resident is also confirming Reade’s account.
On Monday, Business Insider reported that a former neighbor of Reade’s from Morro Bay, Lynda LaCasse, also confirmed that Reade told her about the alleged assault at the time.
The San Luis Obispo Tribune has been unable to reach Reade or LaCasse for comment. Public records indicate Reade has not lived in San Luis Obispo County in decades.
Details of the accusation against Biden
According to The New York Times, Reade worked as a staff assistant in the office of the then-U.S. senator from Delaware in 1993.
In interviews with several national newspapers and politics podcaster Katie Halper — who broke the story of the assault allegations — Reade, who was in her 20s at the time, said that in the spring or summer of 1993, she was told to meet Biden inside a somewhat private corridor to deliver a duffel bag.
There, Reade said, Biden pushed her up against a wall, reached under her skirt, and penetrated her with his fingers. When she resisted his advances, Reade said, Biden became annoyed and said, “Aw, man. I heard you liked me.”
Biden then pointed a finger at her and said, “You’re nothing to me,” Reade alleges. After that, she said, he shook her by the shoulders and said, “You’re OK, you’re fine,” before walking away, according to several media reports.
LaCasse, who is reportedly a retired former medical staff coordinator and emergency room clerk, lived next door to Reade in 1995 and 1996 in an apartment complex in Morro Bay, Business Insider reported.
She recalled to The Insider Reade telling her about the alleged assault.
BIDEN ALLEGATION
Tara Reade, who worked as a staff assistant in Joe Biden’s Senate office in 1993 and helped manage the office interns, is seen here in a photo from April 11, 2020. Reade has accused Biden of assaulting her in 1993 and says she told others about it. A Biden spokeswoman said the allegation is false, and former Senate office staff members do not recall such an incident.
“I remember her saying, here was this person that she was working for and she idolized him,” LaCasse said, according to the publication. “She felt like she was assaulted, and she really didn’t feel there was anything she could do.”
LaCasse said that her friend was “devastated” by the incident, and she remembered urging her to report it to police.
Despite telling the publication she’s “a very strong Democrat” and plans to vote for Biden, LaCasse told Business Insider that she feels the need to support her friend, who is under intense media scrutiny.
“I have to support her just because that’s what happened,” LaCasse told Business Insider. “We need to stand up and tell the truth.”
A former colleague recalls Reade’s allegations
After leaving Washington, D.C., Reade worked for former California state Sen. Jack O’Connell, Business Insider reports.
A former legislative staffer in O’Connell’s office, Lorraine Sanchez, had worked alongside her from 1994 through 1996, and recalled to the news publication that Reade had also complained at the time about being mistreated by her former employer.
“(Reade said) she had been sexually harassed by her former boss while she was in D.C.,” Sanchez said, according to the Business Insider piece, “and as a result of her voicing her concerns to her supervisors, she was let go, fired.”
Sanchez told the paper she does not recall if Reade offered details about the sort of harassment she allegedly suffered, or if she named Biden.
“It takes great courage and strength to come forward,” Sanchez said in a statement to Business Insider. “It’s much easier to keep silent. However, I also understand the duty we have as women to share our story regardless of who the perpetrator may be.”
Washington, D.C., police aren’t investigating
Reade filed a report with the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department earlier this month, but on Saturday, a Police Department spokesperson told Business Insider that an investigation into the complaint was inactive.
Biden has not publicly commented on her allegations, but his campaign has vehemently denied them.
His campaign spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield previously told Politico that the presidential candidate “has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women.”
“He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully,” Bedingfield said, according to Politico. “Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press.”
She added: “What is clear about this claim: It is untrue. This absolutely did not happen.”
Since she went public earlier this month, Reade’s story has been widely circulated on Fox News and conservative-leaning media sources as a scandal in the upcoming presidential election.
Right-wing pundits have also seized on the allegations to accuse members of the Democratic Party, left-leaning media publications, and celebrities who were at the forefront of the #MeToo movement of not giving Reade’s story the same weight given to the dozens of women who have accused President Donald Trump, or that of Christine Blasey Ford, who testified about an alleged sexual assault committed by now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
In recent days, the #IBelieveTara hashtag has trended on Twitter in support of Reade.
NY Times Shoots Down Biden Talking Points: We Made ‘No Conclusion Either Way’ on Tara Reade
A New York Times spokesperson said Wednesday that former Vice President Joe Biden’s White House campaign twisted their reporting on Tara Reade’s sexual assault allegations and claimed an exoneration that the paper never suggested.
In a statement to BuzzFeed, who first reported on the talking points, the Times said the Biden campaign’s characterization of its reporting was “inaccurate.” The talking points claim the paper ruled that Reade’s story “did not happen,” which the statement rebuts: “Our investigation made no conclusion either way,” it states.
BuzzFeed reported Wednesday while Biden has yet to publicly address Reade’s allegation, his campaign has urged surrogates to push back on reports by simply saying they “did not happen.”
“Biden believes that all women have the right to be heard and to have their claims thoroughly reviewed,” the talking points read, according to the news outlet. “In this case, a thorough review by the New York Times has led to the truth: this incident did not happen.”
Reade has alleged that Biden assaulted her while the two were in the basement of a Capitol Hill facility in 1993.
“He was whispering to me and trying to kiss me at the same time, and he was saying, ‘Do you want to go somewhere else?’” Reade recounted in a recent interview with the Associated Press. “I remember wanting to say stop, but I don’t know if I said it out loud or if I just thought it. I was kind of frozen up.”
Reade said she moved away from Biden, who then replied: “come on, man, I heard you liked me.”
Earlier April, Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s deputy campaign manager, vehemently denied the allegation: “Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women. He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press. What is clear about this claim: it is untrue. This absolutely did not happen.”
The Biden campaign’s effort to coordinate a denial of Reade’s allegations comes after Lynda LaCasse, a former neighbor to Reade, said the two discussed her alleged allegation against Biden between 1995 and 1996.
“I remember her saying, here was this person that she was working for and she idolized him,” LaCasse told Business Insider in an interview published Monday. “And he kind of put her up against a wall. And he put his hand up her skirt and he put his fingers inside her. She felt like she was assaulted, and she really didn’t feel there was anything she could do.”
“She was crying,” LaCasse continued. “She was upset. And the more she talked about it, the more she started crying. I remember saying that she needed to file a police report.”
“I don’t remember all the details,” she added. “I remember the skirt. I remember the fingers. I remember she was devastated.”
LaCasse, a Biden supporter, is the first person to corroborate Reade’s claims.
Biden assault allegation prompts GOP attacks, Dem worries
Associated Press News Service, The
April 29, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON (AP) — A sexual assault allegation is raising Joe Biden's first big challenge as the Democrats' presidential nominee, fueling Republican attacks and leaving many in his own party in an uncomfortable bind.
Biden's campaign has denied the allegation from his former Senate staffer, Tara Reade, who has said Biden assaulted her in the basement of a Capitol Hill office building in the 1990s. But the story garnered fresh attention this week after two of Reade's associates said she previously told them about elements of her allegations.
Republicans who are worried about President Donald Trump's increasingly precarious political standing are seizing on the allegation to portray Democrats as hypocrites who only defend women who allege wrongdoing against conservatives. Democrats, meanwhile, are in an awkward position of vigorously validating women who come forward with their stories while defending the man who will be their standard bearer in what many in the party consider the most important election of their lifetimes.
The tension is heightened because Biden himself is saying nothing about the allegation.
Like many Americans, he has spent the past several weeks at home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. He hasn't held a press briefing since April 2, before multiple news organization's reported Reade's story. The public appearances he has made, such as fundraisers or events alongside prominent Democrats, have been controlled.
Some Democrats say that approach isn't working and are urging a more forceful response.
"The campaign has issued statements, but he hasn't issued any statements in his own voice," said former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile. "It's not helping, it's just damaging — not only to the person who has come forward, but it's also damaging the candidate."
Lis Smith, who worked as a top strategist on former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg's campaign, also called on the Biden campaign to speak up.
"These accusations have not been found to be credible, so it's in the Biden campaign's interest to nip this in the bud directly and do it quickly," she said.
The November contest between Biden and Trump will be the first presidential race of the #MeToo era, which has led numerous women to come forward with allegations of sexual assault. Trump himself has been accused of assault and unwanted touching by numerous women, charges he denies. He was forced to apologize during the 2016 campaign after he was heard on a recording bragging about using his fame to assault women.
Women are a core constituency for Democrats, and Biden has a mixed history. While he authored the Violence Against Women Act as a senator, he also came under heavy criticism for his handling of Anita Hill's Senate testimony in the 1990s. Just before he launched his 2020 campaign, several women accused him of unwanted touching, behavior for which he apologized.
Biden has pledged to pick a woman as a running mate, and the allegation has left those thought to be in contention in a tough spot.
Stacey Abrams, the former Georgia Democratic governor candidate, said "women deserve to be heard and I believe they need to be listened to, but I also believe that those allegations have to be investigated by credible sources."
"The New York Times did a deep investigation and they found that the accusation was not credible," she added. "I believe Joe Biden."
That echoed talking points issued by the Biden campaign to surrogates last week that were obtained by The Associated Press. They pointed to investigations by The New York Times, The Washington Post and AP that found no other allegation of sexual assault and no pattern of sexual misconduct.
Some Democratic donors and fundraisers say the issue has not come up in calls with party financiers. Others worry that it could be used against Biden, much as Hillary Clinton's private email server and the activities of the Clinton Foundation were wielded against her by Trump.
Some, most notably women, say they are paying close attention to the allegations, which gave them pause.
Alex Sink, a donor and former Democratic nominee for governor of Florida, said she was "not happy" to read about the allegations against Biden. While she still plans to vote for him, she worried his campaign was too quick to categorically deny Reade's story.
"They put themselves immediately out on a limb by saying 'It didn't happen, we categorically deny it, it's not true,'" Sink said. "That's a dangerous position to be in because they aren't leaving any room for themselves."
Some female Democratic operatives expressed concerns the allegation is particularly damaging because it's an indictment of Biden's central campaign rationale: That he provides a moral counter to Trump, and that the election is a "battle for the soul of America."
"I think the stakes could not be higher for defeating Donald Trump — but at the same time, I think we have to apply a consistent standard for how we treat allegations of sexual assault, and also be clear-eyed about how Donald Trump will use these allegations in the general election campaign," said Claire Sandberg, who worked as Bernie Sanders' organizing director this cycle.
The silence from the Biden campaign has given Republicans an opening on an issue that was, in 2016, far more fraught for the GOP, when Trump was asked to answer for the more than two dozen women who alleged varying levels of sexual assault and harassment from him. The GOP argues Democrats aren't being consistent, pointing to the aggressive questioning and coverage of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh when he faced an allegation of sexual assault.
"The left, and their media allies, has one standard for Republicans and another standard for Democrats like Joe Biden," said Steve Guest, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee. "The double standard is appalling."
Trump himself has yet to address the issue, but Donald Trump Jr. has spent weeks highlighting the allegation on Twitter, as has Trump's campaign manager Brad Parscale.
Even some Trump antagonists within the GOP say the opportunity for the president and his allies is obvious.
Rick Tyler, a former spokesman for Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and a prominent Trump critic, noted that the coronavirus outbreak and subsequent economic crash has "ruled out any prospect that Republicans could run on great economic times."
"And so whats left? What's left is scorched earth, and that means digging up anything they can about Biden," he said. "They're trying to make Joe Biden into something that's worse than Donald Trump."
Proposed Violence Against Women Act Revisions Could Cost States Billions in Unemployment Benefits
Legislators in many states are considering bills that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) on the state level, jeopardizing the solvency of state Unemployment Insurance (UI) trust funds.
Though the condition of the trust funds has improved since the Great Recession, many states’ funds continue to experience severe financial pressures. In 23 states, the UI funds are below the recommended minimum solvency standard, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s “State Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Solvency Report 2019.”
Insolvency means these states cannot cover all UI benefit claims during a recession, or even an economic slowdown. Notably, the federal government has intervened to cover unemployment claims during the coronavirus crisis. California’s fund is in the worst financial shape. UI funds in another eight states and the District of Columbia are teetering on the brink of insolvency.
The provision of the Social Security Act covering UI defines domestic violence as “battered or subjected to extreme cruelty” (Sec. 408(a)(7)(C)(iii)) and classifies it as a hardship exception to the normal requirement that an unemployment recipient must have been laid off involuntarily or left their job voluntarily with good cause.
Expansive Definition of ‘Domestic Violence’
The Violence Against Women Act, first enacted in 1994, requires Congress to pass reauthorizing legislation every five years. Each time the VAWA has been reauthorized, Congress has expanded the law’s definitions, reach, and spending.
Concerns about the House bill (H.R. 1585) center on two provisions that dramatically expand the definition the of “domestic violence,” and a new entitlement to unemployment compensation.
The definition of domestic violence would include behavior involving the use or attempted use of “verbal, psychological, economic, or technological abuse,” under the House-passed bill. Verbal and psychological abuse are not defined, leaving state agencies or the courts to decide what they mean. “Abuse” could come to mean anything from giving a partner the silent treatment to name-calling. These vague definitions could be exploited to treat the parties involved according to political alliances instead of unbiased justice.
This unlimited definition of abuse could be used to qualify people for unemployment when they would not normally be eligible. The House bill includes a section on “Entitlement to Unemployment Compensation” for domestic violence victims, which states, “no person may be denied compensation under such State law solely on the basis of the individual having a voluntary separation from work if such separation is attributable to such individual being a victim of sexual or other harassment or survivor of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking” (Title VII, Section 703(a)).
Problematic Senate Bills
H.R. 1585 was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on April 4, 2019 on a mostly party-line vote, with Democrats supporting the bill. Attention has now shifted to the U.S. Senate, where Republicans hold the majority.
Seven months after the House passed H.R. 1585, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced her bill (S. 2843) to reauthorize the VAWA. The proposal, which is partly modeled on the U.S. House bill, contains the same expansive definitions of “domestic violence.” The bill also specifies that the definition of domestic violence would preempt state law: “Any law, collective bargaining agreement, or employment benefits program or plan of a State or unit of local government is preempted to the extent that such law, agreement, or program or plan would impair the exercise of any right established under this title or the amendments made by this title.” (Sec. 703(d)(2)).
Instead of the sweeping “voluntary separation from work” language featured in the House bill, Feinstein’s proposed legislation relies on the existing unemployment provisions and exceptions in the Social Security Act (section 303(a)(4)(B), as amended).
One week later, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced her version of VAWA reauthorization (S. 2920). Ernst’s bill also contains the unclear domestic violence language: “verbal, psychological, economic, or technological abuse” (Sec. 2(a)(J)), but it does not have the problematic unemployment entitlement provisions found in the House and Feinstein bills. Even so, months later, the Ernst bill had only 12 Republican cosponsors. All 47 Democratic senators have signed on to the Feinstein bill.
Ballooning Unemployment Entitlement
In 2018, total unemployment benefits in the United States amounted to $27.5 billion. The new UI entitlement provisions in the House bill would likely cause benefit payouts to balloon by 10 percent, the Coalition to End Domestic Violence estimates, thereby requiring state UI funds to pay out at least $2.75 billion in additional benefits each year.
Passage of the Feinstein bill would also increase UI payments, although less than the House bill would.
State officials should be alert to the provisions in these bills that will likely increase benefit costs for their trust funds by billions of dollars while doing little to stop domestic violence.
Edward E. Bartlett ( edwardbartlett@comcast.net) is president of the nonprofit organization Stop Abusive and Violent Environments. An earlier version of this article was published by RealClearPolicy. Reprinted by permission. The views expressed are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the position of SAVE.
Krystal and Saagar: MSNBC libs demand Chris Hayes' head after covering Tara Reade
California Congressional Candidate Shahid Buttar responds to Nancy Pelosi's Joe Biden sexual assault response, discusses how his campaign is still reaching voters in San Francisco amid social distancing, and lays out what legislation he would support to help working people if he defeats Pelosi in November.
‘Joe Biden Is Joe Biden’: Nancy Pelosi Snaps at Reporter for Tara Reade Question
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) defended former Vice President Joe Biden Thursday during her weekly press conference, snapping at a reporter who challenged her reluctance to believe his sexual assault accuser Tara Reade.
A woman at the press conference asked Pelosi about how differently she was treating Biden compared to then-Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh when he faced uncorroborated allegations of sexual assault in 2018.
“I don’t need a lecture or a speech,” Pelosi responded defiantly. “I have complete respect for the whole MeToo movement.”
“There is a lot of excitement around the idea that women will be heard and listened to,” she added. “There is also due process and the fact that Joe Biden is Joe Biden.”
Pelosi also went on to defend Biden by discussing former employees who worked under Biden’s leadership who have defended the former vice president amid the sexual assault allegations that have been placed against him:
There has been statements from his campaign, not his campaign, but his former employees who ran his offices and the rest, that there was never any record of this. There was never any record. Nobody ever came forward or nobody came forward to say something about it apart from the principal involved.
Pelosi then made it abundantly clear that she will remain in Biden’s corner, saying the “happiest day” for her this week was when she endorsed Biden for president.
“I am so proud, the happiest day for me this week was to support Joe Biden for president of the United States,” Pelosi said. “He’s a person of great integrity, of great concern for the American people, he authored the Violence Against Women Act.”
“I believe that he will be a great president of the United States,” Pelosi continued as she offered endless praise for Biden. “He is the personification of hope and optimism, and authenticity for our country, a person of great values.”
Author Tara Reade has alleged that Biden assaulted her while the two were in the basement of a Capitol Hill building in 1993.
“He was whispering to me and trying to kiss me at the same time, and he was saying, ‘Do you want to go somewhere else?’” Reade recalled in an interview with the Associated Press. “I remember wanting to say stop, but I don’t know if I said it out loud or if I just thought it. I was kind of frozen up.”
Upon moving away from Biden during the encounter, Reade alleges that Biden said, “Come on, man, I heard you liked me.”
Biden has yet to address the controversy on his own, and his campaign has denied the allegation.
Biden to Break Silence Friday on Tara Reade Allegations
Newsmax.com
April 30, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Joe Biden will break his silence Friday about allegations from a former Senate staffer that have roiled Democrats since accuser Tara Reade came forward last month.
Biden is scheduled to appear on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," the show announced on Twitter.
Reade claimed on March 25 that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993. But only Biden's presidential campaign team has responded to media outlets, denying Reade's claims.
"Vice President Biden has dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women," Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said, Fox News reported.
"He authored and fought for the passage and reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act. He firmly believes that women have a right to be heard – and heard respectfully. Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press.
"What is clear about this claim: it is untrue. This absolutely did not happen."
Some top top Democrats have defended Biden, including several on Biden's shortlist of potential vice president picks, including former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
BuzzFeed News reported Tuesday the Biden campaign had been circulating talking points among Democrats that included citing The New York Times report as proof the former vice president was exonerated. But Wednesday, the Times said its investigation "made no conclusion either way."
Joe Biden's Tired Feminist Shield
How Tara Reade's allegations bring us back to a familiar cycle of denial and complicity
April 30, 2020
New Republic, The: Web Edition Articles
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Tara Reade, an aide to Joe Biden in 1993, says that while working for him, Biden sexually assaulted her. Joe Biden himself has said nothing; his campaign's position is that this never happened. It's a strategy that, reportedly, Biden's people think is working out for them, believing voters' support will not be swayed, nor will they find Reade's allegations to be credible. (History considered, these are safe enough bets.) So the presumptive Democratic nominee for president maintains his strategic silence, while Reade has been made the story—but one that has little to do with her.
Since Reade first went public in March, reporters have been able to find multiple people who back up her allegations against Biden. What seemed to make the difference was a Business Insider story with accounts from several people who say Reade told them about Biden's mistreatment at the time—and it was by Rich McHugh, who previously worked with Ronan Farrow to investigate sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Shortly after this was published, Rebecca Traister, a writer at The Cut, expressed profound disappointment in what this story meant for the presidential race. "Especially in light of McHugh's recent persuasive reporting on Reade's assault claim, Democrats and feminists are in a terrible bind, and that includes those of us who never thought Biden should be the nominee." It's a sentiment that very accurately captures this moment. It's one with a depressingly familiar feel.
This is hardly the first time in my lifetime, or in the lifetimes of many of these feminist commentators, that a Democrat has made things difficult for the movement because women have accused them of what is too-politely called "sexual misconduct." Some feminists were introduced to Hillary Rodham Clinton as the woman whose job it was, in part, to remain by the side of her husband, the president, as he defended himself from sexual harassment allegations. That these things recur is also part of this story. When Senator Al Franken was accused of groping and forcibly kissing multiple women, many recalled his portrayal of bow-tied Senator Paul Simon in the Saturday Night Live version of Clarence Thomas's Supreme Court confirmation hearings. With him is Kevin Nealon's Joe Biden, and compared to Biden's real-life questioning of Anita Hill at the 1991 hearings, the show gives him a toned-down pass.
While feminists are trying to make meaning of Reade's allegations relative to Biden's presidential campaign, the campaign has been leaning into feminism to protect the candidate. In a set of talking points obtained by Ruby Cramer and Rosie Gray at BuzzFeed News, the campaign has advised Biden supporters to state that "the truth" is "this incident did not happen." Look to Biden's record, the talking points continue. "He has spent his life fighting to end abuses of power against women and using his voice to advocate for women across the country and around the world."
Leave aside for the moment the truth that there are certainly liberal and leftist men out there who say they support women's rights, and have, nevertheless, sexually harassed and assaulted women—and, in the case of one prominent Hillary Clinton donor now between sexual assault trials, have also apparently lied about it. If Biden's campaign would like us to look at his record, even assess Biden as feminists, there is plenty of evidence of where Biden stands, none of which requires us to weigh the truth of Reade's allegations.
The Biden campaign, in response to Reade, specifically highlighted his role in passing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This was part of the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which poured billions of dollars into state and local law enforcement, including policing and prosecuting rape and domestic violence. The community-based anti-violence programs it funded in the name of "crime prevention" had their roots in a feminist anti-rape movement, which saw law enforcement as part of the problem, for disbelieving victims, for criminalizing victims who fought back in self-defense, and for being perpetrators themselves. They understood violence against women as an expression of male dominion—that confronting it wasn't about fighting crime, but fighting patriarchy and (for some) white supremacy. Victoria Law systematically laid out how VAWA was part of a larger turn in the women's movement, towards a carceral feminism which pressed police and prosecutors to be tougher, to make more arrests, to lock up more people.
Being "tough on crime," for Biden, was a way for Democrats to appear more palatable to Republicans. As Naomi Murakawa, associate professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, recounts in her book The First Civil Right: How Liberals Built Prison America, during debate over the 1994 crime bill, when Republican Senator Orrin Hatch accused Democrats of "bowing to the liberal wing of the Democratic Party," Biden responded in defense, "Let me define the Liberal Wing of the Democratic Party. The liberal wing of the Democratic Party is now for 60 new death penalties. That is what is in this bill." He went on: "The liberal wing of the Democratic Party is for 100,000 cops." For "125,000 new state prison cells."
Today, VAWA remains the most unimpeachable element of that legislation, even among liberals now disenchanted with the larger crime bill. "Biden engineered it so a vote against the crime bill was a vote against women," as Diana Moskovitz observed at Jezebel. Biden wasn't just proud of the crime bill; he took pride in what it helped him to do to his party. This is who was running for president before Tara Reade came forward. Biden has used women and causes feminists support as a defensive measure long before this current campaign.
It's a strategy that is working for him, and one that some prominent feminist political commentators helped make more credible. Before denial was the campaign's official talking point, those seeking to discount Reade used lines of attack familiar to almost anyone who has experienced sexual violence: her story changed over time, she didn't report it to the police at the time. Political commentators on the left have asked why more prominent feminists weren't standing with Reade, and when a handful did address the allegations, they complained that they were being pressured unreasonably to respond to them.
"Most troubling to me about this whole story—besides Reade's obvious pain over whatever happened—is the way folks on the left are using it to smear feminists and Democrats who have a hard time believing her charge," wrote Joan Walsh, political commentator at The Nation and CNN. Any injury done to Reade, who Walsh spent the rest of her column characterizing as a liar, is offered as a literal aside.
Around the same time, Michelle Goldberg, a New York Times opinion columnist and MSNBC contributor, assessed Reade like this: "Personally, I'm just left with doubt: doubt about Biden and doubt about the charges against him. But the one thing I have little doubt about is the bad faith of those using this strange, sad story to hector feminists into pretending to a certainty they have no reason to feel." (After McHugh found additional corroboration, Goldberg called his Reade story "the most persuasive corroborating evidence that has come out so far.") The Tara Reade story Walsh and Goldberg chose to draw attention to was how Reade's allegations had created fraught uncertainty among feminists, and enabled "smears" and "bad faith" arguments aimed in their direction.
These demands that feminists address Reade's story were to be expected; for the last several years, stories of a feminist resurgence expressly in response to high-profile men—liberal men, too—accused of sexual violence have dominated all media. Whether such demands sounded more like recycled left-liberal political beef than calls for solidarity among women, either way, the lack of an "official" feminist response to Tara Reade was made part of the story by some of the feminists who have the kinds of media platforms which can set a narrative into motion. They could have waited for more reporting before weighing in, as others have—like Sarah Jones at New York, and like this piece now. They could have used their column space to tell a more complex and accurate story: that women don't "believe women" because we are women, that women have always reserved belief for women it is easier to believe.
Reade's allegations aren't a parable of feminist faith or hypocrisy, or an opportunity to lament how poor our choices are right now. Both of these responses turn us away from those who made the choices that got us here: Joe Biden, and Joe Biden's supporters, people who presumably saw no other deal breakers with him before—if they even do now.
No one "did" this to us. We are not in our present circumstance by some accident or unexpected set of circumstances. Biden opponents had choices, too. "I'm just going to keep saying this unpopular thing: lots of the prominent feminists now telling us patriarchy gives them no good choices are leaving out an important choice they had," author and activist Naomi Klein wrote on Twitter. "After Warren was done, they were all asked to stand with Feminists for Bernie. Most refused."
Responding to Biden's alleged assault by focusing within—how you believe the allegations made people treat you, how the allegations shape your political choices—feels, if not deliberate, safe. Reade is, like anyone who comes forward with sexual violence allegations, a person who is not defined exclusively by an assault. If her politics and her timing are seen as an inconvenience, if not disqualifying, it's easier to look away. So when the injury that may have been done to Reade was too difficult to approach directly, some women sidestepped her story, and instead made themselves—or the generalized movement—the injured party.
All this makes this wave of liberal feminist disappointment at this current state of things feel so misplaced, tepid, even self-serving. "Reade has given public feminists an ideological test. Many are failing," Jones writes. And it's not limited to their reluctance to deal with Reade's allegations. Feminism as a movement, she continues, "exists to critique power: to identify its abuses and demand its redistribution. Accept that, and you don't serve the political class; you're in tension with it. That's uncomfortable. That's inconvenient. That's the point." If feminists with large public platforms can't make sense of that discomfort, can't find and hang onto their politics within the mess, then they will only add to it. That's a choice, too.
Tara Reade’s Ex-Neighbor on Biden Sexual Assault Allegation: I Believed Her Then & I Believe Her Now
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden denied sexual assault allegations against him on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday, breaking his silence after weeks of mounting pressure to respond to claims put forward by former staffer Tara Reade, who says he sexually assaulted her in 1993.
In a statement, Biden said, “I want to address allegations by a former staffer that I engaged in misconduct 27 years ago. They aren’t true. This never happened.”
Tara Reade first came forward with her allegations in March, saying Biden pushed her up against a wall and digitally penetrated her.
In a Democracy Now! broadcast exclusive, we speak with Reade’s former neighbor Lynda LaCasse, who says that Reade told her about the encounter and described it in detail in the 1990s. LaCasse is a lifelong Democrat and Biden supporter. She says of Tara Reade, “I believe her 100%.”
We also speak with investigative journalist Rich McHugh, who first interviewed LaCasse for Business Insider.
Tara Reade's ex-neighbor corroborates Biden sexual assault allegation
Lynda LaCasse was once the neighbor of Tara Reade, a former Joe Biden staffer who has accused the Democratic presidential candidate of sexually assaulting her in 1993.
Biden has publicly denied that the assault happened, but LaCasse corroborates Reade's account, saying that the two had discussed the assault in their apartment complex in the mid-'90s. "We were talking about violence, because I had experienced violence myself. She started telling me about Joe Biden and what he had done," says LaCasse. "Her truth needs to be told. I believed her back then … and I believe her now."
LaCasse is also a self-identified Democrat and Biden supporter. "It is a little harder now after this allegation," she says. "I am struggling with it."
What we know about Tara Reade's allegations against Joe Biden
Former vice president Joe Biden on May 1 denied a sexual assault allegation from his former staffer, Tara Reade, and said the National Archives should search their records for her alleged complaint.
Washington (AFP) – US presidential candidate Joe Biden on Friday emphatically denied sexually assaulting a former staffer, saying the incident she claims occurred 27 years ago “never happened.”
“They aren’t true. This never happened,” Biden said in a statement regarding the accusations made by Tara Reade, a former staffer in his US Senate office.
Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, broke a month of silence on the accusations with his statement.
The 77-year-old said Reade’s then-supervisor and former senior staffers in his office “have said, unequivocally, that she never came to them and complained or raised issues.”
Read, now 56, said on a podcast in March that the former senator and vice president put his hands “down my skirt” and violated her.
She has since recounted her story to other media outlets, and filed an incident report with the Washington police in early April — seen by AFP — in which she did not name Biden.
Other women have accused Biden of touching them inappropriately in the past, and Reade’s initial claims were similar — and less severe than her most recent allegations.
Biden also went on a morning news show to proclaim his innocence.
“It is not true. I’m saying unequivocally it never happened, and it didn’t,” Biden told MSNBC.
“I don’t know why after 27 years all of this gets raised,” Biden added. “But I’m not going to question her motive. I’m not going to attack her.”
But he stressed that “I have a right to say, look at the facts. Check it out.”
Reade has not produced a copy of the complaint that she allegedly filed in 1993 after the incident, and Biden said he has asked officials to search the National Archives, where he says any such document would now reside.
He also said his papers, held at the University of Delaware, “do not contain personnel files.”
Biden, who has pledged to pick a woman to be his vice president, has stressed he has worked his entire political career to improve conditions for women, including authoring the Violence Against Women Act.
“Women are to be believed, given the benefit of the doubt, if they come forward and say something happened to them,” he told MSNBC.
“Then you have to look at the circumstances and the facts.”
“The truth matters,” he said. “These claims are not true.”
Statement: Joe Biden Denies Tara Reade Accusation of Sexual Assault
Former Vice President Joe Biden released a lengthy statement Friday addressing accusations of sexual assault from former senate staffer Tara Reade. He denied the accusations, refused to release his Senate records, and asked the National Archives to release any record of a complaint from Reade.
Read Biden’s statement below:
…As Vice President, we started the “It’s on Us” campaign on college campuses to send the message loud and clear that dating violence is violence — and against the law.
We had to get men involved. They had to be part of the solution. That’s why I made a point of telling young men this was their problem too — they couldn’t turn a blind eye to what was happening around them — they had a responsibility to speak out. Silence is complicity.
In the 26 years since the law passed, the culture and perceptions have changed but we’re not done yet.
It’s on us, and it’s on me as someone who wants to lead this country. I recognize my responsibility to be a voice, an advocate, and a leader for the change in culture that has begun but is nowhere near finished. So I want to address allegations by a former staffer that I engaged in misconduct 27 years ago.
They aren’t true. This never happened.
While the details of these allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault are complicated, two things are not complicated. One is that women deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and when they step forward they should be heard, not silenced. The second is that their stories should be subject to appropriate inquiry and scrutiny.
Responsible news organizations should examine and evaluate the full and growing record of inconsistencies in her story, which has changed repeatedly in both small and big ways.
But this much bears emphasizing.
She has said she raised some of these issues with her supervisor and senior staffers from my office at the time. They — both men and a woman — have said, unequivocally, that she never came to them and complained or raised issues. News organizations that have talked with literally dozens of former staffers have not found one — not one — who corroborated her allegations in any way. Indeed, many of them spoke to the culture of an office that would not have tolerated harassment in any way — as indeed I would not have.
There is a clear, critical part of this story that can be verified. The former staffer has said she filed a complaint back in 1993. But she does not have a record of this alleged complaint. The papers from my Senate years that I donated to the University of Delaware do not contain personnel files. It is the practice of Senators to establish a library of personal papers that document their public record: speeches, policy proposals, positions taken, and the writing of bills.
There is only one place a complaint of this kind could be — the National Archives. The National Archives is where the records are kept at what was then called the Office of Fair Employment Practices. I am requesting that the Secretary of the Senate ask the Archives to identify any record of the complaint she alleges she filed and make available to the press any such document. If there was ever any such complaint, the record will be there.
As a Presidential candidate, I’m accountable to the American people. We have lived long enough with a President who doesn’t think he is accountable to anyone, and takes responsibility for nothing. That’s not me. I believe being accountable means having the difficult conversations, even when they are uncomfortable. People need to hear the truth.
I have spent my career learning from women the ways in which we as individuals and as policy makers need to step up to make their hard jobs easier, with equal pay, equal opportunity, and workplaces and homes free from violence and harassment. I know how critical women’s health issues and basic women’s rights are. That has been a constant through my career, and as President, that work will continue. And I will continue to learn from women, to listen to women, to support women, and yes, to make sure women’s voices are heard.
We have a lot of work to do. From confronting online harassment, abuse, and stalking, to ending the rape kit backlog, to addressing the deadly combination of guns and domestic violence.
We need to protect and empower the most marginalized communities, including immigrant and indigenous women, trans women, and women of color.
We need to make putting an end to gender-based violence in both the United States and around the world a top priority.
I started my work over 25 years ago with the passage of the Violence Against Women Act. As president, I’m committed to finishing the job.
Rising exclusive: Bill Clinton accuser Juanita Broaddrick backs up Tara Reade, blasts media coverage
Bill Clinton sexual assault accuser Juanita Broaddrick compares her experience with the media when she came forward with allegations against Bill Clinton, with Tara Reade's current experience with Joe Biden.
Here are all the times Joe Biden has been accused of acting inappropriately toward women and girls
⦁Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, is facing heightened scrutiny over his past conduct towards women.
⦁Eight women have alleged that Biden either touched them inappropriately or violated their personal space in ways that made them uncomfortable.
⦁One of those women, Tara Reade, alleges that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993. Biden has unequivocally denied assaulting or harassing Reade.
⦁Biden has also been criticized for repeatedly commenting on the physical appearance of women on the campaign trail, and for refusing to explicitly apologize for his behavior.
Over the last year, former Vice President Joe Biden has faced scrutiny over his interactions with women, as well as his refusal to apologize for his controversial behavior.
In March 2020, former Senate aide Tara Reade alleged that Biden sexually assaulted her while she worked for his office in 1993. Biden has unequivocally denied assaulting or harassing Reade.
Eight women, including Reade, have accused Biden of touching them inappropriately or invading their personal space in ways that made them feel uncomfortable. Seven of the women said Biden's behavior did not amount to sexual harassment or assault.
Biden released a two-minute video after the initial allegations were made public in April 2019, but he was criticized for giving what critics deemed a "non-apology apology," in which he said he would try to do better moving forward. He later said he's "not sorry for anything that I've ever done."
The Delaware Democrat was further criticized for repeatedly making light of the allegations, and for commenting on the physical appearance of young girls he met on the 2020 campaign trail.
Here are all of the allegations against Biden:
Tara Reade alleged in April 2019 that Biden touched her in ways that made her feel uncomfortable while she worked in his Senate office in 1993. In March 2020, Reade alleged that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993.
Reade first alleged in April 2019 that Biden would repeatedly "put his hand on my shoulder and run his finger up my neck" while she was employed in his Senate office from December 1992 to August 1993.
She also alleged that she was asked to serve drinks at a work event because Biden liked her legs. Reade said when she refused to serve the drinks, her work responsibilities were reduced and she left her job.
In March 2020, Reade first publicly alleged that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993, pressing her against a wall in a Capitol Hill corridor, reaching under her skirt, and digitally penetrating her.
Reade said she filed a complaint with the Senate personnel office concerning Biden's alleged "sexual harassment and retaliation," but didn't mention the alleged assault.
Lucy Flores alleged in March 2019 that Biden grasped her shoulders from behind and kissed the back of her head without her consent during a campaign event in 2014.
Flores, a Democratic politician from Nevada, made her allegations in an essay published in New York Magazine's The Cut in late March 2019.
Flores said that while she was preparing to go onstage at a 2014 rally during her race for lieutenant governor, Biden came up behind her, put his hands on her shoulders, smelled her hair, and kissed the back of her head.
"My brain couldn't process what was happening. I was embarrassed. I was shocked. I was confused," she wrote. "The vice-president of the United States of America had just touched me in an intimate way reserved for close friends, family, or romantic partners — and I felt powerless to do anything about it ... Even if his behavior wasn't violent or sexual, it was demeaning and disrespectful."
Ally Coll, a former Democratic staffer, told The Washington Post in April 2019 that when she met Biden in 2008, he complimented her smile, squeezed her shoulders, and held her "for a beat too long."
Coll initially brushed off the incident, but she told The Post that reflecting on it now, she believes Biden's actions were inappropriate.
"There's been a lack of understanding about the way that power can turn something that might seem innocuous into something that can make somebody feel uncomfortable," Coll told The Post in April 2019.
Sofie Karasek, a progressive organizer, was photographed holding hands and touching foreheads with Biden at the 2016 Academy Awards. Karasek said she felt Biden violated her personal space in that interaction.
Karasek was one of dozens of sexual-assault survivors who stood on stage while Lady Gaga performed, "Til It Happens To You," a song concerning rape and sexual assault, at the 2016 Academy Awards.
A photograph from the event of the then-22 year old and Biden holding hands and touching foreheads went viral, but Karasek told The Washington Post in 2019 that she felt Biden had encroached on her personal space.
She also said she didn't think Biden's 2019 apology video adequately addressed the allegations against him. Biden never explicitly apologized for his actions, and Karasek said he "didn't take ownership in the way that he needs to."
"He emphasized that he wants to connect with people and, of course, that's important," she said. "But again, all of our interactions and friendships are a two-way street … Too often it doesn't matter how the woman feels about it or they just assume that they're fine with it."
Amy Stokes Lappos alleges Biden pulled her face close to him during a 2009 political fundraiser.
Lappos, a small business owner and Democratic political activist, told the Hartford Courant in April 2019 that Biden "put his hands behind my head and pulled me close and I thought, 'he's going to kiss me.'"
Lappos said her interaction with Biden occurred at a Greenwich, Connecticut fundraiser for Democratic Rep. Jim Himes in 2009.
Caitlyn Caruso said that after she shared her story of sexual assault at a University of Nevada event in 2016, Biden hugged her "just a little bit too long" and put his hand on her thigh.
"It doesn't even really cross your mind that such a person would dare perpetuate harm like that," Caruso told The New York Times in April 2019. "These are supposed to be people you can trust."
DJ Hill alleges Biden rested his hand on her shoulder and moved it down her back at a 2012 fundraising event in Minneapolis. Hill said the encounter made her "very uncomfortable."
"Only he knows his intent," Hill told The New York Times in April 2019. "If something makes you feel uncomfortable, you have to feel able to say it."
Vail Kohnert-Yount, a former White House intern, said when she met Biden in 2013, he "put his hand on the back of my head and pressed his forehead to my forehead." Kohnert-Yount also said Biden called her a "pretty girl."
Kohnert-Yount told The Washington Post in April 2019 she was "so shocked" by her encounter with Biden that "it was hard to focus on what he was saying."
She said she wouldn't classify Biden's actions as sexual misconduct, but added that it's "the kind of inappropriate behavior that makes many women feel uncomfortable and unequal in the workplace."
In June 2019, Biden told the brothers of a 13-year-old girl to "keep the guys away" from her at a campaign event.
The Boston Globe reported that the interaction occurred when Biden met a voter at a coffee shop before a campaign event in Iowa.
When Biden met the voter's granddaughter, he asked her age. After she replied that she was 13 years old, Biden turned to her brothers and said, "You've got one job here, keep the guys away from your sister."
At a May 2019 campaign event, Biden told a 10-year-old girl, "I bet you're as bright as you are good-looking."
The girl's teacher and mother defended Biden, but progressive critics argued the comments were further evidence of the candidate's sexism.
Joe Biden Is Not Persuasive
His responses to Tara Reade's allegations may be forceful, but they're not particularly convincing
Slate (USA)
May 5, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Joe Biden was already talking about the past. "April was Sexual Assault Awareness Month," the former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee wrote on Friday, May 1. That was how he opened his first direct public statement about his former staffer Tara Reade's claim that he had sexually assaulted her in 1993. It took him nearly 400 words to get to the allegation itself, and to deny that it ever happened—nearly 400 words in which he framed himself as an ally, as a crusader even, for women, based on his work on the Violence Against Women Act as a senator, on the "It's On Us" campaign as vice president, and on his diligence, apparently, each April, to think about victims of sexual assault.
He went on Morning Joe that same day, to have a conversation with Mika Brzezinski where he offered his first spoken remarks on the now-month-old allegation. Brzezinski started with the obvious question—did this happen? Biden denied it unequivocally. His most repeated phrase during the interview was "it never happened," but they also spent a good amount of time talking about access to files that seem extraordinarily unlikely to prove anything about whether Joe Biden put his fingers up Tara Reade's skirt and penetrated her in a Senate hallway in 1993.
This, apparently, was enough for leaders of the Democratic Party. Elizabeth Warren, who is widely thought to be under consideration for the VP spot and who spent the most memorable parts of her own campaign for president knocking down men accused of sexual harassment, found Biden's words "credible and convincing." Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan and another possible VP, similarly spoke in favor of Biden following his rebuttal, saying that "not every claim is equal." Tom Perez, the head of the Democratic National Committee, said that Biden has been "very clear that this did not happen." Perez called Biden's rebuttal "forceful" while also noting that the former vice president managed to be clear that women's complaints of this nature ought to be taken seriously.
Perez is right that Biden was forceful in refuting the allegations. But there's a difference between forceful and convincing. When it comes to the nominee for president, you want someone who can go beyond saying "I didn't do this" multiple times, to face the most unfavorable of the evidence and give a believable account of what it means. Ideally, you might even want someone who could speak cogently and intelligently about the complications and difficulties of where we currently are in #MeToo, even someone who could provide a path forward for where we ought to go next.
That, obviously, is not Joe Biden. It's worthwhile to dig into the talking points he was using to form the argument for his innocence, because it shows just how far Joe Biden is from being that person.
The bulk of his argument is a matter of misdirection, or category error: Joe Biden couldn't have done this, because he is an advocate of women. The proof is found in how he's behaved in public during a particular stretch of time, whose dates were established by Joe Biden. He started doing this kind of pro-women work "over 25 years ago," the statement notes repeatedly—an oddly chosen time frame for a 77-year-old whose political career began nearly 50 years ago. But starting in 1994, when the Violence Against Women Act was passed, is much easier for Biden than starting in, say, 1991, when he bungled the Anita Hill hearings.
And, more relevantly, the 25-year window does not reach back to 1993, when Biden's then-interns recall Tara Reade being abruptly removed from her duties as their supervisor, and when Reade's mother phoned in to Larry King Live to say her daughter had been mistreated by a prominent senator. People may have strong reasons to want to believe Biden's flat declaration that "it didn't happen," but if Biden didn't reach his fingers up her skirt, what did happen then?
This nonengagement is what feels patently bizarre about Biden's response: It creates the sense that he is about 10 feet away from everything that is actually happening. My colleague Lili Loofbourow has been writing about this peculiar quality of Biden's, the way in which he just kind of seems above it all, by virtue of not really being all there, maybe, or possibly because his entire political project is aimed at reassuring us that there is some good version of America that it is possible to go back to. It becomes extraordinarily depressing, in this context, that Biden cannot seem to muster a response to these allegations that feels connected, at all, to the record of 1993 or to a path forward in 2020. He seems squarely focused on his history in between those dates—not on what there is still to do on creating a better world when it comes to sexual harassment or assault, or on how he has possibly failed us in the past in this regard, and what his reckoning with it has meant to him.
Perhaps this should not surprise us. This is a man who, earlier in this presidential campaign, was accused of touching women in ways that made them feel uncomfortable, made them even question their own political careers. In response, he delivered a nonapology and later joked about it. This is a man who called Anita Hill to apologize to her only when it would matter to his career, and then didn't even manage to make the apology, according to Hill. There is no real reason to think he'd be more up to the challenge now, even though the stakes are much higher.
His response simply reinforces that Biden is exactly who you thought he was—a man who has run for president and failed multiple times, yet couldn't help but try to seize this current moment when the party is looking, above all, for the embodiment of a standard Democrat. A man who cares about diversity just enough to insist that his vice presidential running mate will be a woman, and that he will name a black woman to the Supreme Court should he get to name anyone, but who will not step aside to let anyone else have the chance to fill the top job. It's his turn.
The frustrating thing about propping up legislation like the Violence Against Women Act as proof that one couldn't have mistreated individual women is that we've seen this story go extremely poorly before. Remember Eric Schneiderman? How one treats women in the collective or the abstract doesn't have much bearing on how one treats women personally—and even, how one treats some women personally doesn't have much bearing on how one treats some other women. Brett Kavanaugh coaching a girls' basketball team and having women serve as his law clerks doesn't materially matter to the question of whether he assaulted Christine Blasey Ford. Joe Biden writing the Violence Against Women Act similarly has no bearing on whether he assaulted Tara Reade.
These arguments have no relationship to the claims they are meant to disprove—claims that are notoriously resistant to proof either way. We are stuck, once again, in a battle between what he said and what she said (never mind that she has reliable corroborating witnesses and he continues to prop up witnesses who weren't there). We are now engaged in a hunt for documents that will not confirm whether Joe Biden put his fingers inside of Tara Reade. They might confirm that Tara Reade filed a complaint of sexual harassment against Joe Biden. Somehow the outcome of finding even that seems like it will make her less credible rather than more—if she was complaining about harassment, why didn't she complain about the assault, we will ask. In America, victims need to present perfectly coherent story lines, complaining in the right ways and at the right times. Any understanding of why this might be difficult still seems lost on us.
There is simply no good way to vet this claim. A presidential candidate is voted on by the people, not confirmed by a body of senators with the powers to compel testimony on matters of fact. Still, the Democratic National Committee could convene to figure out some way to investigate this allegation—as the New York Times' editorial board suggested they do, an indication that even the paper of record recognizes that journalism faces severe limitations when asked to serve as an investigative body in this sense. It seems unlikely this will happen, though. Nancy Pelosi thinks the case is closed, and no one else seems to be taking charge, save one heartfelt statement from Rep. Ayanna Pressley. Kirsten Gillibrand has decided to sit this one out, because she trusts Joe Biden.
It is only May. There is time to figure this out, were there any will to do so. But there is not, not by most of the Democratic leadership, and certainly not by Biden, who could do the right thing and step out of the race—not even because this absolutely happened, but because it is extraordinarily complicated and not everyone gets to run for president. But there is no way Joe Biden will do that. He was already willing to run for president in a very less-than-ideal state. He has surrounded himself with a team that is willing to enable him to do so. One in 4 Democrats may see this as a reason to replace him instead of letting him lead the top of the ticket, but the majority of voters don't want to. The imperative for Democrats has long been beating Trump, and somehow they've decided Joe Biden is the guy to do it.
Something that was frequently said in the aftermath of the Kavanaugh hearings was that regardless of whether Brett Kavanaugh assaulted Christine Blasey Ford when they were in high school, the performance of rage he gave ought to have disqualified him for the role of Supreme Court justice. Joe Biden did not demonstrate rage when it was his turn. What he demonstrated was something much more benign, something that has allowed his party to continue to line up behind him. What he has demonstrated is incompetence. He cannot speak cogently or convincingly about a very important issue, an issue that is extremely relevant to his past and critical to our country's future. That should worry his party, not reassure them.
Opinion | The media should not let Joe Biden off the hook on Tara Reade the way Democrats have
TV networks need to ask former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tougher questions about Tara Reade's allegation of sexual assault, says media critic Erik Wemple.
National Trans Group Backs Biden, Who Says Trump Supporters Are White Supremacists, Homophobic
The National Center for Transgender Equality Action Fund has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden, according to an article posted on the Advocate website.
“Joe Biden is the advocate and president we need at this consequential moment,” NCTE Action Fund Executive Director Mara Keisling said in a press release distributed to the media on Tuesday. “He has the temperament, the experience and wisdom to lead our country. Throughout his career in public service, work as a private citizen through the Biden Foundation, and now his campaign to lead our nation, Biden has demonstrated his commitment to transgender people and the LGBTQ community.”
“Biden has a strong agenda for addressing the issues that face transgender Americans, a record of getting big ideas done during his time as vice president in the Obama-Biden administration, and a history of ensuring that transgender people are protected, including protections for transgender women as part of the reauthorization of the landmark Violence Against Women Act he authored,” Keisling said. “Over the years he has consistently made clear that ‘transgender equality is the civil rights issue of our time.’ With Joe Biden, we know we will be engaged, we will be seen, and we will not be erased.”
In a video posted with the article on the Advocate website, Biden said President Donald Trump has “eviscerated so many basic civil rights.”
“Why is he doing that?” Keisling asked Biden.
“I don’t know that he has a philosophy,” Biden said. “I think he just decides that he’s going to appeal to people from white supremacists to homophobic people who think he can easily rile them up and get their support,” Biden said. “I don’t know. I can’t get in another man or woman’s mind but I know it’s wrong.”
Biden said he supports transgenderism because “we are all God’s children.”
The article included a statement from Reggie Greer, identified as the LGBTQ+ vote director for the Biden campaign:
“On behalf of Vice President Biden, our campaign is deeply honored to have the National Center for Transgender Equality Action Fund’s endorsement and partnership in this election,” Greer said.
“In 2012, the same year he boldly declared his support for marriage equality, Vice President Biden made clear that ‘transgender equality is the civil rights issue of our time.’ He understands what’s at stake, and has built an unmatched record of ensuring our nation’s laws and discourse value, reflect, and see the lives, dignity, and worth of all transgender people.”
“To the contrary, Donald Trump and Mike Pence have done nearly everything in their power to endanger the lives of transgender people or ignore the issues disproportionately impacting them,” Greer said. “That’s why it’s all the more reason we are grateful for today’s announcement.”
According to Williams Institute at U.C.L.A, 0.6 percent of U.S. adults identify as transgender. GLADD has reported that three percent of the U.S population across different age groups consider themselves as transgender.
Tara Reade, the former aide who has accused Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden of sexual assault has been interviewed by Megyn Kelly.
Strict stay-at-home orders put domestic violence victims in tougher situation, say police, advocates
Washington Times, The (DC)
May 7, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Democratic attorneys general this week demanded Congress renew the Violence Against Women Act, saying its lapse more than a year ago was bad enough, but it is unconscionable amid the coronavirus crisis.
Police and sheriffs say there's an even more immediate answer — governors should relax their stay-at-home orders, so victims have a chance to move around outside their homes and, potentially, escape an abuser.
Those stay-at-home directives may be helping slow the devastation of the coronavirus, but they also have sentenced vulnerable people to continuous weeks in the same homes with abusive spouses or partners.
"We are starkly reminded that home is not a safe place for survivors and their children. An abuser may take advantage of an already stressful situation like this to gain more control," said Deborah Vagins, the president of the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
Some law enforcement officials agree.
"I want people out of their house. We have an uptick in domestics," Dar Leaf, sheriff of Michigan's Barry County, recently told Fox News.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's original shutdown order was one of the most stringent in the country, shutting down auto manufacturers, barring people from using their boats, keeping garden stores from operating, and even preventing people who owned two homes in the state from traveling between them.
Sheriff Leaf had made clear last month that he wouldn't strictly enforce the stay-at-home order, taking each case individually.
But potential victims may still face tough decisions about their situations, at a time when the pandemic is exacerbating issues such as unemployment that often trigger domestic violence while disrupting the ability of victims to get help.
"People who are called family annihilators, who killed not only their wives but the children are almost always unemployed," said Deborah Tucker, president of the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Sheriff Mark Dannels of Cochise County, Arizona, said he has seen a rise in family violence, but not other crimes such as drunken driving.
"When you have alcohol consumption up 300%, you can imagine what the consequences are we are dealing with in our community," he told Newsmax.
The Coalition to End Domestic Violence tried to get a handle on the data. It Googled news reports about domestic violence across several states and found that eight had decreased, five claimed levels were steady and only one state — Idaho — reported an increase.
But the Marshall Project, a news organization focused on criminal justice issues, said the drop in domestic violence calls to police likely results from underreporting because victims have a harder time reaching out to police during the lockdown.
The Democratic attorneys general who wrote to Congress this week demanding renewal of VAWA said they expect not only an increase in cases, but also of the severity of abuse, given the stresses of the pandemic.
The expiration of the 1994 law hasn't cut off funding — that's part of the annual spending bills Congress passes. But advocates say it has created uncertainty and confusion for groups who now are dealing with new stresses thanks to the coronavirus.
Shelters have to figure out how to maintain social distancing, while telephone hotlines are struggling to transition to remote call centers.
Some county clerks are putting the public on notice that they are staying open to be able to process domestic violence injunctions, which can protect victims.
Though calls on family violence and aggravated assaults are still coming in, some cities have reported a significant drop in other major crimes, including murder.
Miami reported going seven straight weeks without a homicide for the first time since 1957.
Joe Biden exposes the fraud of the #MeToo movement
Washington Times, The (DC)
May 7, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has accomplished something for women that no other Democrat could: He has exposed the fraud of the #MeToo movement. Most of its high-profile supporters responded by smothering it to death with a pillow.
You see, Mr. Biden's candidacy, combined with a credible accusation against him of rape in 1993 by Tara Reade, who was then a member of his Senate staff, has made it undeniable that the #MeToo movement has been a cynical political charade. Many women around the country were heartened by the effort, and it's these women who are harmed by not just the hypocrisy but by the grotesque indifference to the impact of frauds like this.
Finally, after weeks of ignoring it, Mr. Biden personally addressed the accusations on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." He denied the accusations as has his campaign repeatedly on his behalf. Many were hoping this moment of personal denial would be enough, allowing the media and Democratic leadership to move on. They tried ignoring the charges for weeks and were only forced to address them when the haunting audio of Ms. Reade's mother on "The Larry King Show" in 1993 asking for advice forced the media to face the story.
So many Democrats, Hollywood celebrities and liberal activists lifted their voices in outrage and indignation in response to sexual assault allegations against now-Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. As they ordered us to "believe all women," we heard denunciations of due process and that the accused must prove their innocence. The man pointed at would be given no quarter because the rules have changed — or so we were lectured.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who for a time was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president and was primarily responsible for former Sen. Al Franken's resignation from the Senate because of sexual harassment allegations, has endorsed Mr. Biden for president. During a recent video meeting, Ms. Gillibrand of New York said, "Vice President Biden has vehemently denied these allegations, and I support Vice President Biden."
Well, that should do it.
Sen. Kamala D. Harris, California Democrat, was leading the charge against Justice Kavanaugh during the Senate hearings. Carrie Severino, in a piece at FoxNews.com noted, "As recently as last year Harris said that she believed numerous women who accused Biden of unwanted touching. Of course, that was when she was running against Biden for the nomination. Now that Harris is on the Biden VP shortlist, it's nothing but crickets."
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has also endorsed Mr. Biden. When confronted by a reporter asking about the "different standard" between Justice Kavanaugh and Mr. Biden, the woman who condemned Justice Kavanaugh snapped at the reporter saying she didn't need a "lecture," on the "believe all women" issue. The speaker then went on to laud Mr. Biden for his work supporting women's issues, authoring the Violence Against Women Act as an example, leading her to stamp him as a person of "great character."
Lost upon Mrs. Pelosi is the fact that the men who have egregious histories of abusing women in Hollywood and in Washington, D.C., have a history of specifically and deliberately "working on women's issues." This strategy seems to provide a bubble of protection, just ask imprisoned movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, former President Bill Clinton, disgraced former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Even the woman considered the founder of the #MeToo movement, Tarana Burke, has decided that Mr. Biden is still "electable," admitting in a tweet that "the inconvenient truth is that this story is impacting us differently because it hits at the heart of one of the most important elections of our lifetime."
In other words, politics wins out when the accused is a Democrat. The woman is suddenly expendable. For the party and these activist liberals, women are a commodity to be used and controlled.
Rose McGowan understands this. She is the actress and feminist activist who has been consistently committed to issues of sexual assault and was the first to make a rape allegation public against Weinstein. For a while, Miss McGowan was the lone voice from the Hollywood #MeToo movement expressing her disgust at the hypocrisy over how Ms. Reade has been treated, while condemning the Democratic Party for its hypocrisy and abandonment of women.
Recently another actress stepped up. Star of HBO's "Westworld" Evan Rachel Wood. Fox News reported, "Wood, 32, on Friday directly responded to McGowan's latest tweet in which the former 'Charmed' actress declared she is no longer a 'proud Democrat' due to her affiliated party downplaying sexual assault allegations against Biden by Tara Reade. ... 'I have to say this is ... spot on,' Wood tweeted in response to McGowan's lengthy post."
Since this expression of support, Ms. Wood has had to protect her Twitter account by making it private.
One frustration for Miss McGowan is the response by Alyssa Milano, another actress, #MeToo activist and Trump- and Kavanaugh-hater. Ms. Milano continues to massage her hypocritical buffoonery by explaining that while Ms. Reade's accusations concern her deeply, Mr. Biden is someone "who I can't picture doing any of the things of which he's accused."
So whether or not a woman will be taken seriously by #MeToo activists depends on whether or not they can imagine it. Got it.
The Daily Caller Foundation spoke to Ms. Reade about the silence about her alleged experience from women's groups: "She asked, 'Emily's List, where are you? Gloria Steinem? Where are you? Where are these people?' "
Where are they? Busy hammering the final nail in the #MeToo movement coffin.
• Tammy Bruce, president of Independent Women's Voice, author and Fox News contributor, is a radio talk-show host.
Joe Biden Accuser Tara Reade Speaks Out In New Interview
Tara Reade, the woman who has accused former Vice President Joe Biden of sexual assault, has given her first on-camera interview. NBC senior Washington correspondent Andrea Mitchell reports for TODAY on the new claims Reade is making.
BOMBSHELL developments: Court docs corroborate Tara Reade claims, she calls on Biden to drop out
Krystal and Saagar discuss Tara Reade's interview with Megyn Kelly, reports that 1996 court document show Reade told ex-husband of harassment in Biden's Senate office, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Biden campaign manager's denial of the claims.
BREAKING: Tara Reade talks about the double standard she's faced in Megyn Kelly exclusive
Megyn Kelly's entire exclusive sit down with Tara Reade.
ADDRESSING RISE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
US Fed News (USA)
May 11, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON, May 11 -- The office of Sen. Mike Crapo issued the following news release:
Reports indicate crisis centers and law enforcement agencies have seen a rise in domestic violence incidents as communities face increased strain from the impacts of the pandemic. To address this problem, I joined a bipartisan group of senators in urging Senate Leadership to include more support for domestic violence programs in any further emergency coronavirus response legislation.
As we raised in our letter, Phase 3 of the emergency coronavirus response legislation, the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, included $45 million to support domestic violence services through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act and $2 million for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. However, assault or domestic violence programs administered through the U.S. Department of Justice need additional support to help meet the needs of domestic violence victims. Specifically, we requested additional funding for the following programs:
* The Sexual Assault Service Program;
* The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) STOP Grants;
* Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations; and
* VAWA Transitional Housing Assistance Grants.
We also requested the waiver of matching fund requirements for the Victims of Crime Act grants during this crisis to meet survivors' needs quickly.
Additionally, we raised concerns that American Indian communities face disparities in shelter capacity and resources worsened by COVID-19. We requested the recognition of Tribal sovereignty as the federal government fulfills its trust responsibility to Indian Tribes. We stressed the importance of shelter and Tribal advocacy programs in addressing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis, as we urged assistance for the Tribes and Tribal Organizations through VAWA programs that include grants to Tribal governments, jurisdictions and coalitions. We also requested additional assistance for Tribal governments through the Office of Victims of Crime.
As we stressed to our Senate colleagues, "Historically, instances of domestic violence have increased in times of national crisis-and this crisis may be particularly dangerous for people who experience domestic violence." Victims of domestic violence may feel especially isolated right now and may not feel like there is a way to get out. We must help provide reassurance that no matter what is going on currently in the world, they do not have to take it and there are places they can go for timely help. Infusing these programs with additional resources will help ensure the provision of much needed services across the board at a time when far too many families need it most.
Krystal and Saagar: Media gives Biden a PASS AGAIN on Tara Reade in latest TV interview
Krystal and Saagar discuss Joe Biden's Tara Reade denial during his interview on 'Good Morning America' with George Stephanopoulos and share a new Morning Consult poll that shows Biden's net favorability has dropped five points in the week before Biden publicly denied Reade's accusations.
No Evidence That Domestic Violence Is Rising Due To COVID-19
CE Think Tank Newswire: English (USA)
May 12, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
A media blitz declares domestic violence (DV) is soaring during COVID-19 because stay-at-home orders have trapped women and children in close proximity to abusive men. Flawed evidence and assumptions underlie this claim but, with the panic of the crisis, it could be embedded in public policy, nevertheless.
A headline in Vice presents the perceived problem: “New York Is Seeing a ‘Frightening’ Increase in Domestic Violence Calls. Calls to New York’s domestic violence hotline rose by 30% in April, compared to the same month last year.” The information apparently comes from Crystal Justice, the Hotline’s chief development and marketing officer.
According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, however, “The New York City Police Department said that reports of domestic violence have ‘progressively declined’ since the onset of the pandemic. The crimes fell nearly 15% last month compared to March 2019.” Melinda Katz, district attorney in Queens, reports “domestic violence arrests have fallen nearly 40%.” Perhaps the lesson of the Vice story is that calls to a hotline are not a good indicator of actual domestic violence rates.
An April 28 article in the Huffington Post offers a solution to the problem that it acknowledges as being only “likely” to exist. “Two advocacy organizations released a slew of recommendations for the next coronavirus relief legislation [CARES2], which Congress is drafting now. Chief on the list of demands is emergency funding.” The first CARES package included funding for the National Domestic Violence Hotline and $45 million for other DV programs.
A political push has been underway. In an April 13 letter, 41 Senators from 29 states called upon future COVID-19 relief bills to allocate an additional $413 million to programs that address the “horrifying…surge” in DV. The primary vehicle proposed for dispersing funds and services was the controversial Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which has yet to secure reauthorization.
It is time to pause in the race to legislation and ask the most basic question: is there a surge in DV? The supporting evidence seems anecdotal and often histrionic; it is usually provided by advocates or organizations with a vested interest in DV funding. These factors do not invalidate the data offered, but they heighten the need for scrutiny and for more neutral sources to be checked.
The Coalition to End Domestic Violence recently conducted a rough verification test. The CEDV did a Google search on the terms “coronavirus,” “domestic violence,” “police reports,” and each senator’s state. (Police reports are among the most politically neutral sources that are easily available.) The results from the 14 states that responded were categorized to indicate a decrease in DV (more than 10% under baseline), a steady mode (less than 10% change), or an increase (more than 10% higher). Eight states revealed a decrease; five were steady; and one confirmed an increase.
The increase occurred in Boise, Idaho. The Idaho Statesman (March 18) explained, “Local police saw a mild increase in domestic reports last week, compared to the same time last year, but it’s too early to tell if it is a real trend. From March 7 through March 14, Boise Police responded to 63 reports of domestic battery and domestic disputes. In the same week of 2019, Boise Police responded to 55 reports of domestic battery and domestic disputes.”
The point is not that one set of claims is true, and the other is false. The point is that the reports are preliminary and contradictory. The claims need to be checked before hasty legislation embeds bad data into law.
Some people will ask, “What’s the harm?” Apart from expending taxpayer money in a time of fiscal crisis, DV prevention is correctly considered to be a worthy cause that deserves compassion and cash. A great deal of harm occurs, however. DV is further politicized and pushed away from what is real about the issue. For example, media accounts almost always refer to the victim as female and the abuser as male even though the abuse of men is common.
How common? Studies and estimates differ, partly because men are notoriously reluctant to report abuse for which they are often ridiculed or dismissed. The Centers for Disease Control’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (2015) found that “In the U.S., about 1 in 3 (33.6% or 37.3 million) men experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.” Meanwhile, “over 1 in 3 (36.4% or 43.6 million) women” experienced DV. The injuries to women tend to be more severe but the rate of abuse is roughly the same for both sexes.
The bottom line: Men endure a significant and, perhaps, an equal rate of DV. If stay-at-home confinement increases violence against women, then confined men should be equally vulnerable to greater abuse. Yet the proposed funding and protections are extended through the VAWA—with the ‘W’ standing for ‘Women’— which is notorious for discriminating against male victims. The Act’s language is gender neutral but its programs are not; shelters are almost always “women-only” places, for example.
The April 13 letter from the 41 Senators offers another example of anti-male discrimination. “American Indian and Alaska Native communities” are singled out as desperately needing DV services. “Shelters and Tribal advocacy programs,” the letter states, “are often all that stand between safety and Native women going missing and/or murdered.” This language echoes a section of VAWA—Title IX: Safety for Indian Women—which cites a stunning statistic from a National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. “More than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native women, or 84.3 percent, have experienced violence in their lifetime.” The VAWA citation has a curious omission, however. Immediately thereafter, the Survey states that “more than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native men (81.6 percent) have experienced violence in their lifetime.” In other words, the men experience only 2.7 percent less violence than the women. And, yet, only women are mentioned.
A head-long rush toward DV legislation that is based on fear of COVID-19 and on gender bias is far from harmless. It continues the problem by distorting the reality of DV and fixing prejudice against men into the law. Everything about COVID-19 claims should be checked and verified, including underlying assumptions.
Key Biden endorsers say they are reassured by his denial of sexual assault
Humboldt Sun, The (Winnemucca, NV)
May 16, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Three key Nevada lawmakers who have endorsed presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s bid for president say they are satisfied with his response to an allegation that he sexually assaulted staffer Tara Reade in 1993.
Six others did not comment when asked. Those are: Rep. Steven Horsford, Lt. Gov. Kate Marshall and Assemblywomen Shannon Mary Bilbray-Axelrod, Susie Martinez, Selena Torres and Dina Neal.
Rep. Dina Titus, who was the first member of the delegation to endorse the former vice president back in November, led the way in defending Biden. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who endorsed Biden last week, and State Sen. Yvanna Cancela also said Biden has been transparent and that they stand by their endorsements. Cancela, the former political director of the Culinary Workers Union, made her endorsement in August.
“I’m a big supporter of the Me Too movement,” Titus said in a statement provided by her office that echoed the Biden response she gave earlier Wednesday on MSNBC.
“Women should be respected when they come forward to share their stories and their claims should be independently vetted,” Titus continued. “That is exactly what has happened in this case.”
Cortez Masto, a former attorney general, said in a statement provided by her office, that she has spent her legal career advocating for an environment in which victims of sexual assault feel safe to come forward, knowing that the system is fair system and provides for both accountability and exoneration.
“We do not have that system, or culture yet,” she said. “We all need to stand up and make change both in government and the private sector. That’s where I will continue to focus. In this case, Vice President Biden has been transparent and the American public will listen and make their judgment.”
Cancela said Biden has championed women’s rights by helping pass legislation like the Violence Against Women Act, and he pushed for the secretary of the Senate to release any relevant material related to the allegation.
“Joe Biden has denied these allegations and took the unprecedented step in requesting the secretary of Senate search for the alleged complaint and make it public,” Cancela said in an emailed statement. “I know Joe Biden and trust Joe Biden. This is the same person that fought tooth and nail to make the Violence Against Women Act a reality. Joe Biden is demonstrating leadership and handling this the appropriate way.”
Their comments come after Biden last Friday unequivocally denied the allegation that he assaulted Reade 27 years ago.
Even before Biden first publicly discussed the allegation, his campaign had circulated talking points to Democrats stressing that the charge had been vetted and was false.
Reade, who worked for Biden between December 1992 and August 1993, said she was also sexually harassed by the then-Senator and raised that matter with three senior Biden staffers, but they have denied any such complaint was made. Reade was also one of the eight women who accused Biden in 2019 of making them feel uncomfortable.
She also told the AP that she was once asked to serve drinks at an event because Biden liked her legs and thought she was pretty. Reade refused and her duties in the office were cut back, she said, which spurred her to file a complaint with the Senate personnel office. She said she doesn’t remember the exact office and doesn’t have a copy of the complaint, though she has said it does not mention the word harassment or talk about the assault. “I used ‘uncomfortable.’ And I remember ‘retaliation,'” she said. She also said she told her mother, brother and friends about problems when working for Biden. One friend corroborated her account of the assault.
Biden said that no such complaint exists, but he sent a letter Friday to Secretary of the Senate Julie Adams, urging her to permit the National Archives to release any relevant documents. But Adams responded that Senate rules and privacy laws do not give her the authority to release documents from the archive or anyplace else. The archives have also said that any such records would be under Senate control.
Reade has called on Biden to request a search of the trove of documents that the vice president has donated to the University of Delaware. But Biden has said that those documents do not include “personnel files.” He raised concerns about things being used for political fodder against him.
“The idea that they would all be made public while I was running for office can be taken out of context,” Biden said.
Titus also praised Biden’s effort to ferret out Senate documents and dismissed the need to open the trove of documents that Biden donated to the University of Delaware.
“Joe asked the secretary of the Senate to see if she could find any record of this allegation if it exists,” Titus said. “In their correspondence, the secretary of the Senate confirmed that the privacy protections in place at the time would have prevented Senate offices from being made aware of such complaints. Therefore, no such record exists at the University of Delaware. If such a complaint was made, it would be in the National Archives under control of the Senate.”
Rep. Susie Lee and Sen. Jacky Rosen, while they have not endorsed Biden, said he has handled the allegation in a satisfactory manner.
“All women need to have the space and the availability to speak and be heard, and allegations need to be vetted,” Lee said in an interview. “And the vice president made it clear, unequivocally. It’s been out, it’s been vetted, and I believe the vice president.”
Lee said she’s considering endorsing Biden.
“I’ve taken a stand, which I have generally taken, to stay out of a primary and I am looking at that,” she said.
Rosen, in a statement provided by her office, stressed that she believes victims should feel safe coming forward and having their allegations taken seriously and that she works to foster that atmosphere.
“Vice President Biden has addressed this situation directly, unequivocally denied any wrongdoing, and asked for records to be released,” Rosen said. “After weighing the information and listening carefully to his response, I believe the vice president and anticipate the American people will believe him as well.”
Krystal Ball: Biden, media's dirty class shaming tactics of Tara Reade
Krystal Ball discusses reports from Politico and PBS News Hour that corroborate Joe Biden's record in the Senate as a "family-oriented boss" and delegitimize Tara Reade's assault allegations.
New York Times Hurts Survivors With Falsehoods About Domestic Violence
CE Think Tank Newswire: English (USA)
May 20, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
The dominant narrative on domestic violence (DV) during COVID-19 hurts survivors, like me. Decades ago, I was blinded in my left eye by a man who said he loved me even as his fist hit my face. I’ve tried to make sense of that insanity ever since. Why did he do it? Why did I stay? The one thing that anchors me to answers is reality—what is true of DV?—not what is emotional or political. The media delivers the opposite.
“Domestic Violence Calls Mount as Restrictions Linger: ‘No One Can Leave’” by Julie Bosman appeared in the New York Times on May 15 and addressed DV in Chicago; the article hurt rather than helped survivors to heal. Its central claim was that “the problems [of abuse] have only deepened since stay-at-home orders were first imposed. In Chicago, the number of people seeking help has increased significantly in recent weeks.“
The NYT article is typical of a DV meme that is spreading quickly through the media and may soon be embedded in legislation. The assumption that stay-at-home orders are increasing DV must be questioned because it is deeply flawed and takes survivors away from the reality they desperately require.
First, the article is factually inaccurate. It states, for example, “The Chicago Police Department said that domestic-violence related calls increased 12 percent during a period from the start of the year through mid-April, compared with the same time period in 2019.” This comparison is invalid on its face. Illinois’ stay-at-home order was implemented on March 21, and data from approximately three months prior is irrelevant to an analysis of the order’s effect on DV. Either Bosman is unaware of when Chicago’s stay-at-home order came into effect—the article does not state the effective date—or the numbers are misrepresented through sloppiness or deliberately. Since the article spins off these statistics, the skewed calculations are nontrivial.
More precise data offer a different picture. The Marshall Project examined police reports of DV since May 8 in three major cities, including Chicago, and stated, “reports of domestic abuse in three cities have dropped.” In Chicago, calls to the DV phone line increased while police reports declined; “Domestic violence [in police accounts is] down 23 percent” in recent weeks.
The article speculated that the difference between police reports and hotline accounts “may be because it’s harder for victims to get help during the pandemic.” This is possible, although dialing 911 should be no more difficult than dialing a hotline. The National Domestic Hotline (NDH) report for 2019 reveals another possibility. Hotline callers often inquire about peripheral issues, such as housing or immigration status. The NDH states, “14,590 contacts experience Housing…up 217% from 2018.” It is not clear whether an account of immediate abuse accompanied the housing query; it is clear that the hotlines are used to address a wide range of problems, especially when so many people are losing their housing and jobs. This is one reason why police reports are a more accurate measure of DV.
Bosman’s assumptions are also deep biased; for one thing, she refers to DV survivors as exclusively female. This is a false and harmful assumption. Estimates of male DV survivors vary widely, partly because men are notoriously reluctant to report abuse for fear of being ridiculed or dismissed. Nevertheless, the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2015 Data Brief reports 4,255,000 males experienced physical violence from an intimate partner in 2015 [Table 11] compared to 3,455,000 females [Table 9]. Data sources differ on the numbers, but they do not differ on presenting males as a significant percentage of DV survivors.
The bottom line: Men endure a high and, perhaps, an equal rate of DV abuse as women. If stay-at-home confinement increases violence against women, then confined men would be equally vulnerable. To leave out abused males, let alone to imply that males are the perpetrators, takes the reader far from what is real about DV. An analysis that does so deserves no more credence than would U.S. homicide statistics that acknowledged only white deaths.
Bosman mentions stay-at-home children as being at greater risk, along with women. As evidence, she refers to unnamed doctors who are “hearing accounts” of people “lashing out, particularly at women and children.” The clear implication: males are endangering women and children. It is impossible to disprove hearsay accounts from unnamed sources, of course, but hard statistics indicate a different picture. Data on child abuse is difficult to collect and verify, but a 2006 report from the Department of Health and Human Services found that 70.6% of abused children were brutalized by mothers, and 29.4% by fathers. Female abusers are unlikely to have disappeared since then, and it does children a great disservice to distort the reality of their abuse. It makes the abuse harder to address, for one thing.
Getting the facts straight on DV is not an academic matter. There are human beings crying out in pain. Moreover, the media spotlight on DV and shut-in order may be a prelude to a legislative push; laws could embed harmful bias and distortion into public policy under which we all live. Certainly, DV funding for women only was included in the last coronavirus relief (CARES) bill. The first package included funding for the National Domestic Violence Hotline and $45 million for other DV programs. An April 13 letter from 41 Senators from 29 states called for future relief bills to allocate an additional $413 million to programs that address the “horrifying…surge” in DV. The primary vehicle for dispersing funds and services would be the controversial Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which is widely accused of ignoring male survivors.
Survivors deserve better than what the media is delivering. All that survivors ask for is an unprejudiced and factual view of an important issue. Nothing is more important than knowing the truth because this is where any hope of a solution begins.
Lawyer for Biden accuser Tara Reade drops her as a client
The attorney working with Tara Reade, the former Joe Biden Senate staffer who alleges he sexually assaulted her in the 1990s, says he is no longer representing her
WASHINGTON (AP) — The attorney working with , the former Joe Biden Senate staffer who alleged he sexually assaulted her in the 1990s, said Friday he is no longer representing her, just two weeks after he first began working with her.
Douglas Wigdor said in a statement the decision to drop Reade came on Wednesday of this week, and that it wasn’t a reflection on the veracity of her claims. But he offered no specifics on why he and his firm are dropping her.
Wigdor said he and others at his firm still believe Reade’s allegation against Biden, that he digitally penetrated her and groped her in the basement of a Capitol Hill office building when she worked as a low-level staffer in his Senate office in the Spring of 1993. Biden has vehemently denied her claims, and multiple current and former Biden staffers have said they have no recollection of such an incident.
In his statement, Wigdor said his firm believed that Reade has been “subjected to a double standard” in the media and that much of the coverage surrounding her biography had little to do with her claims against Biden. The news was first reported by The New York Times.
Wigdor fielded numerous media questions in recent weeks surrounding inconsistencies in Reade’s biography and the legal challenges she’s faced. This week, The Associated Press and other media outlets published extensive biographies of Reade, revealing she appears to have exaggerated her educational achievements, was mired in endless financial difficulties and faced frequent lawsuits with individuals who said she defrauded them or failed to pay bills.
Defense lawyers in Monterey County this week began investigating whether Reade committed perjury when she testified under oath that she had a college degree from Antioch, as first reported Friday by The New York Times. Antioch University told the AP that Reade never obtained a diploma from the school, and Reade herself could not produce evidence of the degree she claims to have earned there.
Lawyer Roland Soltesz peppered her with questions about her background before she qualified as an expert witness on domestic violence in a 2018 attempted murder trial. She also touted her experience in Biden’s office, saying she served as a legislative aide and helped work on the Violence Against Women’s Act, he said. His client was convicted and is now serving a potential life sentence.
“She was a good witness,” Soltesz said. “She came across as believable.”
Wigdor is well known for his work on prominent cases related to sexual harassment and assault. He represented six women who accused Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced Hollywood producer, of sexual misconduct. He has also represented a number of Fox News employees in cases alleging gender and racial discrimination at the network. And he’s a frequent political donor, giving tens of thousands to Democratic politicians in New York and about $55,000 to Donald Trump in 2016, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Wigdor’s firm originally said in a statement that they had taken on Reade as a client because they believed “every survivor has the right to competent counsel.” Wigdor told the AP at the time that he thought Reade had struggled to find a lawyer to represent her because many attorneys in his space “tend to be Democrats or liberals,” and Reade has accused the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee of sexual assault.
The irony of Biden and Tara Reade’s allegations
Delaware State News (Dover, DE)
May 26, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
In 1994, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden co-sponsored the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The reasoning behind this legislation was that domestic violence was not taken as seriously as it should and not enough was being done to protect women from abuse.
Perpetrators of domestic abuse could (in theory) cross state lines to avoid prosecution for beating their spouses, as law enforcement was not required to listen to orders of protection filed in other states.
It is said that prior to the passage of VAWA, police were told to avoid interfering in domestic violence cases as a general consensus existed that thought domestic violence was a family matter, not something that rose to the level of federal law.
We are told that Joe Biden, who was then the chair of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, co-sponsored the bill because he was concerned about national attitudes about violence against women and he helped return the issue of violence against women to the national stage.
With his stance on promoting VAWA, Joe Biden solidified monolithic support from a coalition of women’s rights groups, which would prove politically beneficial in the years to come.
One of the many “enhancements” from the passage of the VAWA was a more robust and weaponized method for a woman to obtain a protection from abuse order order (PFA). The threshold of evidence to obtain a protection from abuse order against a defendant is a preponderance of evidence, the least weight of evidence on the books.
In 1993, Tara Reade alleges Joe Biden sexually abused her, and says there is documentation supporting the claim. She said she raised concerns about being harassed while on Biden’s staff, and filed a written report with the Senate personnel office detailing the accusations.
The problem, however, is that Biden’s Senate documents were donated to the University of Delaware in 2011, and while they were set to be made available to the public in 2019, they now cannot be made public until after Biden “retires from public life.” The conditions of the agreement with the university were changed on April 24, 2019, the day before Biden announced his presidential run.
Although, I am certain many Delaware women have been “protected” with the issuance of a PFA. I can say with the same certainty that many an innocent Delaware man has had their home taken, child custody interference, reputation trashed, and due process, 2nd amendment violations as well. But, admittedly, I digress.
My point I make is that the allegations by Ms. Reade would meet the legal threshold of the evidence required to have a PFA granted against him. Ironic, to say the least.
Equally ironic– after the great efforts that the state of Delaware made as it pioneered and led the charge on protecting women from violence – that it now harbors evidence at the University of Delaware that could show the actions of one of the primary forces behind the passage of the Violence Against Women Act in this charge of sexual harassment.
My advice to Tara Reade is to file for a Protection from Abuse order against Joe Biden. Her allegations of abuse more than meet the legal threshold required.
Spike in domestic violence during pandemic spurs call to take Violence Against Women Act 'off the shelf'
Batavian, The (NY)
June 15, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
Citing a recent New York State report that details a very troubling 33-percent rise in domestic violence cases across New York amid COVID-19, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer demanded the United States Senate take up the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which passed the House with bipartisan support all the way back in April of 2019.
Schumer demanded Leader Mitch McConnell take VAWA "off the shelf" and rightfully pass it in the Senate. Specifically, the Senator revealed, in Upstate New York, domestic violence shelter occupancy rates rose to 78 percent in April 2020, up from 59 percent in April 2019, a 19-percent increase.
Schumer said that New York is not alone in worrisome statistics, either. Other states, like Texas and Illinois, according to The New York Times, have seen similar domestic violence surges and capital resources for many programs could dry up fast.
"The data from New York's report mirrors similar statistics across other parts of the country that are also seeing a rise in domestic violence amid the coronavirus pandemic," Senator Schumer said. "It's up to all of us to heed the warning in these numbers and not allow a pandemic to fuel an epidemic of domestic violence so many have devoted their lives to preventing.
"Since I first helped write the Violence Against Women's Act in 1994, countless individuals have been saved. Whether the funds provided local shelters, counseling or other critical efforts, the law has given so many a second chance and we cannot rest until the Senate acts, the law is fully reauthorized and the help New York and other states need on the way."
According to New York's domestic violence task force, "…in the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, data reported by law enforcement and domestic violence service providers pointed to an increase in domestic violence, with the New York State Domestic & Sexual Violence Hotline recording a 33 percent increase in calls for April 2020 compared to April 2019, and shelter occupancy rates upstate rising to 78 percent in April 2020, versus 59 percent in April 2019.
Schumer reiterated that that the coronavirus pandemic cannot be allowed to fuel an epidemic of domestic violence that so many have joined together to prevent as he made the case for new action. He said that passing the full VAWA package will unlock the full federal funding New York needs to achieve its immediate needs to help stop the violence.
Schumer detailed New York's immediate needs given the 33-percent spike in reported violence:
1) Local programming for survivors' safety, including the use of new technology and mobile platforms
2) Housing stability and navigation services
3) Transportation
According to the report, "funding should be flexible to meet a range of needs, including housing costs, safety measures and allocations for essential needs that might present barriers to safety and housing stability, such as debt or car repair expenses. Support should have more flexible parameters, should meet survivors' needs as quickly as possible, and should be available until survivors feel safe.
"Program outcomes should be based on survivors' safety and housing stability over the longterm. Further, the state should continue its commitment to partnering with the philanthropic and advocacy community, collaborating to leverage support, fill in the gaps where existing funds fall short and foster further innovation."
"Right now, because of the uncertainty around the Violence Against Women's Act's future reauthorization we have states preparing to turn over the couch cushions for this life-saving funding, and that cannot sustain,"Schumer added. "Philanthropy is certainly one way to 'fill in the gaps' but existing federal funding cannot be allowed to simply 'fall short.' That's why we need the Senate to act here, because government has a job to do and lives to save."
Schumer cited the Finger Lakes Region to show how just one area of the state has benefited from VAWA.
Within the last five years, organizations across Rochester and the Finger Lakes received more than $8.8 million in federal funding through the Violence Against Women Act.
Specifically, $650,000 was awarded to aid law enforcement in combatting domestic violence; $299,708 was awarded to combat campus sexual assault; $425,000 was awarded to combat domestic violence among the disabled; $794,667 was awarded to provide housing for victims of domestic violence; $750,000 was awarded to improve criminal justice response (ICJR); $3,266,665 was awarded to provide legal assistance to victims (LAV); $1,222,000 was awarded to provide assistance to underserved populations; $425,000 was awarded to assist those in rural communities; and $1,000,000 was awarded to support families who have been affected by domestic violence.
Willow Domestic Violence Center in Rochester voiced their support for Senator Schumer's efforts.
Meaghan de Chateauvieux, president & CEO of Willow Domestic Violence Center in Rochester said, "When a survivor steps forward in our community seeking safety from abuse, VAWA is what makes it possible for our local agencies to work together in a coordinated and comprehensive way to keep families safe.
"Willow serves over 7,000 survivors each year and relies on our VAWA-funded community partnerships. We appreciate Senator Schumer's push because VAWA is the cornerstone of our local coordinated response to domestic violence and has changed the landscape for victims who once suffered in silence."
The original 1994 VAWA bill, which was authored by Schumer when he was a member of the House, has been reauthorized three times—in 2000, 2005 and 2013— with unanimous Senate approval the first two times. Since its enactment, the bill has reduced domestic violence by more than 50 percent. Additionally, the legislation, over the course of its history, has provided more than $7 billion in federal funding towards reducing these types of violence.
Beyond reauthorizing all of the current grant programs under the original VAWA and those established by previous reauthorizations, the House-passed VAWA reauthorization also includes a number of new provisions to aid and support victims of domestic and sexual violence. Some of the most essential include:
* Establishing a survey among District and State Attorney Offices that receive funding from VAWA grant programs to track the rates of rape cases.
* Increasing funding for the Services, Training Officers and Prosecutors (STOP) grant program, which promotes a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to enhancing advocacy and improving the criminal justice system's response to violent crimes against women. The program encourages the development and improvement of effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to address violent crimes against women and the development and improvement of advocacy and services in cases involving violent crimes against women.
* Enhancing the Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus Program by supporting educational institutions seeking to develop and distribute educational materials to students related to prevention.
* Boosting housing protections for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Additionally, a provision in the reauthorization bill ensures that in the event of separation from a spouse, survivors retain access to housing. The bill also increases opportunities under transitional housing grant programs for organizations that operate in underserved and low-income communities.
* Promoting the economic security and stability of victims of domestic and sexual violence. One of the ways the VAWA reauthorization bill would do this would be by authorizing funding for a Government Accountability Office study on the economic implications of domestic violence and the best possible solution to these implications for victims.
AKRON MAN TWICE CONVICTED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INDICTED FOR POSSESSION OF A FIREARM
US Fed News (USA)
June 18, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON, June 18 -- The U.S. Department of Justice's U.S. Attorney's office for Northern District of Ohio issued the following press release:
Justin E. Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that a federal grand jury in Cleveland, Ohio has returned a two-count indictment charging Michael D. McCullough, age 44, of Akron with felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a person with a domestic violence conviction.
"Prosecuting individuals who unlawfully possess a firearm with a domestic violence conviction has been a priority for the Northern District during my tenure," said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. "Last year, the District charged 17 defendants with possession of a firearm while prohibited by the Violence Against Women Act. We will continue to prosecute these types of cases as statistics show that domestic violence offenders with a firearm are far more likely to use it against their spouse or law enforcement."
According to the indictment, on March 12, 2020, the defendant illegally possessed a .380 caliber pistol with previous felony convictions. McCullough is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions of drug abuse and aggravated drug trafficking in 1995 in the Court of Common Pleas of Summit County, domestic violence, a misdemeanor, in 1997 in the Municipal Court of Akron, and a second charge of domestic violence, a felony, in 2006 in the Court of Common Pleas of Summit County.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant's sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant's prior criminal records, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the ATF and Akron Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Damoun Delaviz.
Former execs of ‘My Sister’s House’ charged
Two individuals allegedly spent thousands of dollars on personal expenses
Record-Herald (Washington Court House, OH)
July 8, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
The former executive director and bookkeeper of My Sister’s House, a domestic violence shelter in Washington Court House, were arrested Wednesday on charges contained in an indictment alleging that the two spent thousands of dollars intended for the operation of the shelter on personal expenses for themselves.
Agents arrested Crystal Chrisman, 52, the former executive director of the shelter, at her home in Columbus, and Jaime Cardinal, 44, the shelter’s former bookkeeper, in Washington Court House. They were transported to federal court in Cincinnati for initial appearances and released by Magistrate Judge Stephanie Bowman until further court hearings are scheduled.
The alleged expenses included food, a trip to Disney World and Universal Studios for their daughters, and thousands of dollars in purchases from Avon, Thirty-One and iTunes, according to a news release from The United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Ohio.
The indictment charges each defendant in Count One with conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and in Count Two with theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. If convicted, the defendants face up to five years’ imprisonment on Count One and up to 10 years imprisonment on Count Two, plus up to a $250,000 fine for each count. If convicted, the defendants could be ordered to pay full restitution of the amounts allegedly stolen, to forfeit any assets they bought with stolen funds and to serve a term of supervised release. The allegations relate to activity between January 2014 and October 2016.
“The indictment alleges that the purpose of the conspiracy was for the defendants to unlawfully enrich themselves by converting funds intended for the shelter to their personal use,” said David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. “They allegedly achieved their objective by misusing debit cards connected to shelter accounts for personal purchases at restaurants, auctions, craft stores, and bowling alleys among other places - including purchases made when few, if any, victims lived at the shelter.”
“These two individuals allegedly stole DOJ funds intended to help victims of domestic violence and used it for personal gain. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to deterring abuse of DOJ programs for victims of violence. We will continue to root out these kinds of selfish schemes,” said William J. Hannah, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Chicago Field Office.
The defendants allegedly committed the crimes between January 2014 and October 2016. My Sister’s House received more than $10,000 annually in federal grant funds, including grants under the Violence Against Women Act, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act and the Victims of Crime Act. The grants are intended to be used to pay for salaries and benefits of staff and for shelter operations, including supplies and shelter maintenance.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General announced the indictment. Assistant United States Attorney Julie Garcia is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
NOW: Trump's Effort to Deny Asylum to Victims of Violence Inhumane
Targeted News Service (USA)
July 18, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON, July 18 -- The National Organization for Women issued the following news release:
One of the cruelest initiatives yet proposed by the Trump Administration threatens to send victims of violence applying for asylum in the U.S. back home to face even more violence or perhaps death. The National Organization for Women (NOW) and our allies in the domestic violence and sexual assault prevention communities have worked for over 20 years to establish a safe, legal path for survivors of violence to reach the U.S. Border safely under provisions in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA).
NOW submitted a formal comment on July 15th, objecting to adoption of this harmful rule. Since the passage of VAWA in 1994, Congress has acknowledged that gender-based violence remains the most widespread form of violence in the world. Also, that domestic violence is often exacerbated in marriages where one spouse is not a citizen and their legal status depends on the marriage to the abuser. VAWA is so important because it also allows a battered undocumented woman to petition for lawful status on her own, eliminating the need for the cooperation of a violent spouse.
The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service's proposed rule change would limit protections for asylum seekers and essentially eliminate the previously established recognition of "gender-based asylum." It would cut off access to asylum for women fleeing rape, severe domestic violence, human trafficking, and other forms of gender-based violence. This rule would shortcut the screening process such that most asylum-seeking survivors would never get a day in court and instead be deported without a hearing and through a streamlined removal process.
In an effort that promises to further undermine U.S. standing as a beacon for democracy, the proposed rule narrows sharply the definition of "political persecution," and thus denies protections to advocates whose efforts to obtain equal and often basic human rights in their home counties have made them a target of violence.
If this rule change becomes reality, a large group of immigrant women who have been deemed survivors of domestic violence and have been vetted by immigration authorities specifically trained in this issue, will lose access to police protection and other community resources, restraining order protections, child custody determinations, and child support. This will also discourage these women from accessing justice and safety, forcing them to remain with abusive spouses and raise their children around violence.
With the #MeToo movement, people around the world have been inspired to uplift survivors in their community. If this new rule passes, we will be leaving these asylum-seeking women in the shadows. NOW stands with our allies in voicing our objection to yet another inhumane policy from the Trump Administration.
National Domestic Violence Prosecution Practices Guide
Joe Biden is going to build our country back better after this economic crisis and that includes ensuring we get closer to full inclusion of and equality for women. Women — particularly women of color — have never had a fair shot to get ahead in this country. Today, too many women are struggling to make ends meet and support their families, and are worried about the economic future for their children. This was true before the COVID-19 crisis, but the current global health crisis has exacerbated these realities for women.
For Biden, it’s a simple proposition: his daughter is entitled to the same rights and opportunities as his sons. He believes every issue is a women’s issue — health care, the economy, education, national security — but women are also uniquely and disproportionately impacted by many policies. As President, Biden will pursue an aggressive and comprehensive plan to further women’s economic and physical security and ensure that women can fully exercise their civil rights. Biden will:
END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
One of the driving forces throughout Biden’s career has been fighting back against abuses of power — whether economic or physical power. That force motivated him to write and champion the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). He wrote and spearheaded the groundbreaking VAWA in 1990 at a time when few in Washington cared about domestic violence and sexual assault. He lifted survivors’ voices, won over the skeptics, and pushed until the bill became law in 1994. The Act created a national hotline for victims. It funded shelters and crisis centers. It trained law enforcement in communities across the country so they were better prepared to investigate violence against women and support survivors of violence. And, it helped change the way Americans understand and fundamentally view violence against women.
Since then, Biden has continued this work by leading efforts to ensure Congress passed legislation renewing and strengthening the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) three times: in 2000, 2005, and 2013. Each time, the VAWA reauthorization has upped the ante and ensured that especially vulnerable communities — from Native women to LGBTQ+ individuals — are included in the Act. Also while in the Senate, Biden introduced and helped pass the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act in 2008. As Vice President, he established the first White House Advisor on Violence Against Women and started a national effort to change the culture on campus sexual assault. After leaving the White House, Biden continued his work to change the culture of violence and end campus sexual assault through the Biden Foundation.
As President, Biden will build on his strong track record of getting things done for survivors of gender-based violence by pursuing a bold plan to save more lives and make communities safer for all. He will:
Reauthorize VAWA and keep guns out of the hands of abusers. One of Biden’s top first 100 day priorities will be to reauthorize VAWA if Leader McConnell has still refused to bring the bill to the floor in the Senate. This reauthorization includes significant, forward-looking improvements and innovations, such as reforms to keep firearms out of the hands of abusers by closing the so-called “boyfriend loophole” and “stalking loophole.”
Expand the safety net for survivors of domestic and sexual violence by establishing a new coordinated housing initiative, expanding access to housing assistance, and protecting survivors from housing discrimination; providing cash assistance to survivors to help build safety and security; allowing survivors to access their retirement savings as they rebuild their lives; and guaranteeing paid domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking safe leave.
Empower and protect our young people. Biden will expand requirements for comprehensive sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence prevention education on college campuses; expand survivors’ reporting rights and options on college campuses; restore Title IX guidance for colleges and increase fines imposed on colleges for Clery Act violations (failing to report statistics about campus safety) as well as develop stronger enforcement protocols to oversee reporting under the U.S. Department of Education; and expand prevention and services to public K-12 schools.
Support the diverse needs of survivors of violence against women. Biden will strengthen and expand VAWA’s reach to women in marginalized communities. He will:
Expand grants to enhance culturally-specific services for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Since 2005, VAWA has funded a grant program to support targeted, community-driven strategies that include trauma-informed and culturally-specific programs that focus on the development of holistic prevention and intervention services for survivors from racial and ethnic minority communities. The Biden Administration will expand the resources available to scale up these initiatives and integrate a broader array of community-based organizations to address complex community needs in order to expand pathways to safety for survivors and continue to build community leadership to prevent and address domestic violence and sexual assault.
Reaffirm Tribal sovereignty to support victims and hold offenders accountable, and expand federal resources for Alaska Native and American Indian women and girls impacted by violence and abuse. More than 1 in 2 Native women are subject to sexual violence in their lives, with more than 1 in 7 experiencing it in the past year, and murder is the third leading cause of death of Native women. Biden fought for tribes’ rightful authority to protect Native women from abuse, a battle won in 2013 with the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization that recognized tribes’ inherent power to exercise special criminal jurisdiction over non-Indian offenders who commit domestic violence, dating violence, or violate a protection order. Biden will reaffirm tribal sovereignty and expand the crimes for which tribes can exercise special criminal jurisdiction, including sexual assault, stalking, child violence, and trafficking, through signing into law VAWA 2019. And, Biden will take a comprehensive approach to end the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women. He will work to close the data gap, increase funding and support for tribes in building their own programs, expand tribal authority, grow coordination among law enforcement agencies and provide additional resources to tribal enforcement, and expand access to culturally sensitive resources for survivors. He will ensure that federal law enforcement prioritizes public safety in Indian Country and with engagement from tribal communities. And, he will ensure Native people are at the table, listened to, and part of the solution.
Invest in the well-being of adolescent girls of color to reverse the upward trend of young women impacted by trauma becoming caught in the juvenile justice system — and offering pathways for their justice and healing to reduce their likelihood of experiencing incarceration as adults. The Biden Administration will take action to recognize the disproportionate rates of harsh school discipline practices and juvenile justice responses to adolescent girls of color who are often struggling to cope with trauma, including trauma from sexual abuse, dating violence, or trafficking. These survivors may run away from home to escape an abusive caregiver, or repeatedly miss school due to violence, and rather than being provided trauma-informed counseling, victim advocacy, or other supports, they are punished and thrust into a cycle of justice-system involvement — most of the time for non-violent behavior. As President, Biden will reinvest in the National Girls Initiative of the Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to support communities and schools to develop gender-specific and trauma-informed prevention and treatment programs and services as alternatives to girls being placed in juvenile detention. To complement the revival of the National Girls Initiative, Biden will also expand funding for the VAWA Consolidated Youth Program.
Combat the epidemic of violence against transgender women of color and reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking against LGBTQ+ individuals. Lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women experience high rates of physical or sexual violence by a partner at some point in their lives. Biden will reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking against LGBTQ+ women by enacting the VAWA reauthorization and working to include sexual orientation and gender identity nondiscrimination protections in the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act reauthorization. And, he will seek permanent funding for the National LGBTQ Institute on IPV to prevent and address LGBTQ+ intimate partner violence. He will also combat the epidemic of violence against transgender women of color. The Biden Administration will make prosecuting their murderers a priority and direct federal resources to help prevent violence against transgender women, particularly transgender women of color. He will also enforce and strengthen the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and support LGBTQ+ survivors of violence. Read Biden’s full plan to advance LGBTQ+ equality in America and around the world at: joebiden.com/lgbtq-policy/.
Support older women. Biden will commission the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct the first-ever national prevalence study on intimate partner and sexual violence on women and men ages 50 and older, expand the Elder Justice AmeriCorps program to include a dedicated focus on legal advocacy for domestic violence and sexual assault victims, including the sexual abuse of older adults in nursing homes, and increase funding for communities to build multidisciplinary teams to prevent and address violence against older women, with a focus on investing in rural communities with aging populations.
Support women and girls with disabilities. Biden recognizes that people with disabilities are at greater risk of abuse, violence, and harassment in their homes, places of employment, and schools.Women with disabilities on college campuses report higher rates of sexual assault relative to those without a disability. And, “[p]eople with intellectual disabilities are sexually assaulted at a rate seven times higher than those without disabilities.” The Biden Administration will put a quick end to Trump and Secretary DeVos’ rule undermining Title IX protections for students, and strengthen and expand Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) protections to women and young people with disabilities who are too often left out of current VAWA programs. He will expand funding for the Training and Services to End Violence Against Women with Disabilities Grant Program, which helps victim services organizations and states, tribes, territories, and local governments modify advocacy programs to be accessible and inclusive of people with disabilities. Read Biden’s full plan for people with disabilities at joebiden.com/disabilities.
Protect and empower immigrant women. Biden will:
Push to repeal extreme, anti-immigrant state laws that have a chilling effect on the ability of immigrant domestic violence, sexual assault survivors, and other victims of crimes to seek safety and justice. Some state laws drive victims and witnesses into the shadows and threaten public safety. As documented in a recent national survey, immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking are increasingly afraid to contact police, pursue civil or criminal cases, or go to court to seek safety. This traps victims who either ask for help and risk deportation, retaliation by an abuser, and separation from one’s children, or stay with a violent partner and risk one’s life. Biden will work in partnership with cities, states, nonprofits, and law enforcement to build trust and push for states to repeal the laws that chill the reporting of domestic violence incidents and threaten public safety. While in U.S. care, Biden will ensure that women migrants are safeguarded against abuse or sexual assault and treated with dignity, including by providing feminine care products, banning the shackling of pregnant women, and protecting access to reproductive health care services. Biden will also follow the advice of public health experts to vastly reduce the number of people in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol during a pandemic by releasing to their families or community-based care organizations those individuals in immigration detention, parents and children, who pose no risk to the community.
Ensure asylum laws protect people fleeing persecution. Biden will end Trump’s Migrant Protection Protocols and restore our asylum laws so that they do what they should be designed to do — protect people fleeing persecution and who cannot return home safely. He will make sure women refugees and asylum seekers have access to necessary services and protections. And, he’ll reinstate explicit asylum protections — rescinded by the Trump Administration — for domestic violence and sexual violence survivors, whose home governments cannot or will not protect them.
Increase visas for domestic violence survivors, ending processing delays, and tripling the current cap of 10,000 on U-visas. Biden will also protect immigrant survivors who have applied for U-visas under the Violence Against Women Act and Trafficking Victims Protection Act by ensuring they are not detained or deported while their applications are in process. Read Biden’s full plan to secure our values as a nation of immigrants at: joebiden.com/immigration.
Supporting women service members and veterans. Women who sign up to wear the uniform of the United States military serve our country with the same bravery and courage as male service members. They face all the same dangers and make the same sacrifices to serve — deployments overseas, long separations from loved ones, stresses on their families — while also navigating the same types of harassment and sexism that women face in every work place. Today, women make up 16% of enlisted troops and 19% of the officer corps, and those numbers are on the rise. Every service branch of the Armed Forces must do more to address the specific needs of women service members, especially when it comes to curbing the horrific rise in reports of sexual harassment and assault in the military during the Trump Administration. Biden believes that ending assault in the military requires determined leadership and accountability at every level — starting with the commander in chief. As Vice President, Biden advocated for the creation of the Special Victims Counsel for sexual assault cases in the military. As President, he will insist that the Department of Defense leadership take urgent and aggressive action to make sure that survivors are supported and abusers are held accountable for their crimes. He will immediately appoint a commission comprised of current and former military leaders, military sexual assault survivors and their advocates, and prominent sexual assault experts, to make concrete recommendations to him within 90 days. All options will be considered to end this scourge, including how these cases should be reported and prosecuted. A Biden Administration will not tolerate the sexual assault culture that has become all too common in the veteran sector, and which can prevent women veterans from seeking out the support and services they have earned.
Confront online harassment, abuse, and stalking. Biden will shine a light on the online harassment, stalking, and abuse that now is a too-frequent reality for Americans, particularly for young people and women. He will convene a National Task Force on Online Harassment and Abuse, allocate new funding for law enforcement training to tackle online abuse, and support federal and state legislation creating a civil and criminal cause of action for unauthorized disclosure of intimate images.
End the rape kit backlog. Biden has been on the forefront of the fight to harness the power of DNA testing and bring justice and security to victims of sexual violence. He will create Regional Sexual Assault Investigative Training Academies, which will provide cutting-edge, evidence-based and trauma-informed training, increase funding for the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, and ensure that law enforcement training addresses attitudes that lead to the neglect of testing for rape kits.
Change the culture that enables sexual violence. Biden has long believed that lasting change starts with addressing the culture and engaging everyone to stand up and speak out against harassment and assault. As President, he will launch a new friends and family public awareness campaign. The campaign will highlight information about evidence-based bystander intervention, including what to do if you witness or become aware of abuse taking place, how to safely intervene, and when to get help.
Joe Biden: Women ‘Have Never Had a Fair Shot to Get Ahead,’ Especially Minorities
Former Vice President Joe Biden claimed women “never had a fair shot” in America while specifically identifying “women of color” as uniquely disadvantaged, making his allegation in a policy document released on Monday via Medium titled “The Biden Agenda for Women.”
Despite being published under his name, the document refers to Biden in the third person. The document includes 224 instances of the word “women.”
Biden wrote:
Joe Biden is going to build our country back better after this economic crisis and that includes ensuring we get closer to full inclusion of and equality for women. Women — particularly women of color — have never had a fair shot to get ahead in this country. Today, too many women are struggling to make ends meet and support their families, and are worried about the economic future for their children. This was true before the COVID-19 crisis, but the current global health crisis has exacerbated these realities for women.
For Biden, it’s a simple proposition: his daughter is entitled to the same rights and opportunities as his sons. He believes every issue is a women’s issue — health care, the economy, education, national security — but women are also uniquely and disproportionately impacted by many policies. As President, Biden will pursue an aggressive and comprehensive plan to further women’s economic and physical security and ensure that women can fully exercise their civil rights.
Biden repeated his promise to include sex and race as a selection criteria for his running mate and Supreme Court nominations if elected president. He wrote, “Biden has committed to selecting a woman to be his Vice President and an African American woman to be his first nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court.”
The “Biden Agenda for Women” includes a focus on “transgender women.” White women are excluded from the manifesto’s specifically listed racial and ethnic groups: “Black women, Latina women, Native women, Asian American and Pacific Islander women, women with disabilities, and lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer women.”
Biden promised to use sex and race as criteria for federal funding of businesses, including a commitment to “direct federal funding to women-owned businesses” as part of a proposal “designed to support small businesses and those owned by women and people of color.” He added a pledge to use Small Business Administration programs to “effectively support women-owned businesses, especially those owned by women of color.”
Foreign “domestic violence survivors” must not be detained or deported while their visa applications are being processed, deemed Biden. He called for an increase of visas issued under the Violence Against Women Act, including a “tripling [of] the current cap of 10,000 on U-visas.”
N.J. woman who murdered her husband in 1996 released from federal prison, headed to Bergen County
Star-Ledger, The: Web Edition Articles (Newark, NJ)
July 30, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
A former Bergen County woman convicted of murdering her husband and dumping his dismembered body in the Passaic River in 1996 has been released from federal prison, authorities said.
Rita Gluzman, 72, formerly of Upper Saddle River, was released Tuesday from the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, prison records show.
She had been convicted in the murder of her estranged husband, Yakov Gluzman, who had filed for divorce and was living in an apartment in New York.
Gluzman recently suffered multiple strokes, has early Parkinson's disease and trouble walking and moving around. A judge granted her a compassionate release, reported TV station WFAA.
WFAA reported Gluzman is staying at a Sheraton hotel in New Jersey and plans to move into a home in Hackensack.
Gluzman was arrested several days after the April 6, 1996, killing of Yakov Gluzman, who had been attacked with a hammer and an ax in his Westchester, New York, home. After a 16-day federal trial in White Plains, she was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, reported lohud.com.
Accused of crossing state lines to commit the domestic-violence murder, Gluzman became the first woman charged under the federal 1994 Violence Against Women Act.
Also convicted in the crime was Vladmir Zelenin, a distant relative whom later said Rita Gluzman blackmailed him into participating. Zelenin was released from prison in 2015, according to lohud.com.
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Applauds Passage of H.R. 7617
Targeted News Service (USA)
August 3, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- The Coalition To Stop Gun Violence issued the following news release on July 31:
Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7617, a six-bill appropriations minibus that includes Fiscal Year 2021 spending bills for the Departments of Defense, Commerce, Justice, Energy, Interior, Treasury, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; the Executive Office of the President; the Judiciary; and other related agencies.
The minibus includes historic investments for gun violence prevention research. The Fiscal Year 2020 budget included $25 million for firearm injury and mortality prevention research split evenly between the National Institute of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). H.R. 7617 more than doubles that investment by providing $25 million for research at the NIH and $25 million for research at the CDC. Additionally, the minibus includes Representative Robin Kelly's amendment to add an additional $5 million for research, bringing the total for gun violence prevention research to $55 million.
* Limiting the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement;
* $400 million for grants to carry out police reform initiatives;
* $9 million for community-based violence prevention initiatives;
* $525 million for Violence Against Women Act programs;
* $88 million for states to upgrade records for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS);
* $1.55 billion for the ATF, including increased funding to expand the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to help reduce violent gun crime;
* Directing the CDC to submit a comprehensive report detailing the scope and intersection of all forms of violence in the U.S., the cost of violence, and areas where more data and intervention are needed;
* $21 million for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline;
* $21 million for the Zero Suicide program;
* $10 million for a new effort focused on social determinants of health.
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Director of Federal Affairs Dakota Jablon issued the following statement:
"We applaud the passage of H.R. 7617. The appropriations minibus supports various aspects of gun violence prevention, including research, community-based violence prevention initiatives, domestic violence, suicide prevention, and police reform. Funding these areas is critical to stopping gun violence in all its forms and saving lives.
"Funding for research is an especially important provision of H.R. 7617 and is critical in the fight against gun violence. Gun violence is a public health issue, and we need robust research to address it. By funding research that can help to develop evidence-based prevention solutions, the House has taken a life-saving step.
"While H.R. 7617 is a positive step, there is still much work to be done and many aspects of gun violence prevention that require more investment. While we are pleased to see the House invest in community-based violence prevention initiatives in H.R. 7617, still less than 1% of the Department of Justice's total budget goes to explicit community-based violence prevention and intervention efforts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a rise in community gun violence; this is exactly why we need to invest in evidence-based community based programs that have proven to be effective. Doing so will bring significant change."
Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act - Bill
To amend title 18, United States Code, to protect more victims of domestic violence by preventing their abusers from possessing or receiving firearms, and for other purposes.
SEC. 4. LIST OF PERSONS SUBJECT TO A RESTRAINING OR SIMILAR ORDER PROHIBITED FROM POSSESSING OR RECEIVING A FIREARM EXPANDED.
Section 922(g)(8) of title 18, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
“(8) who is subject to a court order—
“(A) that was issued—
“(ii) in the case of an ex parte order, relative to which notice and opportunity to be heard are provided—
“(B) that restrains such person from—
“(i) harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner or person, or engaging in other conduct that would place an intimate partner in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child; or
WITH GUN SALES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURGING AMID PANDEMIC, MURPHY, BLUMENTHAL, HIMES, COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE BICAMERAL LEGISLATION TO CLOSE DANGEROUS LOOPHOLE TO PROTECT DOMESTIC ABUSE SURVIVORS
August 6, 2020
US Fed News (USA)
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON, DC, Aug. 6 -- Sen. Christopher S. Murphy has issued the following press release:
As gun sales spike and reports of domestic violence increase across the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representative Jim Himes (CT-4) led their Congressional colleagues in introducing strongly-supported bicameral legislation to protect domestic violence survivors from gun violence. The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act is narrowly crafted to close loopholes that allow domestic abusers to legally obtain weapons. The bill is named in memory of Lori Jackson, an Oxford, Connecticut mother of two who was tragically shot and killed by her estranged husband, who had legally obtained a handgun even though he was subject to a temporary restraining order.
"Leaving a relationship can be deadly," said Murphy. "We must make sure that domestic abusers and stalkers cannot have access to guns during that often volatile period when a relationship is ending. I'm proud to join Senator Blumenthal and my colleagues in introducing legislation that expands the prohibition on domestic abusers and stalkers possessing firearms and closes the 'boyfriend loophole' to protect survivors of domestic violence. This bill is a no-brainer and should be passed immediately."
"Lori Jackson's tragic death might have been avoided by a stronger protective order - through the reform we seek today," said Blumenthal. "During the pandemic, surging domestic violence makes it even more urgent. Domestic violence is five times more likely to turn deadly for women when a gun is available. Six years after I first introduced this reform, abusers continue to exploit this gaping loophole to buy guns to terrorize or kill innocent victims. Congress must act now to save lives from senseless, needless gun violence."
"Domestic violence affects one in four women nationwide," said Himes. "We must do all we can to prevent domestic violence and mitigate its effects. That's why I'm proud to introduce this bill in the House of Representatives to ensure that dangerous abusers and stalkers are prohibited from gaining access to firearms. This legislation is especially relevant since domestic violence incidents have risen as a result of stay at home orders. This bill represents common-sense reforms and should be passed immediately."
"You don't realize what a family goes through when something like this happens. It doesn't go away, it's with you forever," said Merry Jackson, Lori Jackson's mother. "But if you could save another family, a couple of kids, from not losing their mom, it would mean the world to me."
The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act would close dangerous loopholes in federal law, thereby protecting millions of Americans. Current federal law protects domestic violence survivors from gun violence by preventing their abusers from purchasing or possessing a firearm - but only once the court has issued a permanent restraining order. This leaves survivors unprotected exactly when they are in the most danger: when a domestic abuser first learns his or her victim has left and only a temporary restraining order is in place. Further, the current definition of 'intimate partner' used to prohibit individuals convicted of domestic violence from purchasing or possessing a firearm includes spouses, former spouses, people with a child in common, and cohabitants. However, there are many survivors of dating violence who were never married, do not live with their abuser, and have no children.
This bill would restrict those under temporary restraining order from purchasing or possessing a firearm, and would extend protections to domestic violence survivors who have been abused by their dating partners. This bill's provisions are a component of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act, landmark legislation designed to support and protect survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, which continues to stall in the Republican-controlled Senate.
U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) are cosponsoring the bill in the Senate.
The full text of the Senate legislation can be found here and the one pager can be found here.
"After fleeing an abusive partner and filing a restraining order, the last thing that a survivor of domestic abuse should need to worry about is that their partner will take revenge with a gun that they are legally allowed to own or purchase," said Hassan. "This commonsense bill will close a glaring loophole that allows abusers to purchase or possess a firearm and help prevent more senseless acts of gun violence against survivors."
"Domestic abusers should not have access to firearms. Period," said Durbin. "We cannot permit federal law to continue allowing abusers under a temporary restraining order to still purchase or possess a gun, leaving survivors vulnerable to further harm. Congress must do its part to extend vital protections for survivors of domestic violence and keep guns out of the hands of known abusers."
"Domestic violence effects one and four women nationwide, and we know that periods of crisis and financial stress only increase the likely hood of domestic violence," said Markey. "I am proud to co-sponsor the Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act. If a person has a temporary restraining order, they should not have access to a gun. This bill will save lives and is a commonsense approach to public safety."
"Every day, victims of domestic violence are killed or severely injured because of loopholes that allow their abusers to legally obtain weapons," said Harris. "We must take commonsense steps to prevent more tragedies. I'm proud to join my colleagues on this legislation to keep firearms out of the hands of abusive individuals."
"I am proud to join Senator Blumenthal on the Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act," said Coons. "The time period after filing a temporary restraining order for protection from an abuser can be an especially dangerous period for a survivor escaping violence. This bill will take crucial steps to protect victims of violence by restricting those under temporary restraining orders from purchasing a firearm during this period. No abuser should have access to firearms, and no survivor of domestic violence should live with that fear."
"This pandemic has intensified risks for those experiencing domestic violence, as victims must remain at home and away from their support networks," said Hirono. "This legislation would provide critical protections for domestic violence survivors at a time when they are facing heightened risk of abuse. As gun sales are surging across the country, we must make it clear: domestic abusers should not be able to purchase or possess firearms if there is any type of restraining order against them and domestic violence survivors who are abused by their dating partners should receive the same protections."
"I've seen firsthand how domestic violence hurts families and entire communities. These tragedies are heartbreaking, and unfortunately, all too common, which is why I have made protecting victims of domestic violence one of my top priorities in the Senate," said Klobuchar. "The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act will help protect victims of domestic violence, including dating partners, by keeping guns out of the hands of abusive partners who are under a court-imposed temporary restraining order. It's important we continue to strengthen and improve the protections and services we already have for victims."
"In addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, our country is in the middle of another public health crisis: the gun violence epidemic that is tearing our communities apart," said Warren. "Congress has a duty to make this country safer by enacting strong gun violence prevention laws, and that includes common-sense laws like The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act, which closes dangerous loopholes that allow domestic abusers to obtain firearms."
"With this bill, the entire nation could join Oregon in closing the 'boyfriend loophole' and protecting domestic abuse survivors from gun violence at the hands of their abusers," said Wyden. "The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act is a commonsense step to ensure public safety and prevent violence against vulnerable people."
"Domestic abusers should never be able to get a gun, period, full stop," said Gillibrand. "However, under current law, domestic abusers are only prohibited from obtaining a firearms with a permanent restraining order, meaning those with temporary restraining orders can purchase or possess a firearm. The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act would close this loophole and strengthen protections for survivors."
"It's shameful that we still have to debate this: closing a loophole in the law that allows domestic abusers to access firearms. It's past time for Congress to right this wrong so we can stop another tragedy before it occurs," said Shaheen. "The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act is common-sense legislation that will help save lives. It's time for Congress to get this done and amend the law to provide survivors with the protection they need and deserve."
"Domestic abusers shouldn't have access to deadly weapons," said Feinstein. "A woman is 500 percent more likely to be killed in a domestic violence situation if a gun is present. Our bill closes a loophole that allows individuals under a temporary restraining order to legally possess a gun. Doing nothing is unacceptable."
"This bill is a no-brainer and an important step in curbing domestic violence and abuse across our nation," said Menendez. "Closing these loopholes will make survivors of domestic violence safer and inevitably save lives. Let's stand in solidarity with survivors and swiftly pass this critical piece of legislation."
U.S. Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY) are cosponsoring the House version of this legislation.
"With incidents of domestic violence skyrocketing during the COVID-19 crisis, taking steps to protect survivors has never been more important," said Rice. "If a judge decides that an instance of domestic abuse warrants a restraining order, the abuser should not then be able to purchase a firearm. This is commonsense legislation that will save lives, and I'm proud to support it."
The legislation is supported by a number of advocacy and support groups, including Everytown for Gun Safety, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Newtown Action Alliance, Brady, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV).
"Thanks to deadly loopholes in our federal laws, there's nothing to stop abusive dating partners and people with temporary restraining orders from buying or possessing a firearm, even though the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation makes it five times more likely that a woman will be murdered," said Everytown for Gun Safety president John Feinblatt. "We applaud Senator Blumenthal for introducing this bill to close these deadly loopholes, which will help prevent what happened to Lori Jackson from happening again."
"As a survivor of domestic violence and gun violence, I can personally attest to the role that firearms play in exerting and maintaining power and control over a survivor," said National Coalition Against Domestic Violence CEO Ruth M. Glenn. "I was fortunate; I survived. Too many others do not."
"Amid the dangerous surge in gun sales during the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a safety warning on its website for the victims of domestic violence," said Newtown Action Alliance Chairwoman Po Murray. "We agree with the DOJ that increased stress and financial uncertainty during the pandemic coupled with more guns in the homes will result in increased risk for the domestic violence victims. In America, domestic violence victims are five times more likely to be killed when the abusers have access to guns. Congress must pass Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act now to keep guns out of the hands of abusers to save lives, particularly during this prolonged unprecedented pandemic."
"The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence strongly endorses the Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act," said Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Director Dakota Jablon. "Expanding the definition of intimate partner to include current and former dating partners would protect individuals who have historically not received adequate protection. Making temporary domestic violence protective orders gun prohibitory will ensure victims are provided safety through the entire domestic violence protective order process. The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act is based in evidence and would help save countless lives; we are proud to support this bill and thank Senator Blumenthal for his leadership."
"We need the Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Protection Act to help ensure that the over 10 million men and women who are physically abused by an intimate partner every year in the United States are protected during their most vulnerable moments, especially when such a threat has necessitated a court order to protect them," said Brady President Kris Brown. "The presence of a firearm during a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500 percent , so it is essential that our laws acknowledge that domestic violence does not begin or end with legal, spousal designation, or cohabitation. This bill will save lives by expanding the definition of "intimate partner" to include dating partners and by ensuring that those subject to certain temporary restraining orders cannot possess firearms. Brady thanks Sen. Blumenthal for his attention and leadership on this issue and for standing up for the rights of victims and survivors to help make our country safer."
"We know that domestic violence homicide is both predictable and therefore, preventable," said CCADV CEO Karen Jarmoc. "Over the past decade, firearms continue to be the most predominant use of force to commence a domestic violence murder here in Connecticut. The opportunity to remove firearms from an abusive partner when a victim is seeking to leave the relationship is really critical."
Center for American Progress: Domestic Violence Survivors Need Additional Supports Amid COVID-19
Targeted News Service (USA)
August 11, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release:
As the United States grapples with the health and financial fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, cases of domestic violence (DV) have surged--with many more likely going unreported. Unfortunately, policymakers lack disaggregated data revealing which communities are experiencing the greatest surges during the pandemic, however it is likely that Native women, undocumented women, and other women of color, as well as LGBTQ and disabled women, continue to experience incidents of DV at disproportionate rates.
While DV survivors lacked necessary supports prior to COVID-19, the pandemic is revealing the extent to which the infrastructure in place to support them is wholly inadequate. A new report from the Women's Initiative at the Center for American Progress outlines several ways policymakers can improve the system to mitigate incidents of DV and support survivors, including:
* Ensure DV programs and shelters receive sufficient funding and are deemed essential businesses during the pandemic and any future crises.
* Improve access to comprehensive paid family and medical leave and paid sick leave; child care; and unemployment insurance if a survivor needs to leave a job for an extended period or loses a job.
* Prioritize improvements to existing laws, including the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and legislative fixes to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
Blumenthal, Bronin want more federal aid after sharp rise seen in domestic violence
Chronicle, The (Willimantic, CT)
August 19, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
HARTFORD - The isolation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, accompanying financial pressures and increased alcohol consumption has led to an increase in domestic violence cases, according to police and service providers.
" This pandemic has brought unprecedented stress to families, to relationships, to children, and it has created ... insidious and pernicious opportunities for domestic violence," U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D- Conn., said Monday afternoon at a press conference in Hartford where he called for more support to help victims.
"At the same time, the shelters have less capacity than before because they have to keep down the levels of population simply to maintain physical distance," Blumenthal said. He urged support for two bills in Congress, the Heroes Act, which would provide $50 million in aid to domestic violence service providers, and re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which would provide $100 million.
" What the pandemic has done is explode the triggers for domestic abuse and violence," Blumenthal said.
Karen Jarmoc, CEO of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said requests for help are up 20 percent, and among those seeking help 60 percent have never done so before.
Because of the need to keep occupancy of shelters in place, service providers are spending $3,000 to $6,000 a month on hotel rooms, she said.
Local officials have been concerned about an increase in domestic violence resulting from the pandemic as well as financial and other stresses, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said.
" We would urge anyone who feels at risk or feels for their own safety or safety of a loved one, please reach out," he said. To get help call or text 888-774-2900 or go to www. ctsafeconnect. org. " Reach out and the resources are there," Bronin said.
Blumenthal and Bronin called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to call the Senate back into session to address the bills. The Violence Against Women Act has been pending for over a year and the Heroes Act for three months, he said.
Domestic violence is about power and control, experts say, and, a key tactic of abusers is to cut victims' contacts with family and friends. Isolation caused by the pandemic has compounded that problem, experts say.
Alcohol consumption also plays a role in domestic violence, and consumption rose significantly after the pandemic shutdown began, according to an analysis by the COVID19 Task Force on Domestic Violence, which includes student researchers from Harvard University and Cambridge University.
State tax revenues on alcohol rose from $2.45 million in February to $ 5.72 million in March, a 133 percent increase, the group said.
" The simultaneous rise of alcohol consumption and domestic violence in Hartford supports numerous findings that alcohol consumption increases the occurrence and severity of domestic violence," the task force reported.
Staff at Interval House, a major service provider to victims of domestic violence, told task force interviewers that substance use is highly related to domestic abuse. Alcohol use " likely facilitates rather than causes family violence by ' lowering inhibitions' among abusers and worsening existing aggressive behavior," the task force reported.
Hartford police reported that family violence calls increased from 435 calls in March 2019 to 509 in March of this year. City leaders established a four- member team of officers dedicated to investigating domestic violence complaints.
In another comparison, the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence surveyed police departments across the state and found an 8 percent increase in calls during the first quarter of this year compared with the first three months of 2019.
DNC video shows Torrington domestic violence survivor
Republican-American (Waterbury, CT)
August 21, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
TORRINGTON - Domestic violence survivor Tracey Thurman Motuzick, who in 1985 became the first woman to successfully sue a police department for failing to protect her civil rights from her abusive former husband, was featured Wednesday in a video montage during the Democratic National Convention.
Motuzick, 59, of Torrington, said Thursday she didn't watch the convention Wednesday and had no idea archival footage of her testimony was featured.
In 1983, Motuzick was stabbed 13 times, had her head stomped and kicked by her former husband, Charles "Buck" Thurman, even after police arrived. That attack and the ensuing federal lawsuit prompted major changes in domestic violence laws in Connecticut and across the country.
The montage featured clips of Thurman testifying in Washington, D.C., before then-U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Delaware, as he was preparing to present the Violence Against Women Act.
"My husband stabbed me 13 times and broke my neck while the police were on the scene. I nearly died and I'm permanently paralyzed," Motuzick says in the clip featured during the convention. "Battered women need to be taken seriously. Proper police response can prevent what happened to me from happening to someone else."
Motuzick is backing Biden in the Nov. 3 presidential election. She said Biden supports organizations that fight domestic violence, such as the Torrington-based Susan B. Anthony Project.
"I was one of the fortunate ones who is alive today and is able to speak about it," Motuzick said.
In 1985, a federal jury awarded Motuzick $2.3 million and she eventually settled for $1.9 million.
The landmark decision established the constitutional right for victims of domestic violence by police. The following year, the state passed the Family Violence Act, which prohibits police officers from taking into account the victim's relationship to the suspect and whether the victim wants the suspect arrested when making their decision to arrest.
In 1994, the federal Violence Against Women Act was approved by Congress and introduced by Biden. His work in its passage was featured during the prime-time lineup on the convention's third night. In addition to Motuzick, survivors of domestic and sexual assaults spoke about their experiences. Biden has often touted the Violence Against Women Act during his campaign.
The act expired in 2018 and has not been re-authorized.
A video clip of Tracey Thurman, right, of Torrington, testifying in Washington, D.C., about the abuse she suffered her former husband, Charles 'Buck' Thurman, was featured Wednesday during the Democratic National Convention. Contributed/CSPAN
More specifically, in 2017, more than 50% of murdered women
Monroe News, The (MI)
August 24, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
More specifically, in 2017, more than 50% of murdered women were killed by an intimate partner, according to a United Nations study. More than 80% of homicide victims targeted by intimate partners were women.
A recent quadruple murder believed to have been committed by a Sumpter Township man reminded me of these painfully grim statistics.
Raymond Lee Bailey, 37, turned himself into authorities after reportedly admitting in text messages to killing his ex-girlfriend and three of her family members Aug. 15. He’s since been charged with four counts of first-degree murder by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
In a GoFundMe account to pay for funerals for the four victims, a family member alluded to Bailey threatening to kill Laura Tanner prior to her murder. In October, 2019, charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and domestic violence reportedly were dismissed against Bailey, according to Third Judicial Court’s public online case records.
Family members say Laura was the alleged victim in the case.
She’s not the only woman to have sought help before becoming a homicide victim. About a third of women contact police about a domestic violence incident before they’re murdered, according to state and FBI data.
So what can we do to prevent their deaths?
I’m not an expert, so, of course, I’d recommend we listen to the advice of mental health professionals, nonprofits organizations that support abuse victims and crime data detailing the circumstances of gender-based crimes. Having said that, here’s what I propose we do as laypersons:
•First, support closing what’s known as the “boyfriend loophole.”
The Violence Against Women Act, initially signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994, was established to provide federal funds toward the investigation and prosecution of violence crimes against women. It included a provision for gun restrictions on those convicted of domestic violence crimes against a current or former married partner.
The law did not include boyfriends or girlfriends, until amended this year by a group of U.S. Congresswomen. While the amended law was passed by the House of Representatives, it has since stalled in the Senate, in part due to opposition by the National Rifle Association.
The law remains expired.
•Second, donate your time or money if and when you’re able.
Most domestic violence shelters and counseling organizations are nonprofits which rely on community donations. If you’re able, support local groups like Paula’s House and Family Counseling & Shelter Services.
Even if you can’t donate money, offering your time to volunteer at domestic violence shelters is invaluable to these groups which often are underfunded and understaffed.
•Most importantly, believe women.
There often are warning signs leading up to a homicide, showing that a perpetrator may be dangerous.
Listen to and support your friend or family member if they disclose an instance of violence to you.
On 26th Anniversary of Violence Against Women Act, Dingell Calls for Senate Action to Reauthorize Legislation
Targeted News Service (USA)
September 15, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 -- Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Michigan, issued the following news release on Sept. 13:
Today, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) marked the 26th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to urgently pass the House-passed reauthorization.
"Twenty-six years ago we recognized that no woman, no child and no family should fear for their life because of domestic violence," said Dingell. "When I was a child, I remember the fear, the seeking help and no one responding because you didn't acknowledge the problem or accept the reality of what happened behind closed doors. Since those days and the passage of VAWA, much has changed. We've broken down stigmas, survivors have been empowered to tell their stories, and communities have built up programs to help those in need. But all that progress can be washed away without further action.
Dingell continued, "As a result of COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders, we've seen a drastic increase in domestic violence. Thousands of Americans are forced to stay inside with their abuser, not knowing where to turn. Without updates or support from critical programs in VAWA, we are moving backwards and leaving thousands of Americans in the dark. VAWA has always been a bipartisan effort. The House passed critical updates to VAWA more than a year ago. Senate Majority Leader McConnell must schedule a vote now."
Passed as part of the 1994 Crime Bill, VAWA is landmark legislation responding to our nation's crisis of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
In April of 2019, the House passed legislation to reauthorize VAWA and provide long-term updates that reaffirms protections for all women, men and children, and includes vital improvements to address gaps in current law that have been identified by victims, survivors and advocates to keep our communities safe.
In the House-passed Heroes Act, Dingell co-led a provision to include increased funding for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs including transitional housing assistance, legal assistance for victims, and support for families in the justice system.
The Tara Reade interview: accusing Joe Biden of sexual assault
Tara Reade, who earlier this year accused Presidential nominee Joe Biden of sexual assault, is set to tell her story on Australian television for the first time to 60 Minutes. In an exclusive interview with Nine News US Correspondent, Alexis Daish, Reade says Joe Biden's alleged sexual misconduct means he doesn't deserve the presidency.
Tara Reade says Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are "hypocritical"
Tara Reade, the former senate aide who has accused Joe Biden of sexual assault, explains her painful journey of coming forward with her story.
Domestic violence statistics remain alarming
Numbers troubling even as strides are made, experts say
Courier News (Elgin, IL)
October 25, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
A woman will be assaulted by her partner or ex-partner an average of 35 times before reporting it to police, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. It's one of the startling facts Elgin Police Department's Social Services Unit gathered for a social media awareness campaign for National Domestic Awareness Month.
The coronavirus pandemic has drawn attention to domestic violence as cases nationwide have increased because victims are more isolated, but it's also hindered and canceled events typically held throughout October.
"We usually do more person to person events and collaborations, but we couldn't do it this year. We still had to make people aware that it's Domestic Violence Month and put information out that people need," said Joann Stingley, who heads the Social Services Unit.
Stingley and caseworkers Lark Syrris and Vanessa Botti brainstormed what could be done virtually for the month. "We decided the best way to reach people is if we posted something every day, it would keep the awareness going the entire month," Syrris said.
Eye-catching posts with facts like 830,000 men are victims of domestic violence every year have been added daily to Elgin police's social media page with links to the unit's website for people who need help.
There's been feedback on the posts and a lot of sharing, said Syrris, who's been with the unit since 1991.
There was a debate over one post that said, "the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%." The information came from a study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine last year, she said. The response on social media ranged from jokes to thanks to remarks about legal and illegal gun ownership.
"Obviously, it has started discussions and debates," she of the campaign.
"We definitely got the point across about raising awareness," Stingley said.
What's been really important about the campaign is letting victims know there's help, she said. "We are still available for services to them if they need it. Don't hesitate to call. We always figure out a way to assist them even during COVID. We need to keep people aware of (that fact)."
The unit has seen a 15% increase in domestic violence cases compared to last year, Syrris said. Nationwide, the figure is 20%, she said. Those are just the reported cases; domestic violence remains is still a largely unreported crime, she said.
If there's already a pattern of domestic violence in a home, stress factors like COVID-19, a shutdown or job loss can increase conflicts and create more arguments, Stingley said. She recalls an increase in cases during the housing market crash in 2008.
Regardless of the stressors involved, domestic violence continues to be under-reported. "It's difficult for (victims) to get the courage to call the police. There are so many factors involved. You have a committed relationship. You have a sense of loyalty. You don't want to be a 'snitch,'" she said.
There's also the stigma and shame, Syrris said.
The stigma is hard to overcome because domestic violence was completely legal until 100 years ago, she said. Even after laws were passed outlawing wife beating, "no one enforced the law," she said. Families would tell victims to "kiss and make up," and police wouldn't get involved, she said.
"We're talking about a major paradigm shift," she said. Changing the law was one thing, but changing beliefs was another, she said. It's still something society struggles with, she said.
The 1994 Violence Against Women Act, which former Vice President Joe Biden helped pass through Congress, added more teeth to the existing laws. One provision required anyone charged with domestic violence to stay away from the victim for 72 hours after being released, Syrris said. It also required a domestic violence charge be escalated to a felony if the person had bee previously charged for the same offense, Botti said.
Laws are improving but they're not perfect, which is why caseworkers on available to help victims navigate the system, stay safe and advocate for them, Syrris said.
There's still a perception that victims can just leave the relationship, she said.
"It's scary for people to do that," Lark said. "It's a very dangerous situation for them to stay. It's more dangerous for them to leave. Victims are damned if they do, damned if they don't." Lark said.
It's important to make sure victims know they aren't alone, she said.
Other facts cited in the campaign are 32% of victims don't report domestic violence due to the personal nature of the crime, 21% say they feel they have to protect the offender and 20% said they didn't see the crime as being serious, according to the Bureau of Justice.
The desire to protect the offender is strong among victims, Syrris said.
"Domestic violence always begins with love," Syrris said. Love becomes "a complication. No one falls in love with an abuser. They fall in love with Prince Charming or Princess Charming. They don't realize they fell in love with an abuser until there's a committed relationship."
If victims want to get out of an abusive relationship, "we understand the danger they're in. We aren't going to force them out of the relationship, but we will be their allies. There's no shame in asking for help. It's not your fault."
What could a Joe Biden presidency mean for women's rights
There is no question that the 2020 election has been a historic one in many ways, not the least of which is the impact it will have on women’s ongoing fight for equal rights and liberation. Though the winners of of the Presidential race have not yet been formally certified, we wanted to take a look at what a Biden administration may hold for women’s rights, and lay the groundwork for the next four years of feminist activism and lobbying in light of those possibilities.
BIDEN’S PROGRESSIVE AGENDA
Compared to Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s platform is certainly more progressive on nearly every issue. From climate change to healthcare to immigration, Biden supports policies that will help address the domestic issues that disproportionately impact women. Women, for example, are less likely to get health insurance through their workplace. This means that a public option is important to making sure all women have access to affordable coverage.
Poverty, in general, disproportionately impacts women in the United States. Women in the US are more likely to live in poverty, with 1 in 5 women ages 18 - 25 living in poverty. Elderly women in the United States are twice as likely to be living in poverty than their male counterparts. Biden’s plans to protect working families and expand access to high-quality affordable childcare will help women out of poverty. Biden’s ”Plan for Older Americans,” would provide more long-term care solutions for those with chronic care needs, including a tax benefit that will ease women’s home caring burden and help elderly women, especially.
Joe Biden has promised to make reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) (currently held up in the Senate), a priority in his first 100 days. He has also promised to create a White House Council on Gender Equality “tasked solely with guiding and coordinating government policy that impacts women and girls.” Overall, Biden’s progressive agenda is likely to help women—if it’s able to pass a divided Congress. At the same time, the effects of his policies may vary, depending on how they treat the definition of “sex” and whether they include “gender identity” as a part of that definition.
“The policies put forth by a potential Biden administration are likely to help women and girls when they aren’t primarily aimed at women and girls.”
For example, VAWA as it currently stands (and has passed the House of Representatives) changes reporting requirements so that state grantees would now have to report crime and victim statistics to Congress by “gender identity,” including statistics on incarcerated women. This would likely mean that statistics about victims will be falsely reported as violence against men, when in fact it was violence against women self-identifying as “trans men,” and some instances of male violence against women or men will be falsely reported and understood as acts of female violence.
Of particular concern, the most current version of the VAWA legislation is written in a way that’s likely to end single-sex correctional facilities in the United States, by the inclusion of the phrase, “a transgender prisoner’s sex is determined according to the sex with which they identify.”
The policies put forth by a potential Biden administration are likely to help women and girls when they aren't primarily aimed at women and girls. Meanwhile, the policies that actually address women’s rights are likely to cause harm.
Feminists: Joe Biden Support for LGBT Equality Act Would Harm Women’s Rights
The far-left feminist Women’s Liberation Front (WOLF) is opposing the Democrat’s pro-transgender Equality Act because it would weaken womens’ rights by subordinating womens’ biological identity to men’s claimed sense of “gender identity.”
WOLF, which says on its website, “female humans, the class of people called women, are oppressed by men under a male-supremacist system called patriarchy,” posted an article titled, “What Could a Joe Biden Presidency Mean for Women’s Rights?”
While this group likes some of Biden’s and vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ campaign promises — including support for abortion, gay marriage, and government-run health care — when it comes to the Equality Act, WOLF takes a different stance.
“Despite all his progressive policies, Biden’s contradictory support for the current version of the Equality Act and other “gender-identity” laws will actually undermine women’s sex-based rights,” WOLF states.
The lengthy commentary says, in part:
Joe Biden has promised that on his first day in office he would restore Obama-era guidance that will give male students access to girls’ sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms “in accordance with their gender identity.” This is a major backslide for the rights of girls in education, and should be understood as a threat to Title IX, the groundbreaking legislation which guaranteed equal education access to girls and women in federally-funded schools.
Biden has also committed to make passing the Equality Act a top legislative priority in his first 100 days. While much of the Equality Act holds good potential for many groups of women, such as prohibiting employment and housing discrimination against lesbian and bisexual Americans, it also enshrines the undefined concept of “gender identity” into law as a protected characteristic—effectively providing unlimited access for men into women’s sports and spaces such as prisons, shelters, and domestic violence services.
All of the funding and support of the Violence Against Women Act is undermined if men are allowed to enter women’s domestic violence shelters, and if stats on male violence are falsified to validate the identity claims of violent men. If boys are able to steal scholarships from female athletes, attempts to increase economic opportunities for women and girls could be nullified. If violent male sex offenders and convicted domestic abusers are allowed in female prisons where they will continue to rape and assault women, progressive justice system reform will perversely worsen some conditions for the most vulnerable women.
“Through such promises to eliminate single-sex accommodations and women’s sex class recognition in the law, Biden’s stance on gender identity undercuts all of his other progressive policy stances on women’s issues,” the commentary concludes.
Anti-domestic violence law stalls as reports soar
USA TODAY (Arlington, VA)
December 28, 2020
https://infoweb.newsbank.com/
WASHINGTON - An increase in domestic violence cases during the COVID-19 pandemic has renewed the push to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
President-elect Joe Biden has said he would renew the act that expired last year, but he faces a tough challenge if Republicans keep control of the Senate after Georgia's runoff elections next month. But an increase in domestic violence calls and arrests across the country may put pressure on Senate GOP to restart stalled reauthorization efforts.
"These issues didn't just start with COVID, but COVID has made them even starker," said Kiersten Stewart, director of public policy and advocacy for Futures Without Violence, a nonprofit organization focused on ending domestic and sexual violence that has worked with lawmakers on the act over the years. "We absolutely hope that it will nudge Congress to take it up with urgency in the new session."
Rep. Katherine Clark, a Democrat from Massachusetts, said it is time for Republicans in the Senate to focus on the needs of women.
"The pandemic has brought into stark relief inequalities and issues that we knew existed before, and that is certainly true with domestic violence," she said.
Comprehensive data on the effect of COVID-19 and social isolation on domestic violence is not readily available as a large number of incidents may be going unreported, experts fear. But limited data has shown an increase in cases as families are stuck at home with their attackers.
Domestic violence surges
The National Domestic Violence Hotline reported a 9% increase in calls between March 16 - when many states issued lockdown orders - and May 16 compared with the same period in 2019. Similarly, the San Antonio Police Department received 18% more calls related to family violence this March compared with March of last year, and there was a 10% increase in domestic violence reports in the same month to the New York City Police Department compared with March 2019. The Portland Police Bureau also recorded a 22% increase in arrests related to domestic violence in the weeks after stay-at-home orders.
"When you hear about the impacts of COVID, people don't talk too much about the domestic violence front," said U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania. "It's a huge problem and it's really increased the urgency that everybody in Congress should have to pass this."
Although Congress has continued to fund programs under the Violence Against Women Act, these programs may not be able to meet the demand that the pandemic has brought and advocates remain uncertain about how to move forward without the full protection of the act, said Ruth Glenn, president and CEO of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
"With or without (the act), we are working to provide services," Glenn said. "We just want to have the legislation and the support of legislation to make sure that no one is missed."
The legislation initially expired in late 2018 because of a government shutdown. It was briefly renewed by the bill that reopened the government, but it expired again in February 2019. While the House passed a reauthorization bill in April 2019 with some updated provisions - of which Fitzpatrick was the sole Republican co-sponsor - GOP senators have since stalled a vote.
Emerald Christopher-Byrd, assistant professor of women and gender studies at the University of Delaware, said she finds the partisan nature of the legislation "daunting and very disappointing."
"It seems unconscionable that something as severe as violence, in particular violence against women, how that would not be something that is at the forefront of everyone's mind - not just liberals, not just conservative, right or left," said Christopher-Byrd, who has served as an administrator focused on disciplinary cases involving physical and sexual violence at Delaware and Georgetown universities.
The bill, introduced by then-Sen. Biden, was first signed into law in 1994, to address domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking through legislation. At the time, those crimes were considered family matters, which law enforcement authorities tended to not get involved in.
After the measure became law, the overall rate of intimate partner violence declined by 64% from 1994 to 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics. In more recent years, there has been a 42% increase in such cases from 2016 to 2018, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' victory has given hope to victims and advocates who say their prior work on domestic violence is promising.
While Biden spearheaded the act - which he has called "the legislative accomplishment of which I am most proud" - Harris' time as San Francisco's district attorney and California's attorney general included tough measures on abusers and traffickers.
"This administration actually cares about the issue and that's going to be one of the largest major changes," said Stewart of Futures Without Violence. "We're really optimistic that they'll actually put political weight behind these issues, that they're actually committed to ending violence against women and children."
The 'boyfriend loophole'
The act has been updated and reauthorized three times - in 2000, 2005 and 2015. Updates over the years have had bipartisan backing and included new programs to protect elderly and disabled women; mandatory funding for rape prevention and education; new protections for victims of trafficking, undocumented immigrants and Native American women; and expanded language to be inclusive to the LGBTQ community.
But the most recent version of the bill passed by the House last year intended to close the "boyfriend loophole," which proved to be a large point of contention for many Republicans.
Previous versions of the act barred those convicted of domestic violence or abuse from purchasing and owning a gun if they were married to, lived with or had a child with the victim. But the 2019 amendment hoped to extend that provision to include dating partners and stalkers.
Though it had support from all Democrats who voted but one, only 33 Republicans voted to move the legislation forward, and the GOP has been accused of giving into the National Rifle Association, which has opposed the change.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a survivor of domestic violence, introduced her own reauthorization bill in November 2019 that did not address the loophole and rolled back existing protections for the LGBTQ community. Ernst's team did not respond to requests for comment.
Clark, the second-highest-ranking woman in Congress, who has taken on several women's issues in her career, said tackling gun violence is a crucial piece to addressing domestic violence.
"This is an issue that is long overdue," Clark said. "And the excuses from the GOP about why they cannot reauthorize this critical piece of legislation have run out a long time ago. It is time to act in a comprehensive manner to help make sure that everyone is safe from domestic violence."
Fitzpatrick said that although his Republican colleagues have signaled that they would be willing to reauthorize the 2013 version of the bill without any amendments, it would be "irresponsible" to not "implement the best practices and make the bill better."
While he did not answer whether closing the boyfriend loophole was a non-negotiable, Fitzpatrick said he hopes lawmakers don't need to take thatout because it is an important provision. The risk of homicide increases by 500% if a gun is present in a domestic violence situation, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
"The data is very, very clear," Fitzpatrick said. "So what I would prefer to do is sit down with my colleagues who are concerned about that provision and walk them through it as to why it's important."
Fitzpatrick said he will be working with Rep. Karen Bass of California - the other co-sponsor of the 2019 bill - when Congress reconvenes in January to develop a strategy to get the legislation through the Senate.
"Sometimes we're the only voice" that domestic violence victims and organizations have, Fitzpatrick said. "I think Congress needs to speak out strongly against it, not just through words, but through legislative action."
"I know it's a huge priority for President-elect Biden," he said.
