Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) supports Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden despite a sexual assault allegation made against him.
Hickenlooper, who was previously running in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race, appeared Wednesday in an interview with The Colorado Sun.
Asked if he believes the sexual assault allegation made by Tara Reade against Biden and if he will still press forward in supporting the former vice president, Hickenlooper made it clear that he does believe Reade but will still support Biden in the 2020 election.
“Any woman who comes forward and talks about a sexual assault that they’ve had to endure, they deserve to be listened to and they deserve to be believed,” Hickenlooper responded. “And I look at Tara Reade as someone who showed a great deal of courage to come forward and talk about what happened to her.”
The former Colorado governor added, “In the end, I still support Joe Biden for president. Absolutely.”
When pressed if it is a “yes or no” on if he believes Reade, Hickenlooper answered, “To a large extent — yes.”
Watch the video below:
Hickenlooper asked if he believes Tara Reade’s allegations of sexual assault against Joe Biden: “To a large extent, yes.”
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) June 11, 2020
“In the end I still support Joe Biden for President, absolutely,” he adds. pic.twitter.com/mOpUYRkLZF
Reade is accusing Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993, when she was a staffer while he worked in the Senate.
Biden has publicly denied the allegation, as he previously said, “They aren’t true. This never happened.”
Reade’s allegation has made headlines over the past months as Biden takes on President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. It has caused top Democrats to be questioned if they still support Biden for president, but they appear unswayed.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was among those who have come to Biden’s defense, as she previously said, “I have great sympathy for any women who bring forth an allegation,” before adding, “I do support Joe Biden. I’m satisfied with how he has responded. I know him, I was proud to endorse him on Monday, very proud to endorse him, and so I’m satisfied with that.”