Ocasio-Cortez On Biden Sexual Assault Allegations: 'This Is A Messy Moment'

As attention continues to mount on the explosive sexual assault allegations against former vice president Joe Biden, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has emerged as a vocal figure demanding the presidential hopeful be held accountable.

This week Ocasio-Cortez said in an interview with NPR that while she believes the allegation merit examination, she’s not yet willing to state with confidence whether or not they are true. “It certainly seems as though something has happened. I’m not sure,” she said.

Even still, Ocasio-Cortez is worried that those on the left who have automatically jumped to either conclusion have created “a messy moment” that could prove to push survivors of sexual violence and their allies away from the Democratic Party.

“Instead of focusing on her account, instead of focusing on her story as a survivor, people are fast forwarding to the political implications. ‘Do you want Trump to win? Will you be voting for Joe Biden?' And that denies justice in this situation,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

The congresswoman’s words echo concerns some critics on the left have expressed over those who have been quick to dismiss the allegations. During the 2016 election, Democrats made a point of condemning Donald Trump over various accusations of sexual assault. As Ocasio-Cortez and others have stated, if the Democrats fail to hold Biden to these same standards it would be deeply hypocritical.

A former Senate staffer named Tara Reade has accused Biden of sexually assaulting her and otherwise touching her inappropriately in 1993. So far three individuals, including Reade’s brother, have come forward confirming that she had told them about the incident.

Reade filed a report with police in Washington, D.C., in April over concerns for her personal safety, claiming that she had received threats online.

Biden and his campaign largely ignored Reade’s allegation when news reports began to surface earlier this year. As the account gained greater attention, Biden was left with little choice but to address the claims and last week the former vice president appeared on MSNBC where he roundly rejected Reade’s accusation.

“I’m saying unequivocally, it never, never happened,” Biden said.

When asked during her NPR interview this week whether she intended to endorse and vote for Biden, Ocasio-Cortez said that while she would be voting for him, she could not yet endorse him.