MSNBC Host Mika Brezenski asked if it was acceptable to mention that the Democratic politician that accused former Vice President Joe Biden of unwanted touching is a supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders during a Monday broadcast of “Morning Joe.”
“A lot of folks will say that women need to be believed and heard, and I believe they should be heard. But are we allowed to bring up that Lucy Flores is a huge Bernie person?” Mika asked at the end of her show alongside co-host Joe Scarborough.
“And she has political connections that might be counter to Biden’s goals? And that this could be — hold on — is it to bring up that this could be politically motivated? Or are we supposed to take all the words and the fact she said she was violated at face value? Are we supposed to just leave it there and have this sort of, um, attack on his credibility and his honor? Just sit there? Or are we allowed to talk about it?”
Former Nevada Assemblywoman Lucy Flores alleged that she felt invaded by Biden’s actions with her on the campaign trail and that his touching and treatment of her was unprofessional and overly familiar. Flores reportedly worked for the Bernie presidential campaign in 2016 and mentioned that she brought up the allegations now due to the fact that Biden was considering a run for president in the 2020 presidential race.
“The reason why we’re having these conversations about Vice President Joe Biden is because he’s considering running for president,” Flores told Jake Tapper on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
The potential presidential challenger denied the accusation. (RELATED: Joe Biden Responds To #MeToo Allegations)
“In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort. And not once — never — did I believe I acted inappropriately. If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention,” Biden said in a statement Sunday, according to The Associated Press.
“Yeah, the conversation has to be had. It has to be an open conversation, as you’ve been saying and as other people have been saying, the argument that all women must be believed,” Scarborough added, saying there should be a thorough investigation.
“That was the argument since months ago. That was the argument when Al Franken was run out of town,when what Donald Trump has done is so much more abhorrent. That conversation has been moving along. Just as an observer, that conversation has moved along to women need to be believed, women need to be heard, but there has to be due process out there.”