Senate secretary says records requested by Biden can't be

released

Despite the decision, the documents' physical location remains

in question.

By Molly Nagle and John Verhovek

May 4, 2020, 10:35 PM

"Questions remain about any records related to a claim of sexual assault against former Vice President Joe Biden by Tara Reade, a staffer who briefly worked in his Senate office in the 1990s, after the secretary of the Senate indicated they have "no discretion to disclose any such information as requested" by Biden to locate and release any complaint that exists against him.

Biden officially asked the Senate to begin the process of searching for an alleged complaint on Friday, sending a letter to Secretary of the Senate Julie E. Adams asking for "assistance in determining whether 27 years ago a staff member in my United States Senate office filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment."

The secretary's office was advised by Senate legal counsel that the Office of Senate Fair Employment Practices where the former staffer's complaint would likely have been filed has "strict confidentiality requirements.”

Biden’s campaign sought clarity. Bill Bauer, former White House counsel under President Barack Obama, sent a reply to the secretary of the Senate asking if the existence of a complaint could legally be released or if the complaint could be released to the party who initially filed it.

The secretary’s office said those inquiries would also not be allowed.

"The Secretary's Office was advised by Senate Legal Counsel that disclosing the existence of such specific records would amount to a prohibited disclosure under the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991. Furthermore, we are not aware of any exceptions in law authorizing our office to disclose any such records that do exist, if any, even to original participants in a matter," the office said in a statement Monday evening.

Biden has come under scrutiny following an allegation of sexual assault made by Reade, who was an entry-level Senate staff assistant in Biden’s office. According to her, Biden aides asked her to hand-deliver a gym bag to him in a Senate office building and when she did, she alleges he moved in close, pinned her against a wall, slipped his hand under her skirt and penetrated her with his fingers."

moar:

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senate-secretary-records-requested-biden-released/

Why progressive Republicans should make a post-Trump

comeback

by Kevin Carroll

May 05, 2020 06:00 AM

"Over 1 million people in the United States have the coronavirus, and nearly 70,000 of them have died in just two months. Sadly, both numbers are climbing.

Most of the country remains in self-isolation as testing is generally unavailable, and therapies and vaccines remain elusive for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, the economy is headed into a steep recession, with gross domestic product down 5% percent in the first quarter, and over 30 million workers, almost a fifth of the labor force, out of a job.

President Trump failed for months to act decisively against the looming pandemic. He minimized the threat despite urgent warnings from health and intelligence officials. His subsequent unhinged public appearances — lashing out, demanding praise while disclaiming responsibility, contradicting himself, lying, and promoting deadly quack cures — unsettled the nation.

Jared Kushner calls the Trump administration’s ham-fisted response “a great success story,” but most disagree. At 42% approval and sinking, Trump seems unlikely to win reelection this fall, and deservedly so. It is time for the Republican Party to consider what it wishes to be in a post-Trump era.

A tragedy of the Russia and Ukraine fiascoes is that a president, who was a big Democratic donor as recently as 2010 and not even a Republican until 2012, selfishly forced almost the entire congressional GOP to walk the plank in defense of his sloppy bad acts. A generation of senators and congressmen will now be unable to run for national office without the baggage of their defense of Trump plaguing their campaign.

More misconduct may come out. Indictments may be unsealed when Trump leaves office regarding conspiracies and frauds to pay hush money to women. Who knows what will be revealed in Trump’s financial and tax records, sought by the Manhattan district attorney and Congress respectively, which the Supreme Court may order released this summer, and a Democratic administration certainly will. Too, a defamation suit regarding alleged sexual assault by Trump is making its way through New York courts.

Enough is enough, and the last thing Republicans will want to do in 2024 is defend the coronavirus response of 2020 or the opera buffa of these last four years. To turn a page, the GOP should look for leadership to Republican governors now acquitting themselves well during the pandemic: Larry Hogan of Maryland, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, and Mike DeWine of Ohio.

Republicans should think more broadly in terms of policy, too. Ronald Reagan preached a principled conservatism in 1980. Since his retirement from public life in 1994, the GOP has engaged in an intramural race further and further to the Right, with a detour into populism’s dark corners over the past four years. But earlier in the 20th century, there was also a proud strain of progressive Republicanism. It deserves a fresh look."

moar:

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/why-progressive-republicans-should-make-a-post-trump-comeback

once again, To whom is may concern:

You have hopefully noticed that my demeanor has changed lately as I realized that you were not my enemy.

I am trying to apologize yet I understand if you remain leery.

When I perceive that anyone is obstructing the flow of info and IMO Justice, I will strike hard, fast and often.

Please understand that I meant no real harm but to upset what I thought was Obstruction. To rattle your comfy.

I sincerely hope you can now see that it was all because I love this movement. Like you, I feel I was born for this and even chosen to do what I have done here as well as IRL so please try to forgive me for my overzealous nature.

Just put me in the Front and point out the enemy as I will Charge.

Now you can watch as I defend you from all comers whether you ever decide to forgive me or not.

5:5 o7

WWG1WGA