Michigan’s Whitmer Says She Believes Joe Biden On Assault Claim

(Bloomberg) -- Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, considered a possible Democratic vice presidential pick, said Sunday she believed Joe Biden's denial that he sexually assaulted a member of his staff in the early 1990s.

“I have read a lot about this current allegation. I know Joe Biden, and I have watched his defense. And there's not a pattern that goes into this,” Whtimer said on CNN's “State of the Union.” “I don't believe that it's consistent with the Joe Biden that I know. And I do believe Joe, and I support Joe Biden.”

Whitmer's support came days after the former vice president publicly denied claims from Tara Reade that while she worked in his Senate office he pushed her against a wall in an office building, put his hand up her skirt and sexually assaulted her with his fingers.

Biden called for the National Archives and the Senate to release any relevant documents.

Whitmer said that she encourages women to speak up about harassment and assault, but that allegations must be vetted.

“Just because you're a survivor doesn't mean that every claim is equal,” she said. “It means we give them the ability to make their case, and the other side as well, and then to make a judgment that is informed.”

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