Another Woman Comes Forward, Says Biden Inappropriately Touched Her
A second woman came forward to accuse former Vice President Joe Biden of inappropriately touching her.
Amy Lappos, 43, told the Washington Examiner on Monday the alleged incident took place at a political fundraiser in October 2009, while she was serving as a congressional aide to Democratic Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut.
Lappos recounted that Biden, 76, put his hand around her neck and pulled her toward him to rub noses.
“I thought he was going to kiss me on the mouth,” she recalled.
Lappos added in an interview with the Hartford Courant, “It wasn’t sexual, but he did grab me by the head.”
“I never filed a complaint, to be honest, because he was the vice president. I was a nobody,” she said.
“There’s absolutely a line of decency. There’s a line of respect. Crossing that line is not grandfatherly. It’s not cultural. It’s not affection. It’s sexism or misogyny.”
In a Friday Op-Ed, Lucy Flores, a former Nevada state representative, also accused Biden of engaging in inappropriate conduct during a 2014 campaign rally.
“As I was taking deep breaths and preparing myself to make my case to the crowd, I felt two hands on my shoulders. I froze. ‘Why is the vice-president of the United States touching me?'” Flores wrote. At that time, she was a candidate for lieutenant governor.
Flores recalled that Biden then proceeded to smell her hair and “plant a big kiss on the back of my head.”
“My brain couldn’t process what was happening. I was embarrassed. I was shocked. I was confused.”
In a statement on Sunday, the former vice president did not apologize for his past conduct.
“I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort. And not once — never — did I believe I acted inappropriately,” he said. “If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully. But it was never my intention,” he said.
“I may not recall these moments the same way, and I may be surprised at what I hear,” Biden continued. “But we have arrived at an important time when women feel they can and should relate their experiences, and men should pay attention. And I will.”
Flores did not find his explanation adequate, telling CBS News, “I really need him to acknowledge that behavior was inappropriate.”
Lucy Flores tells CBSN that Joe Biden’s response to her accusation of inappropriate touching hasn’t been enough: “I really need to him to acknowledge that that behavior wasn’t appropriate” https://t.co/tfVs4cf3WM pic.twitter.com/IDEayfn9E2
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 1, 2019
“You have the second most powerful person in the country, arguably one of the most powerful men in the entire world, and a woman who does not have that kind of power,” she said.
“You have to be aware of the kind of influence and the kind of presence as a powerful man you have over others.”
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