Defending Reade
LaCasse told Business Insider that she's a pro-Biden Democrat but wanted to speak out to defend Reade after witnessing the reaction to Reade's allegations in recent weeks, including the campaign's denial.
"She didn't ask me to," LaCasse told Business Insider. "I volunteered to do that just recently. If this was me, I would want somebody to stand up for me. It takes a lot of guts to do what she's doing."
Sanchez said something similar: "It takes great courage and strength to come forward. It's much easier to keep silent. However, I also understand the duty we have as women to share our story regardless of who the perpetrator may be." (LaCasse and Sanchez could not be reached by PEOPLE for additional comment.)
Reade has said she told her mother about the alleged assault at the time and also told her brother, Collin Moulton, and two friends, according to the AP and the Post.
A friend, speaking anonymously, confirmed to the Post that Reade did tell them about it. Another friend told the Times that Reade spoke in 2008 of an upsetting experience from her time in Biden’s office and said he allegedly touched her inappropriately.
Reade previously told the Times she was a “third-generation Democrat” and her decision to come forward was not motivated by politics. According to the Post, Reade said she voted twice for the Obama-Biden ticket because she agreed with President Barack Obama‘s policies. (She has also tweeted supportively of Biden.)
LaCasse likewise told Business Insider: "I personally am a Democrat, a very strong Democrat. And I'm for Biden, regardless. But still I have to come out and say this."
Trump Circle Weighs In
President Donald Trump’s allies, including oldest son Donald Trump Jr., have been critical of the media’s coverage of Reade’s accusations and amplified her account on social media. Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, said earlier this month Reade’s story had not been written about widely enough.
The new information about Reade's allegation comes about six months out from the likely general election face-off between Biden and President Trump on Nov. 3.
The president has himself faced more than a dozen allegations of sexual harassment, misconduct and assault, including rape. Former PEOPLE reporter Natasha Stoynoff said Trump forcibly kissed her during an interview in December 2005.
(He has denied these stories and is being sued by two women who claim he defamed them by saying they weren’t telling the truth.)
The president was infamously caught on tape while on Access Hollywood in 2005 bragging about his ability to touch women because of his celebrity.
“You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them,” Trump said then. “It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait.”
“When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything,” he said. “Grab ’em by the p——. You can do anything.”
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