Biden says he would not pardon Trump or block investigations

Democratic candidate Joe Biden said Thursday that if he wins presidency, he would t use his power to pardon Donald Trump or stop any investigations of Trump and his associates. “It is t something president is entitled to do, to direct a prosecution or decide to drop a case,” Biden said on MSNBC.

“It's a dereliction of duty.” former vice president made his statement in response to a voter who asked him on Lawrence O'Donnell's show, “ Last Word,” wher Biden would “commit to t pulling a Gerald Ford in giving Donald Trump a pardon under pretense of healing nation.” Biden responded, “I commit,” before offering a more lengthy explanation of his view that president must allow Justice Department to operate without interference. Ford became president in 1974 when Richard Nixon resigned under threat of impeachment. Ford later pardoned his predecessor before any criminal charges related to Watergate burglary could be filed. Ford went on to lose 1976 presidential election.

House impeached Trump in December on charges related to his effort to withhold congressionally appropriated funds from Ukraine in exchange for officials re assisting Trump in sullying Biden. Senate acquitted him in February on a nearly party-line vote. Biden also said on O'Donnell's show that voters who believe former Senate staffer who has accused him of sexually assaulting her in early 1990s probably shouldn’t cast ir ballots for him in vember. “I think y should vote ir heart, and if y believe Tara Reade y probably shouldn't vote for me,” Biden told O'Donnell. “I wouldn't vote for me if I believed Tara Reade.” Biden repeated his firm denial of Reade's assertion that he assaulted her in a Senate hallway 27 years ago. Biden, who served in Senate 36 years before two terms as vice president, said he does t recall Reade at all. He said any woman who makes a claim of harrassment or assault “should be taken seriously” but account should be “thoroughly vetted in every case.” He ted “changes” in Reade’s account over time. In 2019, Reade was among several women who accused Biden of touching m in ways that made m uncomfortable, but ne of those accounts at time including accusations of assault. Reade came forward anew in March with more explicit accusations against former vice president. “This is just totally, thoroughly, completely out of character, and idea that in a public place, in a hallway I would assault a woman, I mean, anyway I promise you, it never happened,” Biden said. accusation has t derailed Biden's path as presumptive Democratic minee, but it's an uncomfortable circumstance for 77-year-old who has pledged to name a woman as his running mate and often recounted his work as lead sponsor of Violence Against Women Act. Many Republicans have tried to amplify Reade's story and hammered Biden and or Democrats as hypocrites because of ir use of mantra “Believe Women” during #MeToo era, including when Christine Blasey Ford accused w-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when y were teens. Trump, however, has t gone after Biden as erly as he typically savs opponents. More than a dozen women have accused Trump of varying levels of harassment and assault, charges he denies. During final segments of MSNBC show Thursday night, Biden appeared split-screen alongside Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams, one of women he's believed to be considering for vice presidency. Abrams is among most high-profile black women in Democratic party, even though she lost 2018 Georgia goverr's race. Abrams and Biden praised each or as y discussed voting rights and ballot access amid coronavirus pandemic.