Journalist wants Biden ‘coronation,’ not sex assault investigation

A veteran Washington journalist with a resume that boasts being a founder of The Hill wrote that he doesn’t “want justice” for the woman accusing former Vice President Joe Biden of sexual assault, arguing it is more important to get President Trump out of office.

Martin Tolchin, a former Times congressional correspondent who also helped launch Politico, remarked in a letter to the editor in the New York Times Tuesday that he does not want an investigation into the presumptive Democratic nominee, because he is the best chance at beating President Donald Trump in November.

Tolchin’s commentary comes in response to The Times’ call for the Democratic National Committee to conduct an unbiased, non-political panel to review Biden’s papers to try to find a complaint Tara Reade, which she alleges she filed in 1993.

“I totally disagree with this editorial. I don’t want an investigation. I want a coronation of Joe Biden. Would he make a great president? Unlikely. Would he make a good president? Good enough. Would he make a better president than the present occupant? Absolutely,” the longtime reporter wrote.

“I don’t want justice, whatever that may be. I want a win, the removal of Donald Trump from office, and Mr. Biden is our best chance,” he continued.

Tolchin continued that he wouldn’t risk the possibility of an investigation uncovering damaging information, which could lead to Biden losing the Democratic nomination to someone he viewed as unelectable.

“Suppose an investigation reveals damaging information concerning his relationship with Tara Reade or something else, and Mr. Biden loses the nomination to Senator Bernie Sanders or someone else with a minimal chance of defeating Mr. Trump. Should we really risk the possibility?” Tolchin remarked.

On Monday, Biden wrote a letter to the secretary of the Senate requesting to release any records pertaining to an allegation of sexual assault against him by Reade.

Secretary of the Senate Julie Adams responded by saying that the chamber has “no discretion to disclose any such information,” citing confidentiality requirements under the law.

Reade has claimed the presidential hopeful pinned her against a wall in 1993, reached under her skirt and assaulted her. The Biden campaign has strenuously denied the allegations.

Reade was working for Biden at the time as a staffer for the then-senator from Delaware.

Biden has vehemently denied the allegations.