McCarthy calls Pelosi a 'hypocrite' for defending Biden against sexual misconduct allegation

House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy slammed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday for defending presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden against sexual misconduct allegations from one of his former Senate staffers.

McCarthy, R-Calif., was asked if he sees a difference in the way Pelosi handled Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's accuser compared to Tara Reade, the former Senate staffer who has accused Biden of assaulting her on Capitol Hill in 1993.

"She's being a hypocrite," McCarthy said during a conference call with reporters. "Has she ever talked to Tara Reade? Has she ever looked into it? Joe Biden has not responded to it. You can't say one thing about every other time she's commented about any accusation and now say it's OK.

"She endorsed Joe Biden after knowing the Tara Reade situation. So did anybody follow up with a question to the speaker? When you went to endorse Joe Biden, did you first look at this? And if she thinks his lack of response is a good enough response, when to me, that's being a hypocrite based upon the past comments she made on other situations similar to this." 

Pelosi cut off the reporter asking her about Democrat lawmakers, who supported Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's accuser, saying they are standing by Biden as he faces the allegation from Reade. 

"I don't need a lecture or speech. Here's the thing. I have complete respect for the #MeToo movement. I have four daughters and one son and there's a lot of excitement around the idea that women will be heard and be listened to. There's also due process and the fact that Joe Biden is Joe Biden," Pelosi said on Thursday.

"There have been statements from his former employees who ran his offices and the rest that there was never any record of this. There was never any record and that nobody ever came forward to say something about it apart from the principle involved," she added.