NY Times faces blowback for removal of controversial passage on Biden sexual assault allegation

The New York Times is facing blowback after its executive editor admitted to removing a controversial passage in a story focusing on a 1993 sexual assault allegation against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

The criticism comes after the Times published an article looking into allegations made against Biden by Tara Reade, who says the then-senator sexually assaulted her when she worked as a Biden senate staffer.

“The Times found no pattern of sexual misconduct by Mr. Biden, beyond the hugs, kisses and touching that women previously said made them uncomfortable,” read the original passage in a Sunday story before it was removed.

Times executive editor Dean Baquet told the news organization’s media columnist Ben Smith that the edit was made because the Biden campaign argued the phrasing made it appear that other women had made similar accusations against Biden.

“The [Biden] campaign thought that the phrasing was awkward and made it look like there were other instances in which he had been accused of sexual misconduct,” Baquet told Smith.

Smith then pressed Baquet on why the Times didn’t acknowledge the change in an editor's note to readers.