Joe Biden’s campaign has spoken out over graphic sexual assault claims an ex-staffer has made.

‘Women have the right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims,’ Deputy Campaign Manager and Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said on Friday. ‘We encourage them to do so, because these accusations are false.’

The statement comes in response to allegations made by Tara Reade, who has amplified previous statements in an explosive interview this week. She previously was among several women who said Biden was a bit too familiar with his physical actions, but now claims he sexually assaulted her in 1993 in his office on Capitol Hill. She was then working as an aide to US Senator Biden.

The alleged incident occurred when Reade was asked to bring Biden his gym bag in his office.