Former Vice President Joe Biden turned a years-long scandal about inappropriately groping women and children into a joke at a speech Friday.

The potential 2020 Democrat presidential candidate was speaking at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers when he touched on the allegations.

“I just want you to know, I had permission to hug Lonnie,” Biden said at the start of his speech.

Later, after he invited children on stage, Biden also joked about touching and children as he put his arm around a boy, saying, “He gave me permission to touch him.”

He later joked, “Everybody knows I like kids better than people.”

Joe Biden invites kids on stage: "Everybody knows I like kids better than people." Adding, boy “gave me permission to touch him." pic.twitter.com/9vEKEPxD1U — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 5, 2019

Allegations of unwanted advances against the VP have received fresh scrutiny following new accusations brought forth by a Nevada assemblywoman last week, who claimed Biden inappropriately smelled her hair and kissed her head during a campaign event.

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