WASHINGTON - A woman who once worked as one of former Vice President Joe Biden's aides has accused him of sexual assault.

ABC news reported that Tara Reade says the crime occurred in the spring of 1993 when Biden was a senator. 

In two recent interviews with The Associated Press, Reade alleged the assault occurred in the basement of a Capitol Hill office building. 

On Thursday of last week, Reade filed a police report in Washington saying she was the victim of a sexual assault by an unnamed person in 1993.

This is not Reade's first accusation against Biden. Last year, she publicly accused the former Vice President of inappropriate touching, but did not allege sexual assault.

In a statement, Biden deputy campaign manager and communications director Kate Bedingfield said the former vice president has “dedicated his public life to changing the culture and the laws around violence against women,” pointing to his work passing the Violence Against Women Act. 

She said “he firmly believes that women have a right to be heard — and heard respectfully,” but added: “Such claims should also be diligently reviewed by an independent press.”

“What is clear about this claim: it is untrue. This absolutely did not happen,” Bedingfield said.

Reade’s charge comes at a crucial time for Biden. 

The former vice president is looking to garner the full support of the Democratic Party as the party’s presumptive presidential nominee. Women are a vital voting bloc for Democrats and any erosion of support for Biden could sink his candidacy in the fall.