In 2018, party lines in American politics are harsher and yet somehow even blurrier than ever. Issues that both sides should support or criticize harshly always seem to throw my opinion of either party in its unpredictable reaction. Well, if either party reacts. And sadly, not every situation gains the media attention necessary to be brought up in the spotlight of American politics.

Why isn’t either party reacting to the alleged sexual assault accusations against Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey? Democrats especially, who harshly criticized Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his appointment hearings, have been just as silent as Republicans during Booker’s hearings. It is mind boggling and completely out of whack.

The accusations against Booker were posted anonymously under a pseudonym on Twitter, @TheeDeepThroat, a week ago. The user, a gay man and former Democrat who otherwise does not identify himself, claims that he had met Booker at a work event, expressing admiration and hope associated with Booker publicly. When the man went to the restroom, he claims Booker followed him in and forced him into sexual acts he did not consent to.

The user has since continued to post responses, further briefings and other miscellaneous tweets to his account, trying to draw attention to the issue.

This isn’t the first alarm bell that rings concerning sexual assault and consent when we look at Senator Cory Booker. In 1992, while a student at Stanford University, Booker wrote an article for his collegiate newspaper including disturbing lines about groping a friend while in high school. It’s important to point out that Kavanaugh was around the same age when he allegedly assaulted  Christine Blasey Ford. Of course, like every politician and celebrity seems to do these days, he profusely apologized publicly and has since tried to claim that he is a ‘changed man’ and was specifically changed by what he saw and heard while talking with a peer counselor after the fact, and yet, no one is talking about this recent development.

When it’s a Republican’s career on the line, like Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s, Democrats are at the front lines ready to shut it down and make sure every alleged crime is accounted for. But, when it’s a Democrat, Senator Cory Booker, being accused of essentially the same crime, where are the other Democrats calling for justice? Where are the Republicans? Both parties need to stand up and ask Booker to tell the truth. If we are called to consider Kavanaugh a potential perpetrator of sexual assault, we must consider Booker’s potential in the same regard. 

Bring attention to this issue, because it’s not getting the coverage it needs.