Joe Biden wanted to criminalise raves, resurfaced footage shows: 'I would put the son of a gun in jail'
Democratic 2020 frontrunner finding past views increasingly under spotlight
Footage has re-emerged showing Joe Biden calling for anyone who held a rave to be jailed.
The former vice-president, who is vying to become the Democratic 2020 presidential nominee, made the comments during a 2001 Senate hearing on the use of ecstasy, an illicit party drug popular in the 1990s rave scene.
"If I were governor of my state or the mayor of my town, I would be passing new ordinances relating to stiff criminal penalties for anyone who holds a rave, the promoter, the guy who owns the building, I would put the son of a gun in jail, I would change the law,” he said.
He continued: "There's no doubt about where these raves are, in the middle of the desert. Arrest the promoter, find a rationale unrelated to drugs.”
The footage is just the latest example of a history many grassroots Democrats say demonstrates Mr Biden’s unsuitability to lead a progressive party into the next election.
The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020
Show all 25
The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020
1/25 Bernie Sanders
The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform
Getty
2/25 Joe Biden
The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling
EPA
3/25 Elizabeth Warren
The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street
Reuters
4/25 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio
The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor
AFP/Getty
5/25 Pete Buttigieg
The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history
Getty
6/25 Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor
Getty Images
7/25 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke
The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome"
AP
8/25 Steve Bullock
The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state
Reuters
9/25 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker
The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020
Getty
10/25 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam
Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord
Vice News
11/25 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand
The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that “healthcare should be a right, not a privilege”
Getty
12/25 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris
The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions’ testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class
AFP/Getty
13/25 John Delaney
The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017
AP
14/25 Tulsi Gabbard
The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
Getty
15/25 Andrew Yang
The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18
Getty
16/25 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro
The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a “special meaning” for the Latino community in the US
Getty
17/25 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson
The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful
Getty
18/25 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell
One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory
Getty
19/25 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton
A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states
Getty
20/25 Amy Klobuchar
Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings
Getty
21/25 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee
Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change
AFP/Getty
22/25 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper
The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage
Getty
23/25 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan
Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters
Getty
24/25 Deval Patrick
The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs
STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images
25/25 Tom Steyer
Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor
AFP via Getty Images
1/25 Bernie Sanders
The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform
Getty
2/25 Joe Biden
The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling
EPA
3/25 Elizabeth Warren
The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street
Reuters
4/25 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio
The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor
AFP/Getty
5/25 Pete Buttigieg
The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history
Getty
6/25 Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor
Getty Images
7/25 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke
The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome"
AP
8/25 Steve Bullock
The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state
Reuters
9/25 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker
The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020
Getty
10/25 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam
Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord
Vice News
11/25 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand
The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that “healthcare should be a right, not a privilege”
Getty
12/25 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris
The former California attorney general was introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions’ testimony. She has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class
AFP/Getty
13/25 John Delaney
The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017
AP
14/25 Tulsi Gabbard
The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
Getty
15/25 Andrew Yang
The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18
Getty
16/25 DROPPED OUT: Julian Castro
The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a “special meaning” for the Latino community in the US
Getty
17/25 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson
The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful
Getty
18/25 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell
One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory
Getty
19/25 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton
A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states
Getty
20/25 Amy Klobuchar
Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings
Getty
21/25 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee
Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change
AFP/Getty
22/25 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper
The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage
Getty
23/25 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan
Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters
Getty
24/25 Deval Patrick
The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs
STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images
25/25 Tom Steyer
Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor
AFP via Getty Images
The 78-year-old, who remains the favourite to win his party’s nomination, angered activists earlier this week when he recounted working with 1970s segregationist Mississippi senator James Eastland.
“He never called me boy, he always called me son,” Mr Biden said, adding: “At least there was some civility. We got things done.”
It echoed Mr Biden’s repeated – and widely mocked - claims that as president he would be able to work with Republicans, who he says would be open to cooperation post Donald Trump.
A host of opponents condemned Mr Biden’s remarks about Eastland, including African-American senators Kamala Harris and Corey Booker, the latter of whom called on his veteran rival to apologise immediately.
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