Tara Reade, a former Senate aide who accused President Joe Biden of sexual assault, announced on Tuesday that she had defected to Russia.
Reade made the announcement in an interview with Russian state media, where she said that she was seeking “protection and safety” in Russia. She also said that she was “tired of being harassed and threatened” in the United States.
“I’m still kind of in a daze a bit, but I feel very good,” Reade told Sputnik News. “I feel very surrounded by protection and safety. And I just really so appreciate Maria [Butina] and everyone who’s been giving me that at a time when it’s been very difficult to know if I’m safe or not.”
“I’m not going to be intimidated, bullied or silenced. I’m going to speak out and I’m willing to speak under oath about the corruption I witnessed, about the crime I experienced,” she claimed. “And it is remarkable that Joe Biden raped me when I worked for him at U.S. Congress and I’m supposed to be the fugitive. That is ridiculous and it’s unacceptable.”
“I am going to make a request and it’s a large one: I’d like to apply for citizenship in Russia from the president of the Russian federation, Vladimir Putin, and hopefully Maria can help me from the State Duma,” Reade said, adding: “I do promise to be a good citizen and move forward with my life in a positive way.”
Reade’s allegations against Biden were first made public in 2020, during the Democratic presidential primary. Biden denied the allegations, and they were never substantiated.
Some conservatives have seized on Reade’s defection as evidence that her allegations against Biden are credible. They argue that Reade would not have defected to Russia if she was not afraid of being harmed in the United States.
Others have dismissed Reade’s defection as a publicity stunt. They argue that Reade is simply trying to stay in the news and that her allegations against Biden are still not credible.
SHOCK: Senate staffer who was sexually assaulted by Joe Biden has been granted political asylum by Russia. Unable to bring Biden to justice in the U.S. Tara Reade has fled the country in hopes she can be safe from retaliation from the president's family.https://t.co/H7mU4WoYK0
— @amuse (@amuse) May 31, 2023
