Thread by @NoTeamsIndy

EVERYONE claiming sexual assault, including Tara Reade, must be heard. Also, it’s critical we not begin with disbelief or victim blaming.

BUT when there is no evidence or witnesses, we must also consider the accuser's credibility, and possible bias.

A THREAD:

1. Her story changes in several ways, but in some cases it isn’t necessarily a contradiction. For example, in 2009 she said she arrived in DC via plane, but in 2019 that she drove. This could be misremembering, or just conflating two memories.

But watch the 2009/2019 divide…

1a. In 2009, claimed she followed husband to new job, but in 2019, it was because she wouldn’t serve drinks at a party (told it was at Biden’s request), then “blacklisted.” Also in 2019, she “did not even know if he realized why I left,” BUT in 2020 said Biden “fired” her.

2a. Didn’t mention assault in 2009. In 2019, didn't claim assault, but that him touching her neck made her uncomfortable. Said specifically that she didn’t feel sexualized, but rather like a beautiful, decorative lamp. She also said her story was "not... about sexual misconduct."

2b. Claims assault in 2020, and that she told her brother, mother, and an unnamed friend. Brother confirms it, mother passed away, Reade won’t reveal friend’s name. This is one corroboration, though in court, a family member’s testimony would hardly be unquestionable.

2b. Claims in 2020 she tried to tell assault story in 2019 interview, but interviewer “shut [her] down." This is perhaps the hardest part to believe, as it suggests that a news outlet, which makes more money with more readers, would refuse a more sensational story.

2c. She says Time’s Up declined her case, which they did, but this was because she wasn’t planning to sue Biden for workplace harassment or assault (their focus), but rather to stop Biden supporters from accusing her of being a Russian agent.

3. Biden pivot: Reade’s view of Biden (in public comments) shifts dramatically in 2018. Before this, she praise his help for victims of domestic abuse, cancer research, and even promoted his efforts to combat sexual assault.

3. In 2018, she pivots to criticizing him harshly, calling him “The Blue Trump,” supporting the Ukraine smear, and even shopping critical stories to various outlets, including *the Trump White House* (she recently made her tweets private, including this one).

3a. Putin pivot: in 2017, promotes criticism of Putin's support for Russian domestic violence law, promotes Russia investigation. ALSO, claimed in 2020 that she stopped supporting Putin after “learning more about domestic violence in Russia,” but she apparently knew *in 2017*

3a. (con’t) In 2018, she begins writing fiercely pro-Putin essays, one of which is first published in Russian. Curiously, it is written in the masculine gender, suggesting it may have been written by someone else, though she simply may not have mastered Russian grammar.

3a. In March 2020, claims "I don't support Putin at all." Yet her praise of him and accusations of US anti-Russian propaganda / lies continued through *February of 2020*

3a. Perhaps a coincidence, but she filed for bankruptcy in 2017. To be clear, there is no direct evidence of her being offered financial help / relief for promoting Russian talking points, but it would match the pattern seen in the GRU's actions related to Paul Manafort.

3a. Again, perhaps a coincidence, but in December 2019, she also tweeted a question about foreign agents having to register or face fines, per a new law. She's American herself, so perhaps just asking, asking for a friend, or maybe wondering if it applied to her.

4. Candidate support: claims she originally supported Warren, later moved to Sanders. BUT before a single vote was cast, she tweeted her support for Bernie, and that she feared a "Biden Warren" ticket being “pushed” on Dem voters (also anti-Bernie conspiracy theory).

4b. These views are not surprising, since she said she ONLY gets news from Bernie staffer (and notorious smear artist) @davidsirota, "or bernie supporters," or her daughter.

4c. Cryptic response to March 2020 tweet from Ryan Grim on Biden/Sanders matchup, writing "Timing... wait for it... tic toc."

Grim works for The Intercept, through which she first claimed assault. She later tweeted out the Intercept interview, telling Bernie to “Please stay in.”

3c. The Intercept: far-left, fiercely pro-Sanders / anti-Biden, Syrian truthers, Putin-friendly reporting published in Putin's propaganda outlet (Russia Today). Also smeared Dem Gil Cisneros by not checking facts, had to correct.

IOW, this fits a well-established pattern.

In short:

1. Several contradictions / inconsistencies on story of firing and alleged assault

2. Biden / Putin “pivot”

3. Lied about candidate support, clearly wants to help Bernie

Reade’s claim is neither proven nor disproven, but there are MANY reasons to keep our eyes open.

Here's that tweet shopping her story to the Trump White House: