PART 2 of Reade-Biden (5/17/20 UPDATE): Tara Reade’s credibility and motives; Joe Biden’s patterns; making a judgment.
Thread on claims and collaboration on separate thread, appended to end of this thread.
Thread on claims and collaboration on separate thread, appended to end of this thread.
Motive / bias:
“Pivot I”: Reade’s view of Biden shifts dramatically in 2018, on social media and private conversations (per Politico). Praised his work on domestic abuse (especially the Violence Against Women Act), cancer research, and even his efforts to combat sexual assault.
“Pivot I”: Reade’s view of Biden shifts dramatically in 2018, on social media and private conversations (per Politico). Praised his work on domestic abuse (especially the Violence Against Women Act), cancer research, and even his efforts to combat sexual assault.
Politico: politico.com/news/2020/05/1…
NOTE: articles cited in the first thread will not be cited again here
NOTE: articles cited in the first thread will not be cited again here
In 2018, pivots to harsh criticism, calling him “Blue Trump” (Medium 2019), repeats smears based on claim of cognitive decline made popular by Sanders and Trump supporters, started shopping critical stories to various outlets, including *Trump WH*
Reade claims to have shopped the assault story to the Warren and Harris campaigns in 2020, which (obviously) suggests a political motive. An unnamed source from the Harris campaign denies this; Reade says Warren campaign’s response was a form letter.
People change opinions on politicians for numerous reasons, and perhaps she only supported his work as a legislator and advocate. In considering a possible motive for this shift, let's consider another important pivot that occurred around the same time.
“Pivot II”: also in 2018, view of Putin changes. In 2017, promotes Mueller, and criticism of Russian law decriminalizing domestic abuse. FALSELY claims to Vox in 2020 stopped supporting Putin after “learning more about domestic violence in Russia,” but she knew about it *in 2017*
In 2018, begins writing fiercely pro-Putin essays, one of which is first published in Russian. Takes down essays in 2019 after "touching" story published by The Union, BUT continues praising him and challenging Putin criticisms on social media as late as *February 2020*
She began denying support for Putin publicly in May 2019, shortly after “touching” story published, but as we’ve seen, she continued defended Putin numerous times, once in response to a tweet by a profile called “Friends of Putin."
Also to Vox and Salon, claimed essays praising Putin were part of work on a novel set in Russia, influenced by Noam Chomsky’s writings and Oliver Stone’s documentaries. As we’ve seen, and will see further below, this is not borne out by facts.
In her interview with Megyn Kelly, Reade suggested her writings praising Putin were “just a joke.” Again, this contradicts earlier claims, including a 2018 posting from her Quora account, in which she asks people’s thoughts on her article, with no hint of humor or irony.
Quora account: quora.com/profile/Alexan…
In 2017, Reade filed for bankruptcy seeking relief for $400,000+. To be clear, no direct evidence she was offered financial help for serving Russian agenda, but could explain the contemporaneous “double pivot,” and fits GRU’s pattern of using financial leverage to "recruit.”
Quote in pic 3 is from House Intelligence Committee’s report: justsecurity.org/wp-content/upl…
Also note that on Quora, she followed only three people, one a former Soviet KGB propagandist and self-described “Putinist,” another a former Russian soldier, and the third an anti-Biden Russian businessman. These are the type of contacts that could be used to set up a deal.
More on Russian recruitment tactics here (“NPR 2”): npr.org/sections/paral…
In case you’re not aware: Putin is currently actively interfering in the 2020 election, and his bot/troll army and propaganda outlets have attacked Biden far more than any other 2020 Dem candidate.
Some Biden supporters have suggested Ms. Reade is a mentally ill woman who appeared on the Dr. Phil show, claiming Putin was her lover. Salon spoke with the family of this person, and confirmed it is NOT her.
On pattern of honesty, Reade accused of lying and stealing from a group with which she volunteered ("PMR"); one person’s word against another (they do have docs), but if true, suggests pattern. Reade claimed owner committed fraud, owner threaten to take Reade to claims court.
Full thread by group owner here:
Exchange w/Reade here:
Exchange w/Reade here:
Brian and Eddie Krassenstein have documented a similar incident of accused defrauding a non-profit animal rescue, the Steinbeck County Equine Clinic.
medium.com/@eddiekrassens…
medium.com/@eddiekrassens…
Politico has detailed a string of similar incidents with former acquaintances who felt they were taken advantage of or lied to by Reade. In many of these cases, claims of financial distress, harassment, and danger were a key part of her story.
politico.com/news/2020/05/1…
politico.com/news/2020/05/1…
Also, just three months apart in 2020, claimed she has and has not worked for political campaigns. We have seen several contradictory stories already, and we will see more below, starting with her claims related to candidate support in 2020.
Told Newsweek she originally supported Warren, moved to Sanders after Warren dropped out. This is FALSE: although she stated support for Warren and Williamson at various times, she tweeted her choice to vote for Bernie *two weeks before first votes were cast*
Newsweek: newsweek.com/biden-campaign…
Pro-Bernie stance not surprising, as she claimed in March 2020 she ONLY gets news from Sanders staffer (and smear artist) David Sirota, "bernie supporters," or her daughter. Also told Kelly she’s “not here to influence a national election,” but as we'll see, that’s not true.
Sent out tweet just after midnight on February 4th (the night of the IA caucuses), writing, “I say to Joe Biden tock tock.” This was in response to a tweet from “The Bern Report” suggesting Biden was doing well (recall that no results were available that evening).
~10:30PM on Super Tuesday (March 3rd), basically the moment it was clear Biden and Sanders were last two viable candidates, responding to a tweet on the matchup: "Timing... wait for it... tic toc." Three weeks later, she made her first public claim of assault.
This tweet in response to Ryan Grim of The Intercept, whose staff includes Halper. Reade indicates motive *three other times* saying story “disqualifies” Biden, retweeting interview and telling Sanders “Please stay in,” and telling campaign senior advisor Nina Turner the same.
In Kelly interview, Reade claimed the “tick tock” tweets were a reference to attempts to get a lawyer with Time’s Up, but as noted in other thread, she hadn’t spoken to those lawyers about suing Biden, but those who claimed she is a Russian agent.
On 3/15, “Beware the Ides of March,” followed by anti-Biden statements. On 3/17, “f*ck Biden #DemExit,” which contradicts claim from Kelly interview that she left Dems because key party figures didn’t find her assault claim credible. On 3/24, day of Halper interview, "very soon."
Note: if her *only* goal was to stop Biden once it looked like he might win, she could’ve come forward after SC primary, or Super Tuesday. Instead, she waited until the nomination contest was essentially over, and with the express intent to have the nomination fall to Sanders.
The Intercept: far-left, pro-Sanders / anti-Biden, staff includes Syrian truthers, including Halper, who recently spoke on Reade on Putin's propaganda outlet, Sputnik. Intercept smeared "establishment" Dem Gil Cisneros w/o checking facts.
IOW, this fits their pattern / agenda.
IOW, this fits their pattern / agenda.
Worth noting Reade first approached pro-Bernie media w/assault claim, and generally avoided on-camera interviews with non-partisan figures (in part on advice of Nathan Robinson). As we have seen, these interviews have often had to be vetted / corrected by other media outlets.
Robinson quote ("Current Affairs 1"): currentaffairs.org/2020/04/evalua…
Several pro-Bernie figures, including those who promoted this story before properly vetting it, revealed a similar motive to Reade’s, suggesting Biden must drop out of the race because of her claim (Robinson published an article within two days of original Halper interview).
Robinson article (“Current Affairs 2”): currentaffairs.org/2020/03/everyt…
Other prominent Sanders supporters (“BI 2”): businessinsider.com/former-bernie-…
Other prominent Sanders supporters (“BI 2”): businessinsider.com/former-bernie-…
Biden’s patterns:
Several women have claimed Biden was not respectful of personal space, and prone to unwanted touching of a non-sexual nature. Seven women, including Reade, came forward with stories in May 2019.
Several women have claimed Biden was not respectful of personal space, and prone to unwanted touching of a non-sexual nature. Seven women, including Reade, came forward with stories in May 2019.
There are many pics/vids of this pattern, and it's confirmed by Senate staffers from the time in question. On this point, however, it is also worth noting that Biden, a heterosexual man, has exhibited the same pattern with men, suggesting it is not necessarily sexual in nature.
A full account of those women who have accused Biden of unwelcome physical contact from Business Insider (“BI 3”): businessinsider.com/joe-biden-alle…
He's rightly criticized for this, and promised to change, but it doesn't cross the line to harassment or assault, both requiring sexual intent, even by the broadest possible interpretation of the 1980 federal statute and pursuant rulings.
Full legal statute available here: legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Sexual+Harassm…
Additionally, none of the other seven women who raised this issue in 2019 claimed assault when asked in 2020. In interviews with close to 100 Biden staffers from the time, the vast majority of whom are women, they found ZERO claims of sexual harassment or assault.
This is important, since those who commit this type of assault rarely do so only once, seeing women as objects for their gratification. As Sherry Hamby, a noted professor of psychology states, such a singular incident would be “incredibly unlikely.”
In fact, Biden's staff from the time describe the environment as supportive and professional, in which women were respected (and frequently put into leadership positions). They further note he didn't even have a reputation for harassment or assault in DC.
Making a judgment:
Story of violating personal space, non-sexual touching relatively consistent, corroboration of story told at the time, and matches pattern. "Drinks" component and its misogynistic sexualization is contrary to established patterns, as well as staff practices.
Story of violating personal space, non-sexual touching relatively consistent, corroboration of story told at the time, and matches pattern. "Drinks" component and its misogynistic sexualization is contrary to established patterns, as well as staff practices.
Assault claim inconsistent in several ways, many parts of the story are problematic, others are self-contradictory from one story to another; contemporaneous corroboration of story told, but with significant asterisks related to 2020 changes of story after "reminders" from Reade.
Stories on firing highly inconsistent or contradictory, numerous parts problematic or contradictory, and contemporaneous accounts suggest various possibilities, including firing for cause.
Women often face unfair skepticism on assault claims, so let's compare with allegations proven to be false. In 2018, several women accused Roy Moore of sexual assault, all providing either evidence or witnesses of inappropriate behavior. Then, Jaime Phillips...
claimed Moore impregnated her at 15. Story had inconsistencies, and her internet postings and discussions with reporters suggested a possible political motive. Turns out she was sent by the right-wing Project Veritas to prove media outlets were just "out to get" Moore.
Phillips story from 2018 Elle Magazine article: elle.com/culture/career…
Returning to recent false claim of Biden commenting on 14 year old girl’s breasts, we also find a possible political motive, as the woman turned out to be the niece of Biden’s 2008 opponent for the DE Senate seat, Christine O’Donnell.
Similar smears were attempted against Pete Buttigieg and Dr. Anthony Fauci, with “victims” beings recruited to make false allegations. I mention these here as examples of politically motivated accusations.
We have seen similar issues with Reade’s claim, including inconsistencies and contradictions (incl. sudden shift of political support), and a clear political motive not limited to stopping Biden, but also helping Sanders specifically.
As The Intercept’s Glen Greenwald noted in regard to the rape charges against Julian Assange, "an accusation is not proof of guilt." These cases are difficult, since those making claims are "imperfect" people, and the accused deserves presumption of innocence. We make a judgment.
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