Biden accuser Tara Reade ‘will not be silenced’, would testify under oath

Tara Reade, who has accused President Joe Biden of sexual assault, said she “won’t be silenced” after asking House Republicans to investigate her assault allegations.

Reade worked as a Senate staffer for Biden in 1993, when she said he sexually assaulted her. She said that in addition to making her feel uncomfortable — as other women have also alleged — she also accused Biden of pushing her against a wall and digitally penetrating her. Biden has vehemently denied those allegations.

Now Reade is calling on House Republicans to investigate his accusations. The GOP clawed back a narrow majority in the House of Representatives in November’s midterm elections, potentially paving the way for more investigations into the Biden administration.

Reade told conservative newspaper The Daily Caller that she would be willing to testify to her charges under oath and allow members of Congress to ask her “any question they wanted”.

“I think we need to have the conversation, instead of erasing myself, and other women who have been erased who have tried to come forward,” Reade told the outlet.

Early Saturday morning, Reade tweeted that she would not be “silenced” by Democrats, who have defended Biden against her allegations.

“As I said in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, I will not be silenced,” she wrote. “Sexual assault is not politically partisan. Democrats got caught covering up what happened to me in 1993 to elect their monster.”

House Republicans have not said publicly whether they plan to investigate Reade’s sexual assault charges, but Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado signaled support for an investigation on Friday.

“Tara Reade has asked the new GOP House to investigate her sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden,” the GOP lawmaker tweeted. “I am for !”

Biden’s campaign denied Reade’s allegations when she first came forward in 2020.

“Women have a right to tell their story, and journalists have an obligation to rigorously investigate these allegations,” said Kate Bedingfield, deputy campaign manager and communications director. “We encourage them to do so, because these accusations are false.”

Marianne Baker, who served as Biden’s executive aide from 1982 to 2000, also said she never witnessed, heard or received any reports of inappropriate conduct.

Reade already said Newsweek she considered coming forward with her allegations after former President Barack Obama chose Biden as his running mate in his 2008 presidential bid.

“When Obama was running for office, I was very supportive because I had been a lifelong Democrat,” Reade said in 2020. “[Biden] was on the note and I thought about it [coming forward]but I didn’t because my daughter was in college at the time and I didn’t want to advertise our family.”

Newsweek contacted Reade and the White House for comment.