Associated Press Admits to Burying 2019 Tara Reade Interview

  |  
May 3, 2020

The Associated Press admitted in a report on Tara Reade’s allegations of sexual assault against Joe Biden that it interviewed the former Senate staffer in 2019, only to decline publishing the interview.

The AP claims that it “declined to publish details of the 2019 interviews at the time because reporters were unable to corroborate her allegations, and aspects of her story contradicted other reporting.”

The news organization claims that the interview was later “deleted” in accordance with practices related to old material. However, notes from the interview reveal Reade’s account regarding to Biden engaging in behavior such as touching her shoulders and neck and playing with her hair.

It’s questionable that such an interview was thrown out on the basis of it supposed lack of corroboration, considering Reade did veritably work as a Senate staffer at the time. Some of Reade’s associates have since come forward to corroborate hearing of the claims at the time.

Reade’s allegation is unproven, and we can’t rush to accept anything as fact on the basis of it. The best possible option is to investigate evidence and witness accounts, and AP’s deletion of its interview seems to have disregarded the journalistic imperative to do exactly that.

The AP discussed a Senate report Reade had filed as a Senate staffer about Joe Biden’s conduct, and the news agency claimed the report she had filed didn’t include any reference of sexual harassment or assault. Reade herself denied the AP’s claim about the interview that had buried, stating that the report she filed referenced such conduct.

The report has become a point of contention in Reade’s allegations against the former Delaware Senator and Democratic Presidential candidate, with Biden calling for the Senate or National Archives to release any record of such a complaint against him.

Our Latest Articles