Tara Reade, a former Senate aide who accused President Joe Biden of sexual assault, announced Tuesday she defected to Russia. The shocking confession was made during a Russian state press conference, where Reade was sitting next to alleged Kremlin spy—and pal—Maria Butina. Reade told the pro-Putin press the “very difficult” decision to move came after the realization that she no longer feels safe in Biden’s America.
“I’m still kind of in a daze a bit but I feel very good,” Reade told Sputnik. “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.”
About three years ago, Reade alleged that then-Democratic presidential nominee Biden had sexually assaulted her in 1993 in a Capitol Hill office when she was his staff assistant. Biden “unequivocally” denied the allegations that quickly became a focal point of the 2020 presidential race. Media outlets have since found inconsistencies in her and witnesses’ accounts of the allegations, which were made public in March 2020. Reports also put a harsh spotlight on Reade’s educational credentials.
