Tara Reade, the former congressional aide to then-Senator Joe Biden who has accused the president of sexual assault; is currently stranded in Russia due to fears of imminent detention in the United States due to a years-long campaign of bullying and intimidation by the Democratic Party’s political and media machine. Some have questioned her apparently positive statements about Russia and Vladimir Putin; adding further fuel to speculation that the Democrats spread in 2020, when Ms. Reade initially went public with her allegations against Joe Biden, that she is a Russian asset. Radha Stirling, CEO of Due Process International, speaking on behalf of Tara Reade, issued the following statement:
“No one should misrepresent the situation Ms. Reade is in. She is, practically speaking, in exile. This is not by choice, nor is it her preference. Ideally, Tara would be safe to return to the United States, to her daughter, to her home, and be allowed to live her life free from harassment, threats, and intimidation. She is in Russia today precisely because she does not have that safety or freedom in America; not while the Biden Administration remains intent on keeping her silent.
“She is trying to make the best of a bad situation, and trying to remain positive. Her relief at being a safe distance from the bullying she has endured for years should not be misconstrued in any way as contentment with her exile from her home country, which she loves dearly.
“Ms. Reade may well have been issued with a Red Notice by Interpol, which means that she cannot fly from Russia to any preferred country of her choice without again facing the risk of arrest upon arrival. She has no special status in Russia, and her ability to stay there is uncertain. She has expressed the desire to seek Russian citizenship simply because that would spare her the inevitability of otherwise exiting the country under unsafe conditions.
“Again, we must reiterate: Tara Reade did not choose to be in this situation. Her circumstances have been imposed upon her by an administration that has weaponized the power of the government for partisan political persecution against whistleblowers, critics, and even victims. Anyone who imagines that Ms. Reade is in any way happy about not being safe to return to her home and family, clearly does not understand the difference between resilience and surrender. Tara has faced vicious character assassination for over three years, all of which could have been avoided had she just agreed to be silent. She has been paying the price for speaking out all this time, and that price has increased now to include exile. Because she has not succumbed to the fatigue of persecution, no one should misconstrue her ability to endure as her satisfaction with the situation.”
TARA READE MEDIA CONTACT: Radha Stirling radha@radhastirling.com +44 7309 114 195 (WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal). Twitter @RadhaStirling