NY Times Says Biden Lying About Their Investigation Into Sexual Assault Allegation

Talking points circulated by the Biden Campaign asking supporters to cite a New York Times investigation into sexual assault accuser Tara Reade “inaccurately suggest” that the Times concluded the 1993 incident never happened.

The talking points, first reported Monday night by BuzzFeed, advise surrogates to say the allegation “did not happen,” and that “a thorough review by the New York Times has led to the truth: this incident did not happen.”

Not so fast, according to the Times.

“BuzzFeed reported on the existence of talking points being circulated by the Biden campaign that inaccurately suggest a New York Times investigation found that Tara Reade’s allegation ‘did not happen,‘” said Times VP of communications, Danielle Rhoades Ha, in a statement to the which told the Washington Free Beacon, adding “Our investigation made no conclusion either way.“

The Biden campaign is asking supporters to lean into the Times report as evidence of Biden’s innocence. “In this case, a thorough review by the New York Times has led to the truth: this incident did not happen,” they say.

The Times, however, made clear in its April 12 story on the allegations that it was unable to reach a definitive conclusion about the veracity of Reade’s claims. The paper’s reporters spoke both to former colleagues of the alleged victim who said they didn’t recall the incident as well as to friends who said that Reade detailed Biden’s sexual advances at the time.

“As BuzzFeed correctly reported, our story found three former Senate aides whom Reade said she complained to contemporaneously, all of whom either did not remember the incident or said that it did not happen,” Rhoades Ha said. “The story also included former interns who remembered Reade suddenly changing roles and no longer overseeing them, which took place during the same time period that Reade said she was abruptly reassigned. The Times also spoke to a friend who said Reade told her the details of the allegation at the time; another friend and Reade’s brother say she told them of a traumatic sexual incident involving Biden.” -Washington Free Beacon

Biden’s talking points have been repeated by supporters, including VP hopefuls Stacey Abrams and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

And as the Beacon notes, additional witnesses have emerged since their investigation was published who have corroborated Reade’s account that Biden forced himself upon Reade and penetrated her against her will with his fingers. 

Meanwhile, the Times removed a reference to Biden’s “hugs, kisses and touching that women previously said made them uncomfortable” after a request by the Biden campaign, which “thought that the phrasing was awkward and made it look like there were other instances in which he had been accused of sexual misconduct.”

NY Times writes a story.

Story is changed at demands of Biden campaign.

Biden campaign cites story they had changed in their talking points.

Biden allies circle talking points using story they had changed.

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) April 29, 2020