The Associated Press released an article on Saturday, stating that Tara Reade, the woman who accused former Vice President Joe Biden of sexual assault, had not filed a complaint against Biden that included harassment or assault.
The headline stated: “AP Exclusive: Harassment, assault absent in Biden complaint.”
According to the Associated Press, Reade’s complaint “did not explicitly accuse [Biden] of sexual assault or harassment.”
While talking to the Associated Press, Reade said: “I remember talking about him wanting me to serve drinks because he liked my legs and thought I was pretty and it made me uncomfortable. … I know that I was too scared to write about the sexual assault.”
The AP says that when describing her problems with Biden, Reade said, “the main word I used – and I know I didn’t use sexual harassment – I used ‘uncomfortable.’ And I remember ‘retaliation.’”
The AP continues: “Reade says she was reluctant to share details of the assault during her initial conversations with reporters over a year ago because she was scared of backlash, and was still coming to terms with what happened to her.”
The Associated Press also released a tweet which linked to the story, readinhg: “Tara Reade says a Senate report she filed against Joe Biden didn’t refer to sexual harassment or assault.”
Reade quickly responded to the tweet, stating that it was false.
Check out wha the Daily Wire reported:
The Daily Wire reached out to Reade for clarification, but we have not received a reply as of publication. However, in the hours after Reade’s tweet went live, the Associated Press changed the title of the article to: “Reade: ‘I didn’t use sexual harassment’ in Biden complaint.”
At the bottom of the newly-titled piece, an editor’s note states: “The headline of this story was changed for clarity and to incorporate a direct quote from Reade.”
While it’s difficult to know without direct clarification what Reade was referring to when she sent out her tweet, it’s possible that she was troubled by the phrasing of the headline and tweet from the Associated Press, the language of which was vague in such a way as to potentially convey the idea that Reade didn’t actually accuse Biden of harassment or assault.
However, though Reade might not have used the words “harassment” or “assault” in her alleged complaint, what she described as Biden’s behavior during her interview with the Associated Press could be interpreted as harassment without the direct usage of the word itself.
