A California newspaper has unearthed a court document that appears to back Tara Reade’s initial claim that she was sexually harassed in 1993 while working as an aide for then-Sen. Joseph R. Biden.
The Tribune in San Luis Obispo is reporting that it has a 1996 court document that shows Ms. Reade told her ex-husband that she was sexually harassed.
The testimony does not say that Mr. Biden, the presumed 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, harassed her.
There is also no mention of the bombshell allegation Ms. Reade made in March that Mr. Biden in 1993 pinned her up against the wall in the Capitol building, put his hand down her skirt, and penetrated her with his fingers.
The newspaper reported the information was part of the testimony Ms. Reade’s then-husband Theodore Dronen gave in 1996 when he contested a restraining order she had filed against him after he filed for divorce.
His court declaration says she told him about “a problem she was having at work regarding sexual harassment, in U.S. Senator Joe Biden’s office.”
Mr. Biden has apologized to women who came out last year to say his old school, handsy, style made them feel uncomfortable and was creepy.
But Mr. Biden has flat-out denied Ms. Reade’s claim that he sexually assaulted her in 1993.
Mr. Biden sought to put the issue behind him last week during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” when he personally addressed the accusation for the first time, saying the situation “never happened” and saying Ms. Reade’s story has evolved over time and has been filled with inaccuracies.
Ms. Reade, though, has refused to go away.
She repeated her side of the story Thursday in an interview with former Fox News Host Megyn Kelly.
Ms. Reade said if it was up to her, Mr. Biden should drop out of the race.
She also said she’d be willing to take a polygraph test as long as Mr. Biden did as well.
In the court document found by the Tribune, Mr. Dronen said he struck up a relationship with Ms. Reade in 1993 when they worked in Washington for different members of Congress.
“On several occasions [Reade] related a problem she was having at work regarding sexual harassment, in U.S. Senate Joe Biden’s office,” Mr. Dronen said. “[Reade] told me that she eventually struck a deal with the chief of staff of the senator’s office and left her position.”
“It was obvious that this event had a very traumatic effect on [Reade], and that she is still sensitive and effected by it today,” he said.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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