Former US Senate Aide granted Russian Citizenship.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has granted citizenship to Tara Reade, a former Biden Senate aide who accused the then-future president of sexual assault in 2020. An official Kremlin decree announcing Reade’s new citizenship identifies her as “Alexandra Tara McCabe”, born February 26, 1964. Reade changed her legal name from Tara Reade to Alexandra McCabe after separating from her husband in the late 1990s.

The move highlights Russia’s continued efforts to provide sanctuary to Americans who have become controversial figures in U.S. politics, similar to Edward Snowden’s receipt of Russian citizenship in September 2022. Reade worked briefly as a Senate aide for Biden in the early 1990s before accusing him in 2020 of sexually assaulting her in a Capitol office building in 1993, the allegations which Joe Biden have categorically denied. Her accusations surfaced during Biden’s presidential campaign but did not result in formal charges.

Reade moved to Moscow in 2023, claiming she faced threats in the U.S. after repeating her accusations when Biden announced his re-election bid. She appeared at Russian state media events and granted an interview to Tucker Carlson during his visit to Moscow in February 2024. Since relocating, she has worked with Russian propaganda outlet RT. Russian citizenship typically requires five years of legal residency, though Putin has made exceptions for high-profile cases.

Statement on Tara Reade’s Allegation Against Former Vice President Joe Biden –

Our nation is going through a transformational moment around how we handle accusations of sexual harassment and assault, and how we create a culture where women and all people are no longer afraid to come forward.

This movement has been led by women of color who are often on the front lines of moving our country and our consciousness into the future. Because of their work and the work of so many other activists, as part of the MeToo and TIME’S UP movements, we are finally hearing the stories of those who have been silenced. This is a good thing and we should not go backwards.

Believing survivors means that they deserve to be heard and they deserve, as all human beings do, to be treated with respect and dignity. And Tara Reade is no exception. These beliefs do not contradict the need for justice or a fair process.

It was an important first step that former Vice President Joe Biden came out on national television to address these allegations. Before these allegations surfaced, Biden had spoken about being more respectful and thoughtful in his personal interactions. As a leader and role model, Biden now has an opportunity to continue to own past behavior, show how he has evolved and talk about how he will address these important issues if he were elected president of our country. This is an opportunity to model how we can create an environment focused on repairing harm, promoting healing and restoration, and moving all of us forward.

At the same time, our country is suffering under the well-documented racist and sexist leadership of President Trump. His continued disregard for women, our bodies and our personal autonomy is evident in both his personal interactions and his public policies. As we face the crisis that is coronavirus, we strongly believe that he is not fit for office and that he is dangerous to the lives of women and our families.

As an organization we will continue to work toward a more equitable society that ensures that those who are most marginalized and most impacted by structural racism and discrimination have an opportunity to thrive — and we expect our leaders to uphold those values.

Team Maverick