Politics

Media Coverage Of Tara Reade’s Credentials Prompts Review Of Cases Where She Testified As An Expert

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• 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden’s accuser Tara Reade is no longer represented by Douglas Wigdor, Wigdor LLP announced Friday.
• The firm made the decision Wednesday but stated in a press release that it still strongly believes that Reade has been “subjected to a double standard in terms of the media coverage she has received.”
• News that Wigdor had dropped Reade’s case follows a variety of reports that cast doubts on aspects of Reade’s story, including her statement that she obtained an undergraduate degree at Antioch University. 

2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden’s accuser Tara Reade is no longer represented by Douglas Wigdor, Wigdor LLP announced Friday.

The firm made the decision to no longer represent Reade’s allegations against the former vice president Wednesday, but said in a press release that the firm still strongly believes that Reade has been “subjected to a double standard in terms of the media coverage she has received.”

Reade accused Biden, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, of kissing her, touching her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent when she worked for him as a Senate staffer in 1993. Biden and his campaign have denied Reade’s allegations repeatedly.

“Much of what has been written about Ms. Reade is not probative of whether then-Senator Biden sexually assaulted her, but rather is intended to victim-shame and attack her credibility on unrelated and irrelevant matters,” the firm said in a statement. “We genuinely wish Ms. Reade well and hope that she, as a survivor, is treated fairly.”

“We have and will continue to represent survivors regardless of their alleged predator’s status or policies,” the firm concluded.

Wigdor LLP did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Reade’s publicist told the DCNF that Reade is currently seeking new counsel with public relations support and that though Reade does not wish to make a public statement at this time, she stands by her interview with Megyn Kelly.

Wigdor LLP announced May 7 that the firm would be representing Reade and her allegations of sexual assault against Biden. News of Reade’s representation came after a report from the DCNF highlighting the Biden accuser’s lack of legal representation.

“We at Wigdor LLP firmly believe that every survivor of sexual assault has the right to competent legal counsel, and we will represent Ms. Reade zealously, just as we would any other victim of sexual violence,” the firm said in a press release.

News that Wigdor had dropped Reade’s case follows a variety of reports that cast doubts on aspects of Reade’s story, including her statement that she obtained an undergraduate degree at Antioch University and obtained a law degree from Seattle University School of Law.

An Antioch University spokeswoman told Politico in a statement that Reade did not graduate from Antioch University, though she attended Antioch for three academic quarters in 2000 and 2001. The Seattle University School of Law confirmed that the Biden accuser did graduate in 2004, Politico reported.

Reade told The New York Times that she obtained her Bachelor’s degree at Antioch University through a “protected program” intended for victims of domestic abuse. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the DCNF.

Court records show that Reade did endure spousal abuse from her ex-husband in the 1990s, Politico reported. Reade said that this abuse prompted her to change her name, and that this led to confusion about her status at Antioch University.

Reade previously said that her Bachelor’s degree was obtained under special circumstances through an agreement with former Chancellor Toni Murdock, and that she had to present coursework that was completed before she changed her name.

Murdock denied knowledge of such an agreement to Politico, but the Monterey County Weekly reported Thursday that an unofficial transcript of the Seattle University School of Law lists Antioch University as Reade’s institution that granted her an undergraduate degree.

“We can confirm that Alexandra T. McCabe graduated from Seattle University School of Law with a JD degree in 2004,” Seattle University School of Law spokesman David Sandler told the DCNF on Friday. “Federal privacy regulations prevent us from sharing additional information about the educational records of former students.”

“Our current admission requirements are publicly posted on the Seattle University School of Law website,” he added. “As in the past, they are consistent with American Bar Association standards for law schools.”