The Secretary of the United States Senate responded to former Vice President Joe Biden’s request to release records from his tenure that may contain information to Tara Reade’s claims. Biden penned a letter to the secretary on Friday, hoping that records related to Reade’s allegations would be tracked down and be released to the public:
New: Joe Biden writes a letter asking the Secretary of the Senate to “take or direct whatever steps are necessary” to locate the complaint by @ReadeAlexandra, and to publicly release it along with “any and all other documents in the records that relate to the allegation.” pic.twitter.com/tQcEd1SWI8
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) May 1, 2020
The Secretary of the Senate denied the former vice president’s request, claiming that the office has “no discretion to disclose” information related to the alleged complaint filed by Tara Reade in 1993:
Office of the Secretary of the Senate says it has been advised it doesn't have the authority to release any Joe Biden records pertaining to Tara Reade as the former senator and vice president requested on Friday. pic.twitter.com/Ihe8CVeCOX
— Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) May 4, 2020
Breaking:Secretary of Senate turns down Biden request to search for records of any complaint filed by Tara Reade. In email, spokeswoman says legal counsel has advised there is "no discretion" to search for such records because they would be confidential under current law.
— Michael Isikoff (@Isikoff) May 4, 2020
5) "Senate Legal Counsel advises that the Secretary has no discretion to disclose any such information as requested in Vice President Biden’s letter of May 1.”
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) May 4, 2020
3) "Senate Legal Counsel has reviewed the relevant statute governing the records of the Office of Senate Fair Employment Practices: the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991, title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, Pub. L. No 102-166, 105 Stat. 1088-1099.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) May 4, 2020
While the Secretary of the Senate does not have the authority to disclose these records under current law, an abundance of documentation that is directly related to Biden’s 36 year tenure in the Senate remains under lock and key at the University of Delaware. The former vice president claims that he has nothing to hide, and that the hidden records contain nothing related to Reade’s claims; still, Biden has yet to indicate that he will unseal the records.