Snopes, a fact-checking website, has recently updated its evaluation regarding the contents of a stolen diary belonging to President Joe Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden, confirming their authenticity. Initially labeled as “Unproven,” an article from early April investigated claims about Ashley Biden’s diary describing inappropriate actions by her father during her childhood. However, in a revised version at the end of the month, Snopes changed its rating to “True” after new evidence emerged.
The update came in response to an April 8 letter addressed to a New York judge requesting jail time for one of the individuals convicted of stealing Ashley Biden’s diary before the 2020 election. In the letter, published by The New York Times, Ashley Biden expressed her distress over the online exposure of her personal journal, indicating its legitimacy and relevance.
Snopes acknowledged the existence of the diary in previous fact-checks but had reservations about the authenticity of the leaked pages published online. The alleged diary pages contained sensitive information, including references to being “hyper-sexualized” at a young age and instances of “showers w/ my dad (probably not appropriate).” These details were made public by the website National File.
The fact-checking process initially distinguished between the existence of the diary and the veracity of the leaked photographs. However, Ashley Biden’s letter to the court, as noted by Snopes, served as authentication, leading to the updated assessment confirming the diary’s contents as genuine.
In her letter to the court, Ashley Biden explained that her journal was instrumental in her healing process following a traumatic experience in her early 20s. She attributed the theft of her diary to her father’s presidential campaign, resulting in continuous emotional distress due to the public scrutiny and misinterpretation of her private writings.
The letter also highlighted Ashley Biden’s concerns about the misconceptions and false accusations stemming from the leaked diary entries, emphasizing the impact on her reputation and the people she cares about. The updated fact-check underscores the significance of authenticated evidence in evaluating contentious claims and clarifying the truth behind sensitive allegations.
