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Neil deGrasse Tyson dismisses ‘sad’ rape accuser, says he welcomes sex misconduct probe

But "I'm the accused, so why believe anything I say?" the celebrity scientist added.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson speaking at a conference in New York City in October1 on October 23, 2018 in New York City.  CREDIT: Craig Barritt/Getty Images
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson speaking at a conference in New York City in October1 on October 23, 2018 in New York City. CREDIT: Craig Barritt/Getty Images

Celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson said the “sad” woman who has accused him of rape suffers from “false memories,” and said he welcomes the investigation into the newest sex abuse allegations against him.

Tyson, one of a long line of powerful men to be accused of misusing his celebrity and authority to sexually abuse of women, issued a lengthy statement overnight answering past rape charges as well as new sexual misconduct allegations that were raised last week.

“I’m the accused, so why believe anything I say? Why believe me at all?” Tyson said in a long, rambling statement published in various media outlets.

“That brings us back to the value of an independent investigation, which FOX/NatGeo (the networks on which Cosmos and StarTalk air) announced that they will conduct. I welcome this,” he said.

“Accusations can damage a reputation and a marriage. Sometimes irreversibly. I see myself as a loving husband and as a public servant – a scientist and educator who serves at the will of the public. I am grateful for the support I’ve received from those who continue to respect and value me and my work.”

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As ThinkProgress’ Lindsay Gibbs reported on Saturday, Fox and National Geographic — the two networks responsible for producing Tyson’s Emmy-award winning Cosmos series —  announced Friday that they are investigating allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct against him.

The two accusers who came forward on Friday were former colleagues of Tyson’s. One said he groped her at a party in 2009. The other, a former assistant of Tyson’s, said he made unwanted sexual advances toward her. They made their allegations to David McAfee of Patheos.

Their charges follow earlier allegations of rape by another woman, who Tyson said — without flatly denying the allegations she makes — that he had a consensual sexual relationship with many years ago. 

“The drug and rape allegation comes from an assumption of what happened to her during a night that she cannot remember. It is as though a false memory had been implanted, which, because it never actually happened, had to be remembered as an evening she doesn’t remember. Nor does she remember waking up the next morning and going to the office,” he writes.

DeGrasse also addressed the climate of sex abuse allegations in the “Me Too” era.

“For a variety of reasons, most justified, some unjustified, men accused of sexual impropriety in today’s ‘me-too’ climate are presumed to be guilty by the court of public opinion. Emotions bypass due-process, people choose sides, and the social media wars begin,” he said, using scientific language to dissect the allegations.

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“In any claim, evidence matters. Evidence always matters. But what happens when it’s just one person’s word against another’s, and the stories don’t agree? That’s when people tend to pass judgment on who is more credible than whom,” he said

“And that’s when an impartial investigation can best serve the truth — and would have my full cooperation to do so.”