The Progressive American

Progressive politics for a progressive future.

recent posts

about

Freelance Writer, podcaster and founder of The Progressive American┃MA UIS 24┃Pi Sigma Alpha
  • Trump to be Sentenced: A Symbolic Reaction to a Systemic Failure

    Trump to be Sentenced: A Symbolic Reaction to a Systemic Failure

    Trump will not face prison time, but remains a convicted felon. How the justice system failed the American people

    justice scales and gavel on wooden surface
    Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com

    President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sentenced on January 10th, Judge Merchan announced earlier this year. 1 The announcement is the final result of the historic 34-count conviction of a president, and it is yet another example of how fundamentally weak the justice system is. That same justice not only failed to hold Donald Trump accountable for his crimes, both alleged and convicted, but did so due to his previous position in the White House. While Mr. Trump was unable to get his conviction overturned, and he is appealing that decision, the fact remains that the justice system failed to prosecute the case against Trump quickly and efficiently. 2 3

    Benefits Based in Power

    The reality remains that Trump benefited extensively from the Justice Department’s deference. From the highest court in the land deciding that Trump is entitled to immunity not enumerated in the Constitution to Judge Aileen Cannon deciding, seemingly without basis, that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional, the justice system dragged its feet in prosecuting some of the most important cases involving Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. 4 5

    It is worth noting that the classified documents case that Judge Aileen Cannon threw out was largely considered the strongest of the four cases against Trump.6 By arguing that the Special Counsel had no authority, Judge Cannon actively undermined and ignored long-standing precedent to shield Trump from the greatest legal threat he faced. 7 No other citizen could delay legal proceedings against them in the same way that Trump could, and those benefits only existed because he held power in the White House and sought to hold onto that power again.

    Nobody like Trump

    Yes, the cases against Trump were unprecedented for a former president, but so were the allegations of extensive criminality against him. In the New York case, Donald Trump was confirmed to have committed a crime, and despite having three years since he left office in 2021 and a year since his first indictment in 2023 to put him on trial, the justice system failed to act. 8 9 This failure undermines the stability and trust the American people can have in the justice system.

    Many of his right-wing supporters will dismiss the importance of these cases as corruption or politically motivated. Such a perspective can only exist in a party that views itself as perpetually in a position of anti-establishment fighting while simultaneously supporting the same billionaire for three consecutive presidential elections. To say that the GOP perspective on Trump’s cases is worth less than nothing is an understatement.

    Whether or not the justice system sought to appease this nonsensical perspective remains unclear. What is crystal clear is that the justice system’s failure to try and convict Donald Trump in a timely manner means that a known criminal will be able to hold the levers of power for the first time in American history, remaking the justice system he despises in his desired image. If there is any justice in the world, it lies in the fact that Trump can only hold power for four years, but given how the legal system accommodated him on everything else, nobody should be surprised if he tries to push the envelope on that, too.

    If you like my work and want to support me, you can find the donation link on my Kofi link. Thank you, I really appreciate it. 

  • Speaker Mike Johnson’s Narrow Majority: The Chaos to Come

    Speaker Mike Johnson’s Narrow Majority: The Chaos to Come

    With his election as Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson faces the undesirable prospect of leading with a narrow majority and a dysfunctional party

    Office of Speaker Mike Johnson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    It’s official. Mike Johnson (R-LA) is officially the Speaker of the House after just one round of voting. 1 The vote, which took place last Friday, was a remarkably narrow 218 to 215, with Rep. Johnson barely managing to peel away his opposition to his side at the last minute. Now that he holds the gavel, Speaker Johnson faces a historically narrow majority.2 He also confronts a radical faction in the Freedom Caucus that could sink the 119th Congress before it truly begins.

    What Happened?

    Earlier Friday afternoon, the House of Representatives met to elect the Speaker of the House. This process, which is usually symbolic in its nature and is a requirement before any new Congressmembers are sworn in, has proven difficult for the House Republicans in recent years. In January of 2023, Rep. Kevin McCarthy went through a humiliating 15 rounds of voting before he was finally elected to the Speakership. 3 He was subsequently removed from the Speakership in October thanks to members such as Matt Gaetz. Gaetz has since resigned his position amid sexual misconduct allegations announced by the House ethics committee. 4 5

    In the context of this dysfunction, Mike Johnson’s victory in the first round is honestly surprising. The Republican Party, despite nominating Donald Trump three times for the presidency, is far from unified, especially in the House. 6 7 8 Hard-right members such as as Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY), Keith Self (R-TX) and Ralph Norman (R-NC) all openly opposed Johnson’s election. Six other Republicans abstained until it became clear that Johnson would lose the vote if they didn’t move.

    As the New York Times explains:

    By the time three other Republicans — Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Keith Self of Texas and Ralph Norman of South Carolina — voted for lawmakers other than Mr. Johnson, it appeared that he was at risk of losing the gavel to Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic leader.

    But eventually, the six lawmakers who had initially withheld their votes changed them to support Mr. Johnson, a Louisiana Republican.

    With three defectors, he was still short of the majority necessary to win re-election.

    Mr. Johnson then huddled with two of the holdouts — first in the center aisle of the House floor, and then in an adjacent room — as the vote was held open for nearly an hour.

    They returned together to the floor, and Mr. Self and Mr. Norman strode to the center of the chamber and changed their votes with Mr. Johnson looking on, handing him the support necessary to win another term as Republicans stood and applauded. 9

    Speaker Johnson denies that any deal was made in exchange for the Speakership. He argues that he promised the pair of lawmakers “nothing.” Needless to say, it would be naïve to believe him.10 Republican hardliners had consistently been pushing Johnson for commitments to include them in negotiations going forward, in addition to demanding spending cuts. In an interview with The Hill, one Republican House members explained:

    “I would say it’s two things: One, we want a real commitment for real spending cuts. And then the other thing is that we want him to start using the members to negotiate these bills and what’s gonna be in these packages.  11

    That push for commitments and the hesitation of nine Republicans to support Johnson in the initial vote suggests that, at the very least, Johnson isn’t in any position to ignore the concerns of his right-wing colleagues. Combine that with Johnson’s reliance on the endorsement of President-elect Donald Trump, and it becomes painfully obvious that Johnson is standing on unstable ground in the House. 12With only a five-seat majority, and several members leaving due to appointments to the Trump administration, Johnson can ill-afford to lose any support.13

    What Now?

    While it is unlikely that we will see another revolt against the Speaker yet, as the incoming Trump administration wants a smooth transition, there is a serious risk to the House’s ability to govern. With Democrats having gained a seat in the last election, and Republicans leaving, every vote counts. If Johnson fails to appease Democrats and hardliner Republicans, he could find the House becoming historically unproductive and useless.

    In 2024, the 118th Congress earned the undesirable distinction of the least productive Congress since the Civil War.14 While nothing is guaranteed, and Trump is almost certainly going to try to prevent that through pressure politics, the House is likely on track to earn that distinction as well. Though as with all things, we will have to wait and see.

  • Looking Ahead: Plans for The Progressive American in 2025

    Looking Ahead: Plans for The Progressive American in 2025

    With 2024 done, here are some of the goals for The Progressive American going forward

    Good evening everyone,

    I hope you are doing well and had a wonderful new years. With 2024 over, I thought I would go into what I have planned for the year as well as provide an explanation for where I was leading up to the new year.

    Where was I?

    I wasn’t uploading as much as I wanted in December. Some unforeseen personal problems required my attention, and the holidays also contributed. Thankfully, most of those issues have been resolved and I had a wonderful 26th birthday on the 2nd.

    My Screenshot at Wolves Game

    As it stands, I am preparing myself for the year going forward. I am looking forward to new opportunities for the channel. I am also eager for new possibilities in my personal life.

    Plans for The Progressive American

    Last year, I tried out doing a weekly podcast, and I enjoyed the results overall. As of next week, I will be uploading weekly news updates where I evaluate the week’s news from a progressive perspective. I am also working on a video on the House Ethics Report on Matt Gaetz, but am waiting for some footage from his OAN program. 1

    Thumbnail by NateTalkstoYou

    For the newsletter, I will be working to upload a minimum of three articles a week plus the podcast, though that may be subject to change depending upon the projects that come into play on my schedule.

    I would like to thank you all for the support you have shown me and my work, and I look forward to producing more content for you all this year.

    If you like my work and want to support me, you can find the donation link on my Kofi link. Thank you, I really appreciate it. 

  • House Ethics Report Alleges Matt Gaetz Had Sex with a Minor

    House Ethics Report Alleges Matt Gaetz Had Sex with a Minor

    The report, which was previously sealed, has finally been released

    Matt Gaetz by Ike Hayman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Matt Gaetz’s life just got a lot harder. On Monday, December 23rd, the House Ethics Committee finally released its report on the former Republican representative from Florida, alleging serious allegations against him.1 One of the most damning was the accusation that Mr. Gaetz had sex with a minor.2 3 While Gaetz is out of the run for the Attorney General position, the recent report’s release is yet another hit to Gaetz’s career.

    Examining the Allegations against Gaetz

    Gaetz has been the subject of extensive misconduct allegations, including a now-dropped FBI investigation into alleged sex trafficking as well as alleged sex with a minor.4 These allegations, which dogged Gaetz’s reputation and career, sunk his bid for the Attorney General position, forcing the former Congressman to resign his position to avoid the ethics report being released.

    As I noted in my previous examination of the allegations:

    If Gaetz was involved with a minor, then he would be exposed to federal sex trafficking laws and would likely be expelled from the House and could even face criminal charges. However, with the resignation by Gaetz, the House is now struggling to determine whether or not they will release the report as originally planned.

    This is especially pertinent now as The Washington Post reports that a woman testified to the House Ethics Committee that Gaetz paid her for sex and that she personally witnessed Gaetz having sex with her friend, who was 17 at the time. In addition, a second woman has come forward, also represented by the same lawyer, and testified that Gaetz had paid her for sex at drug-fueled parties. All of this is to say that Trump’s decision to nominate Gaetz before he has ascended to office shows he either doesn’t mind the controversy or expects it to pass without much concern. 5

    That impulsive behavior by the President-elect while unsurprising, may be backfiring, especially with some of the key findings in the report. Though whether or not conservative media outlets like One America News (OAN) will hold Gaetz accountable for his alleged activity remains unclear. They did just hire him as their newest anchor, after all.6

    What the Report Says

    While the report has been the source of extensive political fanfare, and controversy, it was remarkably to the point and clear with its allegations. For one, the report found that “During the period 2017 to 2019, Representative Gaetz used or possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, on multiple occasions,” and that “…Nearly every young woman that the Committee interviewed confirmed that she was paid for sex
    by, or on behalf of, Representative Gaetz.” 7

    The report also noted that Gaetz likely violated Florida’s statutory rape laws, with Talking Points Memo’s Kate Riga explaining that:


    The report, which was released despite objections from some members of the committee, found that “from 2017 to 2020, Representative Gaetz made tens of thousands of dollars in payments to women that the Committee determined were likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use.” 

    These, the report said, included a 17-year old girl — a felony violation of statutory rape laws in Florida, whether or not Gaetz knew her age at the time, the report notes. 

    The report paints a lurid picture of a high-rolling lifestyle where Gaetz, often in conjunction with Joel Greenberg — a former county tax collector in Florida who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for crimes including underage sex trafficking in 2022 — would spend heavily on drugs and “girls,” some of whom Greenberg allegedly found through SeekingArrangement.com, a sugar baby website.  8

    The combined mix of drug use and prostitution, which the committee confirmed further in this report, is not the only thing that the former Congressman is alleged to have done. The report also notes that:

    “The Committee found substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz engaged in obstructive conduct with respect to the Committee’s investigation. Representative Gaetz pointed to evidence that would “exonerate” him yet failed to produce any such materials. Representative Gaetz continuously sought to deflect, deter, or mislead the Committee in order to prevent his actions from being exposed. 9 10

    The allegation of obstruction, which would not only demonstrate the appearance of guilt at minimum, also shows that Gaetz feared the political implications of this report. Despite Gaetz’s claims that he didn’t have a chance to challenge the allegations against him and his accusers, as he would in a court of law, the ethics committee noted that Gaetz had the opportunity to give his side of the story. Even as the committee sought explanations from Rep. Gaetz, the former Congressman “….refused to answer questions about his relationships with the women involved.” 11

    If Gaetz had any exculpatory evidence or any evidence to undermine the credibility of any of the witnesses in question, he would have provided it already to the committee. Instead, Gaetz has gone out of his way to suppress the report with a last minute lawsuit. 12

    While it is unlikely that Gaetz will face any legal consequences, the fact of the matter remains that this report is very likely to tarnish and undermine any career that Gaetz wants to create for himself. Especially in a position of power. Nobody wants the man who ‘allegedly’ had sexual relations with a 17-year-old to be in their party, much less in a position of power. While he will still be making a decent living at OAN, his days in mainstream legislative and governmental work are finished.

    If you like my work and want to support me, you can find the donation link on my Kofi link. Thank you, I really appreciate it. 

  • Elon Musk Endorses Neo-Nazi Party Alternative for Germany

    Elon Musk Endorses Neo-Nazi Party Alternative for Germany

    The world’s richest man is pushing for German extremism and far-right politics

    By Alternative for Germany- Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=124421935

    Elon has been a tear of inappropriate behavior to wrap up this year. From scuttling a bipartisan piece of legislation through an arrogant pressure campaign, to suggesting that the U.S. government is funding biological weapons labs, Mr. Musk has shown a deep, consistent willingness to misinform his massive audience.1 Now, the infamous oligarch has gone a step further, promoting the far-right, Neo-Nazi party, Alternative for Germany (AFD). 2 3 It is yet another example of his oligarchic, far-right agenda.

    What Did Musk Say?

    Last Friday, in reaction to a post by far-right influencer Naomi Seibt, who was lambasting several critics of Musk and Milei, Musk posted “Only the AFD can save Germany.” 4 It is worth noting that Seibt is a climate change denier and far-right activist. She has previously spoken at an event with AFD politician and has support from far-right American think tanks.5

    The endorsement of the far-right party is another example of Musk’s increasingly far-right momentum and support. By reposting and supporting content from an astroturfed right-wing influencer, Musk is not only using the platform he owns to spread his influence, but also set the pace of politics around the world. With such moves, Musk’s growing influence is extremely concerning, even more so with his recent endorsement of the AFD.

    What is the AFD?

    The Alternative for Germany, more commonly known as the AFD, is a far-right political party in Germany. It was founded in 2013 in reaction to the Eurozone crisis.6 Since then, it has moved further to the right on issues of immigration and the rights of Muslims in Germany. More importantly, it has shifted its stance on issues surrounding the memory of the Nazi regime.

    On several occasions, members of the AFD have taken heat for its use of Nazi slogans or making comments downplaying the severity of the Nazi regime. In one instance, AFD politician Björn Höcke, was convicted of using a Nazi slogan.7 This was not the first time Mr. Höcke has run into trouble for his rhetoric surrounding the Nazis and their slogans. In May of this year, Höcke was fined  13,000 euros or roughly $14,000 for using the phrase “Everything for Germany.” The phrase is particularly concerning in Germany, as it was part of the official phrase of the SA, Hitler’s Stormtroopers.8 9

    Höcke has also made disparaging comments about Holocaust memorials. In another instance, Höcke referred to the Holocaust memorial in Berlin “a monument of shame,” and argued that Germany should alter how it evaluates its relationship with its Nazi past.10 It is worth noting that Höcke is not some unusual figure within the party. He is one of its core founders and once led the party nationally, and continues to support the party chapter in Thuringia, one of its strongest outposts in Germany.11 12

    Even when Höcke isn’t in the picture, it is clear that the AFD is unusually right-wing, even when compared to other right-wing parties in Europe. In May of this year, France’s own far-right party, National Rally (RN), announced it was distancing itself from the AFD due to comments made by one of its members about the SS. In an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the AFD’s lead candidate in the EU elections, Maximilian Krah, told the paper that being a member of the SS didn’t make automatically “a criminal.”13 The SS committed some of the worst atrocities under Hitler and any such argument about supposedly noncriminal elements of said organization are baseless.

    Despite all of this, Musk seemingly has no idea, or he is unwilling to concede, that the core of the AFD is rotten. In response to a CNN interview with Senator Chris Murphy (D-NY), Musk claimed that the AFD’s policies were “…identical to those of the US Democratic Party when Obama took office! I don’t think there is a single difference.”14

    That is strange since I don’t remember former President Obama lambasting Holocaust memorials, like Höcke did. Nor is the Democratic Party listed as a “suspected extremist party,” like the AFD is by the German government. 15 Whether or not Elon and his ilk like it, the fact remains that the AFD is an extremist, Neo-Nazi organization whose leaders and founders have engaged in overly bigoted politics and Nazi propaganda. Elon is betraying his politics through his endorsement of the AFD. Sadly, none of this is surprising.

    If you like my work and want to support me, you can find the donation link on my Kofi link. Thank you, I really appreciate it. 

  • Oligarch in Chief: Elon Musk Scuttles Spending Bill

    Oligarch in Chief: Elon Musk Scuttles Spending Bill

    Despite nobody voting for him, the world’s richest man is pushing the country towards a government shut down

    By Duncan.Hull – Debbie Rowe, Photographer, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=125330577

    With Trump on his way into the White House next month and a mess of horrid cabinet picks potentially following him, nobody should expect a decent government for the next four years.1 Unfortunately, the chaos has already begun, thanks in part to the richest man on Earth, Elon Musk, using his influence on Twitter to scuttle a bipartisan spending bill to keep the government running.2 If this is how the Republicans are going to conduct themselves, then Americans will be forced to endure an unelected oligarch pulling the strings of an already corrupt President-Elect and his shallow political party.

    The Spending Bill and Musk’s Misinformation

    While President-elect Trump has struggled throughout the last month to organize his incoming administration, he has also hoped to ensure a smooth transition. Central to this was a spending bill which would fund the government past a Friday deadline. Representatives in the House spent weeks negotiating the bill, hoping to keep the government running into Christmas and beyond for the sake of a stable government. However, as the bill was seemingly going to pass, Mr. Musk found the bill to be unacceptable to the central mission of his co-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), posting more than 150 posts on his social media site, lampooning the bill. 3

    It is worth noting that Mr. Musk is not a member of the House or Senate. Nor is his “department” authorized by Congress. It is also worth noting that Mr. Musk seemingly had no problem spreading outright lies, and misinformation. For one, the bill doesn’t provide for a 40 percent increase in Congressmembers’ salaries. The actual number was 3.8 percent. 4 Mr. Musk, as The New York Times notes, misunderstood a Punchbowl News article about Congressmembers’ pay. Rather than this bill raising their wages by 40 percent, Punchbowl was attempting to explain that Congress’ pay hadn’t kept up with the price of living since their last pay increase in 2009.

    As Punchbowl News’  John Bresnahan and  Melanie Zanona explained:

    “Now, a lot of lawmakers have been pushing for a pay raise for years, arguing the longstanding freeze has discouraged people from running for office. Congress did create a program in 2022 allowing members to get reimbursed for lodging and meal expenses while conducting official business in D.C.

    As we noted, there hasn’t been a pay increase since 2009. The annual salary for members is $174,000. That is a lot of money to average Americans — or anyone — but it’s expensive to serve in Congress too.

    There’s also the argument that if members and senators don’t get paid fairly, then only rich people will run for Congress.

    Here’s a good CRS report on this long-running issue. It notes that if members of Congress were getting raises also this time, their 2024 salary would be $243,300.” 5

    This misinformation by Musk was part of a litany of falsehoods that the tech and social media mogul used to sink this bill. Musk claimed, among other things, that the bill would make bioweapons labs, as well as provide $3 billion to a stadium in Washington. None of those things are true, and the screenshot that musk shows in his quote tweet clearly show that the labs in questions are biocontainment and research facilities intended to prevent infectious diseases from threatening the public. You would think a self-styled genius would figure that out, but frustratingly, but apparently you would be wrong.6 7

    All of these claims, along with the frenzy that Musk put into spreading, along with the primary threats directed at Republicans, eventually sunk the bill and put the incoming Trump administration on its back foot. By Wednesday’s end, Trump had no choice but to come out against the bill, seemingly reacting to Musk’s whims.

    What Does This Mean?

    While the hasty and flawed attacks on the bill by Musk were frustrating, they also are a threat to the effective management of the federal government. As it stands right now, government spending is set to expire on Friday at midnight, and another Trump backed bill has failed to reach the necessary support needed, with 38 Republicans voting against the bill.8

    House Members such as Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) have protested against what they see as excessive spending and a failure to address the debt. In a statement responding to the bill, Rep. Roy wrote:

    “Old bill: $110BB in deficit spending (unpaid for), $0 increase in the national credit card. New bill: $110BB in deficit spending (unpaid for), $4 TRILLION+ debt ceiling increase with $0 in structural reforms for cuts. Time to read the bill: 1.5 hours. I will vote no.” 9

    In response, Trump posted to Truth Social:

    “Chip Roy is just another ambitious guy, with no talent,” he wrote. “I hope some talented challengers are getting ready in the Great State of Texas to go after Chip in the Primary. He won’t have a chance!”10

    The disunion among Republicans, which was initiated by Musk’s interference, risks a rocky start to an already rocky transition. More than that, however, critical services such as food stamps, inspections of food, drinking water and hazardous waste could all be delayed or outright stopped until funding is secured. 11

    Regardless of where you stand on government spending, the reality is that an unelected billionaire with no authorization to force his agenda in the halls of Congress shouldn’t be deciding or otherwise undermining federal services that make everyday Americans’ lives safer and better. Republicans will hold the House and Senate come January, giving them plenty of time to enact their austerity agenda leading into the next midterm election. Right now, however, Americans are depending upon their government to function leading into Christmas and the New Year. No amount of arbitrary concerns by a spoiled billionaire can change that.

    If Trump and his allies want Americans to believe that they can govern effectively, then it is up to them to prove it. If they expect the respect of the people, they can start by casting aside Elon and show Americans that the incoming administration isn’t beholden to a wannabe revolutionary.

    If you like my work and want to support me, you can find the donation link on my Kofi link. Thank you, I really appreciate it. 

  • ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas Leader: A Step in the Right Direction

    ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas Leader: A Step in the Right Direction

    The International Criminal Court made its findings known, accusing the Israeli Prime Minister of committing acts of “murder, persecution and starvation as a weapon of war.”

    Avi Ohayon / Government Press Office of Israel, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    It finally happened. After all this time of waiting, and all the suffering and death, the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrest. 1The move, which has been months in the making, means that any country that has signed onto the ICC would be responsible for arresting Netanyahu should he step onto their territory. Though it is unlikely that will occur, the warrant is yet another reminder that Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza is a crime against humanity.

    What is the ICC?

    While it has been some time since I wrote on the ICC, it is important to reiterate the importance of the Court’s functions. As I explained in my piece detailing the ICC’s initial investigation into Israel’s activity in Gaza earlier this year:

    The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002. Not to be mistaken with the International Court of Justice, the ICC seeks to investigate and prosecute serious crimes such as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and wars of aggression. It has 124 member states that recognize its authority, although several countries, such as the United States, India, Russia, and China, are not members of the international body. 

    In the decades following World War 2, efforts were made to establish an international standard for dealing with crimes that exceeded the usual intra-national jurisdiction standards. From 1945 to 1946, over 20 Nazi officials and several organizations were tried for war crimes at Nuremberg, demonstrating a need for an international mechanism to hold such criminals accountable. The trial resulted in 161 convictions, and 37 were executed. Similarly, 11 countries joined together to establish a war crimes tribunal for Japanese war criminals between 1946 and 1948, which resulted in the conviction of 23 war criminals. Seven were executed, and sixteen were sentenced to life in prison. 

    Despite these pushes for international justice and legal standards, tensions between nations and questions of jurisdiction, many of which remain unsolved, meant that until the early 2000s, the Court began to take shape as an organization with enforcement powers. Since then, the Court has increasingly become an integral but still developing part of holding serious criminals accountable. 2

    The ICC’s role is largely reliant on setting legal standards for the international community and the willingness of nation-states to uphold and enforce the Court’s orders. Previously, the Court charged Russian President and war criminal, Vladimir Putin for the illegal deportation and abduction of children from Ukraine.3 In both cases, the Court’s warrants serve to further isolate both Putin and Netanyahu as war criminals in the eyes of the international community even if they aren’t going to be arrested.

    What are the charges?

    When it comes to the charges filed, Netanyahu was only one of the people charged, as Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri and Israeli defense chief Yoav Gallant were also charged, but it is the charges that were filed against Netanyahu that are the most significant. The Court charged Netanyahu with, among other things, murder, persecution and using starvation as part “widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population of Gaza.”4

    These charges, which Netanyahu has lambasted as “anti-Semitic” serve as a stark reminder that the ongoing war in Gaza is not only being conducted by an alleged war criminal, but is also being waged at the expense of innocent men, women and children.5 6 The ICC warrant, therefore, is not only necessary and proper to upholding the rule of law on the international stage, but also for humanity at large.

    Just as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war crimes were rightfully called out by the ICC, so too must Netanyahu’s crimes. No matter which group of people is responsible for a war crime, the law must be applied fairly. While it is unlikely that Netanyahu will ever see the inside of a jail cell, it is clear that Netanyahu has gotten what he deserves.7

  • Breaking: Matt Gaetz Paid Women $10,000 for Sex, Per House Ethics Committee

    Breaking: Matt Gaetz Paid Women $10,000 for Sex, Per House Ethics Committee

    Another revelation in Matt Gaetz’s scandal-ridden nomination shows just how unfit he is for public office

    By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America – Matt Gaetz, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=150378771

    The situation isn’t looking all that good for Matt Gaetz. While he has previously has faced questions about alleged sexual misconduct, new evidence has emerged from the House Ethics Committee showing that former Congressman Matt Gaetz paid two women an estimated $10,000 for sex.1 2The revelations, while damning, may not sink Gaetz’s nomination for Attorney General, but serve as another example of his deep moral failings and his unfitness for public office.

    Reviewing the Allegations

    While much of the allegations against Gaetz remain unchanged, including the accusation that he had sex with a minor, she was 17 at the time, there are some key components that have changed the situation significantly. As I noted in my piece on Monday, the allegations against Gaetz are serious and could undermine him, not just politically but legally.

    As I explained:

    If Gaetz was involved with a minor, then he would be exposed to federal sex trafficking laws and would likely be expelled from the House and could even face criminal charges. However, with the resignation by Gaetz, the House is now struggling to determine whether or not they will release the report as originally planned.

    This is especially pertinent now as The Washington Post reports that a woman testified to the House Ethics Committee that Gaetz paid her for sex and that she personally witnessed Gaetz having sex with her friend, who was 17 at the time. In addition, a second woman has come forward, also represented by the same lawyer, and testified that Gaetz had paid her for sex at drug-fueled parties. All of this is to say that Trump’s decision to nominate Gaetz before he has ascended to office shows he either doesn’t mind the controversy or expects it to pass without much concern.3

    When I first wrote that, the only evidence that Gaetz was paying women for sex was the testimony of one, unidentified women. And while she was under oath, The Washington Post reports that new evidence in the form of financial records from Gaetz’s Venmo and Pay Pal have been uncovered by the House Ethics Committee. 4

    As The Post explains:

    House Ethics Committee investigators probing sexual misconduct allegations against former congressman Matt Gaetz obtained records showing that he paid more than $10,000 to two women who testified before the committee, according to a person familiar with the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive material.

    The records that were exhibited during closed-door testimony displayed 27 PayPal and Venmo payments disbursed between July 2017 and January 2019 totaling over $10,000 paid to the two witnesses, that person said. Some payments were for sex, the witnesses testified to the committee. ABC News first reported on the exhibits.

    With these records now confirmed to be in the House’s possession, the difficulty of getting Matt Gaetz through the confirmation process grows. More importantly, the moral fabric and character of Matt Gaetz’s relationship with women becomes painfully clear. That is to say that Gaetz has no moral fabric whatsoever and is utterly unfit to clean a public restroom, much less serve as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer.

    Further adding to this furious wave of new information is the New York Times’ recent publication of a graphic from the Department of Justice’s investigation into Gaetz’s conduct. The graphic shows many of the women that Gaetz is alleged to have paid in an almost comically extensive network of people.5

    “VENMO TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN ALL INDIVIDUALS AS OF 09/14/2020” via New York Times’ Mike Schmidt

    The publication of such an expansive network of dozens of women and multiple payments will almost certainly interest the Senators, Democrat and Republican, who will be tasked with confirming Gaetz should his appointment stand come January. However, with the current cowardice of the House GOP, I am skeptical.

    House Republicans’ Moral Failure

    As it stands right now, it appears unlikely that the source of moral judgment will come from the Republicans in the House. Yesterday, Talking Points Memo reported that the House GOP couldn’t come to an agreement on whether or not to release the Ethics Committee’s report on Matt Gaetz’s conduct. 6

    Instead, the committee, which is occupied by five Democrats and Five Republicans, failed to avoid an even split on the report. While Democrats are almost certainly in favor of the report, as such a report will likely embarrass the upcoming Republican administration, it is increasingly clear that none of the five Republicans on the committee were willing to cross the aisle to vote for the report’s release. Representative Susan Wild (D-PA) confirmed that, saying “in order to affirmatively move something forward, somebody has to cross party lines and vote with the other side.” 7

    By holding to the party line, Republicans on the committee are not only betraying the public by allowing a technicality to protect an alleged sexual predator, but they are also setting themselves up for an embarrassing confirmation hearing for their party. Which is worse for them remains unclear.

    Senate Democrats have already come out in favor of the report’s release, going so far as to request the evidentiary file that the FBI has on Gaetz from its prior investigation. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) requested the documents in a letter to the FBI, urging that:

    “The grave public allegations against Mr. Gaetz speak directly to his fitness to serve as the chief law enforcement officer for the federal government…. The unanswered questions regarding Mr. Gaetz’s alleged conduct are particularly significant given that his associate, Joel Greenberg, pleaded guilty to the sex trafficking charge for which Mr. Gaetz was also investigated.”8

    While it isn’t clear how the FBI will react to this request and whether Republicans will throw Gaetz under the bus, the serious risk to the former Congressman’s nomination is growing. When asked by Politico, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) argued that “The Senate deserves to have it, so they can make a good decision.”9 Still, as some Republicans are talking about releasing the report, others are calling for retribution via the release of other ethics investigations into Democrats, both current and former.

    Whatever the case may be, it remains increasingly clear that Gaetz’s chances of getting confirmed are growing weaker and weaker. If Gaetz fails to get his desired position, the only person he will have to blame is himself.

    If you like my work and want to support me, you can find the donation link on my Kofi link. Thank you, I really appreciate it. 

  • RFK Jr. is Dangerous

    RFK Jr. is Dangerous

    RFK Jr. is an anti-vaxxer and he needs to be treated as such. The Senate must reject him.

    By Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=142541933

    America is in for a massive public health problem. That problem’s name is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. A once respected environmental lawyer and now deceptive anti-vaccine advocate, Kennedy has been picked by Donald Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Such an appointment means that RFK Jr. will likely continue to spread dangerous misinformation and downright unacceptable policies.1 Make no mistake, RFK Jr. is a threat to public health.

    RFK Jr. Opposes Vaccination

    Despite claims by RFK Jr. that he is not an anti-vaxxer, his actions and history paint a different picture. Ignoring that is not only faulty, but it is dangerous to public health. Insofar as RFK Jr. has had a public record, almost all of it can be tied directly to his anti-vaccine crusade. Previously, RFK Jr. spread the noxious and easily debunked lie that the MMR vaccine cause autism. 2 3 This claim, which originates with the now former doctor, Andrew Wakefield, was the product of faulty research, falsified medical records and illicit vaccine patents for an alternative to the MMR vaccines.4 5To this day, RFK Jr. has yet to disregard or repudiate his claim that vaccines cause autism.

    Far from merely spreading misinformation and spreading a bigoted panic against autistic people, RFK Jr. has explicitly called for parents not to vaccinate their kids. In a 2021 episode of the “Health Freedom for Humanity” podcast, RFK Jr. stated that his objective was to stop parents from vaccinating their children.6

    “We – our job is to resist and to talk about it to everybody. If you’re walking down the street – and I do this now myself, which is, you know, I don’t want to do – I’m not a busybody. I see somebody on a hiking trail carrying a little baby and I say to him, ‘Better not get him vaccinated.’ And he heard that from me. If he hears it from 10 other people, maybe he won’t do it, you know, maybe he will save that child.” -RFK Jr. on the “Health Freedom for Humanity,” 2021.

    https://twitter.com/BrandyZadrozny/status/1682060684492677121

    This direct advocacy, not just to resist the use of the MMR vaccine, which reduces the risk of infection for measles, but also complete and total opposition to childhood vaccination. When RFK Jr. is with his allies, he says the quiet part out loud. When is before Congress, he lies through his teeth and claims he has never advocated for people not to vaccinate their children.7

    https://twitter.com/BrandyZadrozny/status/1682045997432668160

    In the simplest of terms, he is an anti-vaxxer. There is no denying it. No excusing it or any other form of obfuscation. RFK opposes vaccination. Period.

    RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Crusade Can Kill

    Despite all protests to the contrary, RFK Jr.’s position is not merely an opinion to be respected, it is a dangerous lie that can and has led to death. In Samoa, a 2019 tragedy saw two children dead after receiving the MMR vaccine.8 It was later determined the the cause of death for these two children was not the vaccine itself, but an error by two nurses who confessed to accidentally mixing the vaccine with muscle relaxant. 9

    The vaccination program would temporarily suspended and in the void of that program, anti-vaccine advocates began to spread the idea that vaccines killed children. 10 RFK Jr. would visit Samoa for several months and he openly promoted anti-vaccine activists such as Taylor Winterstein. On her Instagram at the time, Winterstein promoted her meeting with RFK Jr., saying “I am deeply honored to have been in the presence of a man I believe is, can and will change the course of history.”11

    Nor was RFK Jr.’s presence in Samoa personal. Kennedy’s trip was paid for by his anti-vaccine organization, The Children’s Health Defense. According to a post by Kennedy, he went to Samoa to:

    “…. attend an independence celebration and discuss with the government the introduction of a medical informatics system that would allow Samoa’s health officials to assess, in real time, the efficacy and safety of every medical intervention or drug on overall health.

    Edwin Tamasese had arranged the trip and Children’s Health Defense had offered to finance the innovative system. Samoa banned certain vaccinations after several children had died following MMR vaccines the previous year.12

    It is worth noting that the vaccines didn’t kill those two children, the muscle relaxant did.13 14 RFK’s presence, therefore, was an attempt to spread the idea that vaccines kill when they don’t. Even in the blog post that Kennedy wrote, he continues to spread the lie that the MMR vaccine killed two children by implication. It is worth noting that it was established that the deaths were caused by medical error via the muscle relaxant two years before Kennedy post about his Samoan trip. The nurses responsible were also jailed two years before RFK Jr. made that post.15 He had plenty of time to mention that the vaccine didn’t kill those children and plenty of time to research the issue. He chose not to.

    Regardless of his post, Kennedy’s continued presence in Samoa in 2019 was part of a larger effort to promote the idea that vaccines are dangerous. According to Mother Jones, Kennedy, in the middle of a measles epidemic, sent a letter to the Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa, encouraging the Prime minister to:

    “… determine, scientifically, if the outbreak was caused by inadequate vaccine coverage or alternatively, by a defective vaccine.” 16

    By the time the epidemic was over, 83 people were dead, most of whom were children.17 While RFK Jr. may not have directly caused the epidemic, he certainly contributed to its continuation and openly opposed emergency efforts by the Samoan government to stop anti-vaccine propaganda from spreading even as said lies were killing its people, especially children.

    Vaccines, not just MMR, save lives. A study published by the Lancet, found that “Between June 1, 1974, and May 31, 2024, vaccination programs…” were responsible for preventing “…154 million deaths.”18 Vaccines are a medical miracle and no reasonable person should ever hope to live in a world without them. Unfortunately, RFK Jr. is not a reasonable person, and neither is the President-elect.

    There can be no question about the future of American public health with RFK Jr. at the helm of the HHS. People will get sick, and could even die. Simply chalking this reality up to media hysteria or partisanship is not only absurd, it is morally reprehensible. The Senate must firmly reject this nomination and protect Americans from the deadly and inaccurate hysteria that is the anti-vaccine movement.

    If you like my work and want to support me, you can find the donation link on my Kofi link. Thank you, I really appreciate it. 

  • The Trump Administration Betrays Women with its Cabinet Picks

    The Trump Administration Betrays Women with its Cabinet Picks

    Despite Trump claiming that he is the “protector of women,” his picks betray a complete disregard for the well-being of women and survivors of sexual assault.

    By The White House – Official White House Facebook page, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55185771

    The last several days of Donald Trump’s announced nominees have been disgusting. From nominating former Congressman Matt Gaetz, an accused sexual predator who faced two investigations for having sex with a minor, to his own sexual misconduct, President-elect Trump has shown that he has no interest in respecting women’s rights. 1 2Such disregard should not only be a reminder of how far the GOP is willing to throw women under the bus but also a sign that the upcoming administration must be opposed at every level.

    A Cabinet of Predators

    The long-standing sexism of Trump’s rhetoric alone should have been disqualifying. From referring to MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski as bleeding from a facelift, to referring Vice-President Kamala Harris as being born mentally ill, the President-elect has demonstrated again and again that he is uninterested in showing due respect to over half of Americans. 3 4

    However, Trump’s picks for his second term are another level all together and could be more impactful than even his influence in overturning Roe v Wade (1973). 5Even when we remove Gaetz from the equation, other nominees for key positions have histories of sexual assault and abuse. Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has been exposed paying a women, who claims he sexually assaulted her, for her silence. While Trump may not have known that Hegseth has a credible accusation against him, he is still standing by the Fox Host. 6

    Nor is it simply Secretary of Defense or the Attorney General. Even on things such as Health and Human Services, which are supposed to be dedicated to keeping Americans safe and healthy, the upcoming Trump administration again shows it is unwilling to consider the impact is decisions have on women.

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who Trump tapped to lead HHS, also has sexual assault allegations against him by his former babysitter Eliza Cooney. The allegations were first reported by Vanity Fair’s Joe Hagan.7 In response to the allegations RFK Jr. didn’t deny the claims and said that he was not a “church boy” and that he had a very “rambunctious youth.”8 Never mind that he was a fully grown man when the alleged assault took place, the fact that Kennedy thinks that is enough to ward off concern about his past is telling. What is even more telling is that Trump, despite knowing about these problems with Kennedy for months, had absolutely no problem in a position of power.

    Outrageous and Not Surprising

    Despite all of these events being absolutely and utterly insane, amoral and unacceptable, nobody should be surprised. For the last three presidential elections, Donald Trump and the Republican Party has shown itself to be utterly unrepentant in accepting this bigotry. The party of family values has been the party of “do whatever Trump asks” for years now.

    That reality, one that has been screaming at us for all this time, must be met with outrage and unrelenting opposition up and down the ballot and in every major movement. Whether it is the local, state or national level, Trump’s movement must be seen and treated as it actually is: a bigoted cancer on the American body politic.

    Removing this cancer means new faces in Democratic politics are necessary. Simply appealing to the old guard will not achieve anything. Anything short of a new face with the strong support of the Democratic base and new voters will not lead us to a stronger, more prosperous future.

    Similarly, the Democratic Party can’t simply be the anti-Trump party. Rather, it should be a strong, progressive and active party that is able to communicate a clear vision for the nation’s future, with a strong focus on what the party can do for the American people. The grievance politics of the Republican Party must be met with a vision towards the future, one that is based in improvement, not nostalgia.

    American women deserve better. We all do.

    If you like my work and want to support me, you can find the donation link on my Kofi link. Thank you, I really appreciate it.