Author: Reporter

Why Trump’s anti-American attacks on the justice system over his felony convictions are a gift to Putin

After his historic guilty verdict in his hush money case, Donald Trump attacked the U.S. criminal justice system, making unfounded claims of a “rigged” trial that echoed remarks from the Kremlin. “If they can do this to me, they can do this to anyone,” Trump claimed on May 31, speaking from his namesake tower in New York. Thousands of miles away, Russian President Vladimir Putin was probably “rubbing his hands with glee,” said Fiona Hill, a former senior White House national security adviser to three U.S. presidents, including Trump. Hill and other analysts say Trump’s attacks are useful to...

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A Savior’s Second Coming: Religious supporters of Trump believe he shares their distortion of faith

As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian Nationalism while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among fanatical Evangelicals and other rightwing conservative Christians. “Trump supports Jesus, and without Jesus, America will fall,” said Kimberly Vaughn of Florence, Kentucky, as she joined other supporters of the former president entering a campaign rally near Dayton, Ohio. Many of the T-shirts and hats that were worn and sold at the rally in March proclaimed religious slogans such as “Jesus is my savior, Trump is my president” and “God, Guns & Trump.” One...

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Campaign of vengeance: Republicans line up behind Trump with lawless attacks on Justice System

“I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible: There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.” – Liz Cheney (R) Embracing Donald Trump’s strategy of blaming the U.S. justice system after his historic guilty verdict, Republicans in Congress are fervently enlisting themselves in his campaign of vengeance and political retribution in the GOP bid to reclaim the White House. Almost no Republican official has stood up to suggest Trump – a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist Trump – should not be the party’s presidential candidate for the November...

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Focus on Facts: Refuting a wave of lies by Trump in response to his historic guilty verdict

Donald Trump, a convicted criminal and adjudicated rapist, addressed his 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in what prosecutors have called a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election by paying hush money to silence the accounts of women who claimed to have extramarital sex with him on May 31. While presenting his public rant he repeated numerous false or unsupported claims that he has made during the trial and while campaigning for a second term as president. His lies, made from Trump Tower, ranged from blaming the Biden administration for orchestrating the hush money case to other...

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The Drag Revolution: LGBTQ+ fashion show performers are organizing to protect and promote their art

“Drag is joy, but it’s under attack. Our very existence, our self-expression, our art … all of it is being threatened. And we’ve had enough.” That was the opening salvo of Qommittee, a group of drag performers banding together to protect and promote their art form, as it announced its formation for June’s LGBTQ+ Pride Month. “We’ve always had to fight tooth and nail for our place in this world,” the group said in a news release. “But now, we’re also battling a tidal wave of hate — doxxing, harassment, death threats, armed protests, bombings, and even shootings.” Qommittee...

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Pride Month merchandise at Target reduced again due to violence and pressure from anti-LGBTQ+ groups

Target confirmed that it would not carry Pride Month merchandise at all stores in June after the discount retailer experienced a backlash and lower sales over its collection honoring LGBTQ+ communities. In May of 2023, right-wing media outlets helped to radicalize a handful of efforts by Conservative activists to bash Target for selling “tuck-friendly” women’s swimsuits that allowed some trans women to hide their genitalia. False rumors were also spread online that the products were made for children, and offered in various kid sizes. The ignored truth was the swimsuits were only made for adults. The manufactured outrage was...

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