Buzzfeed News: “But Aiken has been chafed by what he says is a disgusting anti-gay undercurrent to the recent onslaught of sexualized material released against the 26-year-old Republican. “I am loath to defend him in any way but I will say that that last video with him on the bed pissed me off,” Aiken told…
Month: May 2022
“Inside the Relentless Campaign to Ruin Madison Cawthorn”
The Daily Beast: “Multiple embarrassing traffic stops. A credible accusation of insider trading. Photos of him sporting hoop earrings and a bra. A video of a male staffer’s hand near his crotch. Another video showing him jokingly but nakedly humping the upper body of potentially the same man—his cousin. And possibly more to come. Few…
“How Politics Poisoned the Evangelical Church” [Longread]
The Atlantic: “For the next 15 minutes, Bolin does not mention the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, or the life everlasting. Instead, he spouts misinformation and conspiratorial nonsense, much of it related to the “radically dangerous” COVID-19 vaccines. “A local nurse who attends FloodGate, who is anonymous at this time—she reported to…
“As a ‘Seismic Shift’ Fractures Evangelicals, an Arkansas Pastor Leaves Home”
NY Times: “In the fall of 2020, Kevin Thompson delivered a sermon about the gentleness of God. At one point, he drew a quick contrast between a loving, accessible God and remote, inaccessible celebrities. Speaking without notes, his Bible in his hand, he reached for a few easy examples: Oprah, Jay-Z, Tom Hanks. Mr. Thompson…
“Multiple fake electors cooperating in Georgia criminal probe of Trump’s efforts to overturn 2020 election”
CNN: “Prosecutors in Georgia investigating former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election have interviewed several individuals who served as fake GOP electors from the state, according to two sources familiar with the ongoing criminal probe. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ office appears to be trying to determine whether the pro-Trump electors in Georgia…
“The last best chance for North Carolina’s public schools”
NC Policy Watch: “All of which brings us back to that ever-present but rapidly graying elephant in the North Carolina education policy room: the quarter-century-old Leandro school funding lawsuit. For 25 years now, learned judges at various levels of the state’s judiciary have been handing down determinations in that case that state lawmakers are failing to meet their…
Day of Hate: South Carolina marks Confederate Memorial Day on Tuesday
The North State Journal: “South Carolina will close state offices on Tuesday to mark Confederate Memorial Day. The observation of the holiday is every year on May 10. South Carolina is among a handful of states in the South with such an official holiday. State offices in Alabama and Mississippi closed down for their Confederate…
“Florida Releases Reviews That Led to Rejection of Math Textbooks”
NY Times: “It was the equivalent of: “Show your work.” To help explain its puzzling rejection of dozens of math textbooks, the state of Florida released nearly 6,000 pages of reviewer comments this week and revealed an often confusing, contradictory and divisive process. A conservative activist turned textbook reviewer was on the lookout for mentions…
“[TN] Governor signs bill criminalizing mail-in abortion drugs”
CNN: “Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill Thursday criminalizing abortion-inducing drugs that are provided via mail. The measure, known as HB2416, establishes criminal penalties for offenders, but would not apply to the patient who was provided the abortion drugs. The legislation sets strict parameters around abortion-inducing drugs. The drugs “may be provided only by…
Bottom Falling Out: LA Legislature Moves to Classify Abortion as Homicide
Political Wire: “Republicans in the Louisiana House advanced a bill Wednesday that would classify abortion as homicide and allow prosecutors to criminally charge patients, with supporters citing a draft opinion leaked this week showing the Supreme Court ready to overturn Roe v. Wade,” the Washington Post reports. “The legislation, which passed through a committee on a 7-to-2 vote,…