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Right-Wing Writer Who Denounced 'Groomers' Busted For Molesting Child

Aaron Craig Gleason, a former writer for The Federalist and Daily Wire — both right-wing news outlets — was arrested last month "for molesting a victim under the age of 12, according to Okaloosa, Florida jail records," Daily Dot reported Thursday.

The irony in Gleason's crime, according to Daily Dot, is that in 2023, the ex-conservative pundit wrote a review published by The Federalist "about The Sound of Freedom, an indie hit and a favorite among right-wing circles."

The plot of the film involves "a former government agent who is trying to save children from sex traffickers in Colombia," which Gleason made a point to highlight as a Republican, anti-LGBTQ writer.

"The children are by far the best and worst part of this film," wrote Gleason in his review.

“It’s about the children—lost, invisible children who suffer in the depths of hell every single day. While the rich and powerful try to indoctrinate us with critical race theory and other ideological moralisms, true victims suffer in literal cages and chains."

Daily Dot notes, in addition to being a writer, Gleason was also an educator, according to his now deleted LinkedIn account.

"According to a local news site, he taught Bible at Rocky Bayou Christian School, which has two campuses in Florida," the news outlet reports.

Three days after his arrest, Gleason was released on $75,000 bail.

Daily Dot's full report is available here.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

Senate Republicans Threaten To Move Trump Mega-Bill Without House Nod

Top Republican senators are becoming impatient with the hold up around passing President Donald Trump's huge bill containing his main priorities – immigration, energy and defense — according to Politico.

Per the report, Senate leaders like Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC) believe his fellow Republicans should move the legislation forward even before the House weighs in."We need to get moving,” the South Carolina leader told Politico.

The senator did send "a soft warning to the House," according to the news outlet, "saying he wanted to see what happened over there 'in the next day or two.'"

Similarly, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) said,"We ought to move," referring to his Budget Committee colleagues.

Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-WI) told Politico, "I think if they fail to meet those deadlines that they set on themselves, then I think the Senate has to start moving forward."

Mullen has been assisting with coordination between Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

'Trump Got Rolled Here': President Drops Canada Tariffs On Flimsy Excuse

After declaring that he would impose 25 percent tariffs on Canada starting this week, President Donald Trump suddenly changed his mind.

"I just had a good call with President Trump," wrote Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau via social media Monday. "Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan — reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl."

He continued, "Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border. In addition, Canada is making new commitments to appoint a Fentanyl Czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada- U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering. I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl and we will be backing it with $200 million. Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together."

Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell added: "Yup. Trump got rolled here."

Ex-Republican and CNN political analyst Tim Miller commented: "I’m a little confused. I thought the tariffs were going to bring a golden age of economic prosperity, pay for IVF, eliminate the debt, and ensure countries stopped ripping us off! Why would we trade away that bounty for a few mounties on the northern border?"

Symone Sanders Townsend, co-host of MSNBC's The Weekendreplied: "You forgot childcare! The tariffs were supposed to lower the cost of childcare."

New Hampshire Democrats communications director Ty McEatran said: "Pretty incredible that Mexico and Canada just listed things they were already planning to do and mister art of the deal caved and said yes because he didn’t like the bad press he was getting for tanking the economy."

Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) wrote: "Classic Trump: pick an unnecessary fight, create chaos, then back down and act like a hero. Canada announced its border plan in December. These tariffs were never needed — just another pointless stunt that hurt our economy for no reason."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet

Trump Press Secretary Can't Confirm Musk Security Clearance

President Donald Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, on Monday could neither confirm nor deny whether billionaire Elon Musk has received a security clearance as a US government employee under the president's new administration.

During a press conference outside of the White House, CNN's Chief White House Correspondent Caitlin Collins asked the MAGA secretary, "Can you confirm that Elon Musk is a special government employee? And what kind of security clearance does he have?"

Leavitt replied, "I can confirm he's a special government employee. I can also confirm that he has abided by all applicable federal laws. As for his security clearance, I'm not sure, but I can check."

Collins then asked, "Did he pass a background check, do you know?"

"I don't know about the security clearance, but I can check," Leavitt replied.

Collins then asked if the MAGA secretary knows whether anyone on Musk's team has security clearance.

"I don't, no. But, again, I can check on that for you," Leavitt said.

Nico Perrino, executive dircector of the free speech nonprofit FIRE, replied: "Here we have a government employee holding press conferences about his government work on his privately owned social media platform, where he's also banning journalists and members of the general public who criticize him. Seems we're getting into First Amendment territory ..."

Former Politico CA reporter Carla Marinucci commented: "He’s acting co-president — with access to millions is private citizens’ data — and she doesn’t know if he has a security clearance???!"

Watch the video below or at this link.

— (@)

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Johnson Flip-Flops On Pardons For Violent January 6 Felons

After Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said that January 6 rioters who committed acts of violence should not be let off the hook — he's standing by President Donald Trump's move to pardon hundreds of rioters, according to Politico.

Politico's Kyle Cheney reported via Bluesky, "This morning, Speaker Johnson said he won't 'second-guess' Donald Trump's pardons of Jan. 6 defendants and said 'We’re not looking backwards, we’re looking forwards.' Then he ordered up an investigation of the Jan. 6 committee."

Per Cheney's report, Johnson has "announced plans to appoint a new select subcommittee — led by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) — to take aim at the work of the previous January 6 subcommittee that first" investigated the Capitol attack.

"The president’s made his decision; I don’t second guess those," the speaker said. "We move forward, there are better days ahead of us, that’s what we’re excited about."

Loudermilk, according to Cheney, had a different perspective.

The Georgia lawmaker "told reporters Wednesday that 'looking backwards' was a key aspect of the panel’s ability to make changes for the future."

Loudermilk added, "You’ve got to look backwards to look forward."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

'Symbolic Victory': Supreme Court Refuses To Halt Trump Sentencing

Journalists and political experts on Thursday quickly responded to the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision, declining to halt Donald Trump's sentencing on Friday, January 10.

Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett voted alongside the high court's liberal justices.

Health policy expert Eric Feigl-Ding emphasized, "The Supreme Court will not save Trump—Donald J Trump will formally become a CONVICTED FELON as of Friday morning Jan 10, 2025."

Religion News Service national reporter Jack Jenkins replied: "Looks like Justice Barrett broke ranks here, which is simultaneously surprising but arguably in keeping with some of the reporting on her misgivings in past cases."

Mother Jones Washington bureau chief David Corn commented: "The Supreme Court of United States: Trump can have king-like powers as president and be above federal law. But he still can be assessed a fine in a state court."

Historian Garrett M. Graff added: "This is a symbolic victory, but it’s a real warning sign that there are four solid Supreme Court votes to allow Trump to do anything at all. America’s democracy hangs by the thin thread of Roberts and Coney Barrett’s feelings in any given case."

Senate Democrats Stall Hearings On Tulsi Gabbard Nomination

As the Senate GOP seeks to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration in less that two weeks, Democrats are blocking the way to a confirmation date, according to Politico.

Per the report, "Committee rules stipulate that vetting paperwork for the nominees must be received by the panel at least one week before the confirmation hearings. But snow and office closures at the Office of Governmental Ethics have slowed civil servants from processing some of the necessary vetting paperwork for" the MAGA nominee.

Democrats are so far unwilling to waive the rules.

In addition to the "key paperwork" necessary for the former Democratic lawmaker's confirmation, CNN reports that an FBI check is also needed, "according to two sources familiar with the matter."

According to CNN, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton's (R-AR) spokesperson told the news outlet that Cotton "'intends to hold these hearings before Inauguration Day,' a timeline that would mean a hearing would need to take place either this week or next for Gabbard.'"

Critics of Gabbard, Politico notes, point to "her lack of intelligence experience, sympathetic comments about Russia and for once taking a secret trip to meet with Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad," as reasons the ex-Democrat is not suited for the job.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

GOP Fears 'Slow And Messy' Dispute Over Trillion-Dollar Trump Tax Cuts

As Republicans prepare to take over the trifecta of US government, the often divided party is up against a chaotic fight over "whether they should take up tax first this year or immigration," according to a Sunday Politico report.

The "big debate over trillions of dollars in tax cuts," Politico notes is "going to be long, slow and messy."

Brian Faler, the news outlet's senior tax reporter, emphasizes, "There’s a chicken-and-egg quality to the debate though, because it’s hard to know how much they need to raise when they haven’t decided how much to spend. And lawmakers will be subject to furious lobbying by those worried they’re on the menu."

Faler reports, "Deficit concerns are running hot in the House, where many Republicans say a tax bill ought to be completely paid for," but, "That’s anathema to party heavyweights like House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), not least because it would be extremely difficult to find enough offsets to cover the projected $4 trillion cost."

Faler also notes:

Smith has already signaled he’s ready to deal on the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions, amid pressure from colleagues representing high-tax states. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) recently proposed a big, pricey increase in the child credit, to a maximum $5,000, from the current $2,000, per kid. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), meanwhile, just rolled out a plan seconding Trump’s bid to cut income taxes on Americans living abroad.

There will only be more as the debate heats up, and a key challenge for party leaders will be figuring out how to contain what could be mushrooming demands from their colleagues that would wreck their budget numbers.

Furthermore, the Politico reporter adds, "They’ll have to raise the debt limit too, after a last-minute bid by Trump to increase it before he comes into office, was rejected. And Republicans are promising to also cut mandatory spending by $2.5 trillion. If any of those things get bogged down, that could push off the tax debate even further."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Trump Will Inherit Booming Economy, Declining Crime From Biden

Two weeks ahead of the official start of his second presidency, Donald Trump is slamming the United States as a "disaster" on social media.

In a New York Times report published Sunday morning, White House correspondent Peter Baker lays out how current statistics defy the president-elect's claim.

"New data reported in the past few days indicate that murders are way down, illegal immigration at the southern border has fallen even below where it was when Mr. Trump left office and roaring stock markets finished their best two years in a quarter-century," Baker writes.

"Jobs are up, wages are rising and the economy is growing as fast as it did during Mr. Trump’s presidency," the Times correspondent continues. "Unemployment is as low as it was just before the Covid-19 pandemic and near its historic best. Domestic energy production is higher than it has ever been," Baker adds.

Furthermore, Baker reports "the America that Mr. Trump will inherit from President [Joe] Biden" beginning January 20 "is actually in better shape than that bequeathed to any newly elected president since George W. Bush came into office in 2001."

During his 2024 presidential campaign — and just weeks before his second term — Trump claimed "immigration, crime and inflation are out of control," Baker notes. However, he adds, the president-elect is moving back into the White House with an enviable hand to play, one that other presidents would have dearly loved on their opening day."

"President Ronald Reagan inherited double-digit inflation and an unemployment rate twice as high as today," the Times correspondent emphasizes. "President Barack Obama inherited two foreign wars and an epic financial crisis. Mr. Biden inherited a devastating pandemic and the resulting economic turmoil."

Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi told the Times that the MAGA leader "is inheriting an economy that is about as good as it ever gets."

Zandi emphasized, "The U.S. economy is the envy of the rest of the world, as it is the only significant economy that is growing more quickly post-pandemic than prepandemic."

Similarly, University of Virginia’s Miller Center's director William J. Antholis told Baker that regardless of Trump's claims, the incoming president is "stepping into an improving situation."

Bates adds, "After inheriting an economy in free-fall and skyrocketing violent crime, President Biden is proud to hand his successor the best-performing economy on earth, the lowest violent crime rates in over 50 years, and the lowest border crossings in over four years.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Green Energy Sector 'Freaking Out' Over Climate Denier Trump's Return

Just weeks ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, the "stakes are high" for green-energy companies as they fear the upcoming right-wing takeover in both the White House and in the House of Representatives, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Per the report, "Significant reductions to tax credits, and Trump’s promised tariffs on imports, could reduce investment in new renewables plants by $350 billion over the next decade, said Chris Seiple, vice chairman of power and renewables at Wood Mackenzie."

The firms "are freaking out," the Journal reports, and "contacting incoming cabinet appointees, hunting for friendly members of the transition team and calling on Republican members of Congress, according to executives."

The Journal further notes:

Solar, wind and battery storage have been on a tear in recent years, with investment boosted by tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden’s signature climate law. About $75 billion in new projects connected to the grid between September 2022 and March, according to the American Clean Power Association.

Trump has called the IRA a scam and wants it repealed. His victory has plunged the renewable-power industry into a period of policy uncertainty. Few expect a wholesale repeal, but parts of the IRA are likely to be scrapped.

In the nation's capital, the newspaper reports, "the industry has gone into defense mode," as "executives traveled to the capital to meet with Republican members of Congress in December, people familiar with the matter say."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Trump's Greenland Daydreams: Is There Method Behind His Imperial Madness?

In a slew of social media posts on Christmas Day, President-elect Donald Trump reiterated something that he suggested last month following his victory over Kamala Harris: that the United States "should own Greenland, annex Canada, and reclaim the Panama Canal."

In a Thursday Politico report, breaking news reporter Myah Ward asserts that "if Trump’s overtures are evidence that his America First policy agenda may have an interventionist component, they also served as an early reminder of how the incoming president conducts foreign policy: Lots of threats, confusion, freewheeling and a dose of unpredictability."

Ward writes, "And Republicans are largely writing it off as saber rattling, an approach that sometimes helped Trump get what he wanted out of allies and adversaries during his first term, but also at times threw his administration into chaos or sowed confusion like the famous late-night 'Covfeve' tweet."

Matthew Bartlett, Republican strategist Matthew Bartlett — who served under Trump's first administration — told Politico, "I was there at the State Department when a tweet would be issued, and then, every intellectual in the building had to somehow figure out if there’s any logical sense to this and policy to this and if there’s any upside, or if this actually is Covfefe."

He added, "But from a foreign policy context, crazy worked just fine the first time. If leaders are like, we may not respect you but we absolutely think that you’re bonkers, and we don’t know what’s coming at us next, great. Full send. And if that leads to better peace and prosperity in Ukraine, in Israel, with terrorists on watch, with foreign states. Great. They should be put on notice."

Another GOP strategist, Dave Carney, told the news outlet that the president-elect could be "trying to soften the ground for negotiations," Ward reports, "recalling his threats during his first term to withdraw from NATO — which some Republicans credited with pressuring other countries to increase their defense spending."

Carney suggested that "Trump’s unpredictability can be an asset in some scenarios," Ward added.

"With the president, there’s, I think, always the possibility that other countries think, ‘holy shmoly, he may actually do that, we should try to accommodate him,’” the former Trump appointee said.

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Seeking Political Control Of Higher Education, MAGA Republicans Target Harvard

A handful of Republican leaders — some nominated to assume positions in Donald Trump's Cabinet — are planning to use their newfound power in the coming months to "reshape higher education," according to a Monday Bloomberg report. And they're starting with Harvard University.

Per the report, the Harvard Crimson found in a survey that "only 13 percent of this year’s graduating seniors describe themselves as conservative or very conservative and more than three-quarters of faculty identify as liberal."

After Harvard computer science Professor Harry Lewis found out some "teachers offered condolences to students and told them classes were optional" following Trump's victory over Kamala Harris last month, the former Harvard College dean believes "the infantilization of students and politicization of the classroom" has become a real problem.

"We’ve allowed significant numbers of faculty to think the way that they are going to change the world is through some kind of social activism and that this is part of their responsibilities or opportunity as a scholar," he told Bloomberg.

The news outlet reports, "This fractious environment — in which faculty, students, administrators, activists and government officials are all at odds with one another — has made the job of university President Alan Garber, 69, particularly difficult. And for the physician and economist, installed as interim leader after [ex-President Claudine] Gay’s resignation in January, it’s about to get worse."

Right-wing leaders like Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Vice President-elect and Sen. JD Vance, and Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) have all recently publicly condemned the university for different reasons, including the school's endowments — which Vance said should have "massive tax hikes" — and the "lack of severe punishment" the university received after allowing students to protest the Israel-Palestine conflict on campus.

Aside from lawmakers, far-right activist Christopher Rufo is leading the charge to ensure the Trump administration makes Harvard its priority on its massive mission to change higher education.

Rufo told Bloomberg, "If we can extract changes from Harvard, if we can push it in a better direction, other universities will look at that as a signal and adjust their policies."

Harvard classics professor Richard Thomas told the news outlet, "Anti-democratic forces would gladly dismantle higher education."

He added, "Harvard may have to decide between living without federal funding or being dependent on submission to extreme political control that could come with that funding."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Cheney Blasts House Republicans Who Demanded Criminal Probe Of Her

In a report released by House Republicans Tuesday, the conservative lawmakers call for former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) to be investigated over here involvement the January 6 House Oversight Committee, The Hill reports.

Per The Hill, the GOP leaders are "accusing her of witness tampering by being in touch with star witness Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide."

Cheney — a staunch critic of President-elect Donald Trump — begs to differ.

"January 6th showed Donald Trump for who is really is – a cruel and vindictive man who allowed violent attacks to continue against our Capitol and law enforcement officers while he watched television and refused for hours to instruct his supporters to stand down and leave," the former GOP lawmaker said in a statement, according to The Hill.

Cheney continued, "Chairman [Barry] Loudermilk’s (R-GA) 'Interim Report' intentionally disregards the truth and the Select Committee’s tremendous weight of evidence, and instead fabricates lies and defamatory allegations in an attempt to cover up what Donald Trump did. Their allegations do not reflect a review of the actual evidence, and are a malicious and cowardly assault on the truth. No reputable lawyer, legislator or judge would take this seriously."

Hutchinson, The Hill notes, "was previously represented by another lawyer before changing representation and ultimately agreeing to testify before the panel in a blockbuster hearing."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Prodded By GOP Senator, Trump Rejects RFK Jr. Daughter-In-Law For CIA Post

Robert F. Kennedy Jr's daughter-in-law and ex-undercover Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, was top of Donald Trump's list to become the agency's next director — until Monday.

The Washington Post's John Hudson reported via X that Donald Trump dropped his "consideration of RFK Jr.'s daughter-in-law for No. 2 job at CIA following campaign by Sen. Tom Cotton who lobbied Susie Wiles and others to oppose her."

Hudson noted that while "Cotton, one of the most hawkish senators, opposed her over counterterrorism issues," the ex-Trump pick has a "different" story.

The national security reporter posted a screenshot from his own Post report, which reads:

'A person close to Cotton said the senator's concerns pertained to comments Fox Kennedy made years ago to Al Jazeera noting the importance of understanding America's adversaries. 'The only real way to disarm your enemy is to listen to them,' Fox Kennedy told the news network. Cotton likened such remarks as sympathizing with terrorists, this person said.

Fox Kennedy has told others that the process of establishing commonalities with adversaries is a foundation of CIA's field tradecraft training, and that those efforts to recruit enemies as information sources are not sympathizing but at the core of basic spy craft, according to a person familiar with her private conversations.

Although Fox Kennedy — who's married to RFK Jr.'s son, Bobby Kennedy III — will no longer be considered for the deputy director position, "Trump has told others that he wanted a national security position for Fox Kennedy and that the CIA post was not the only option, said people familiar with the matter who suspect she is likely to be tapped for a position at the White House National Security Council or within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

'Public Health In Jeopardy': 75 Nobel Laureates Urge Senate To Reject RFK Jr

A group of over 75 Nobel laureates on Monday submitted a letter to the US Senate, according to The New York Times, urging lawmakers to reject President-Elect Donald Trump's Department of Health and Human Services lead nominee: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Per the report, Richard Roberts, who won the 1993 Nobel in Physiology or Medicine said the group of laureates typically shies away from politics, but Kennedy's nomination called for a change in protocol.

Roberts told the Times that the letter "marks the first time in recent memory that Nobel laureates have banded together against" a president-elect's Cabinet pick.

"Placing Mr. Kennedy in charge of DHHS would put the public’s health in jeopardy and undermine America’s global leadership in the health sciences," the letter reads.

"The leader of DHHS should continue to nurture and improve — not to threaten — these important and highly respected institutions and their employees," it continued.

When Kennedy was nominated last month, Georgetown University’s O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law director Lawrence Gostin told TIME, "I can’t think of a darker day for public health and science itself than the election of Donald Trump and the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of health."

He added, "To say that RFK Jr. is unqualified is a considerable understatement. The minimum qualification for being the head of the Department of Health and Human Services is fidelity to science and scientific evidence, and he spent his entire career fomenting distrust in public health and undermining science at every step of the way."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

Hegseth Nomination Failing As GOP Senators Start To Back Away

As sexual assault allegations pile up against Donald Trump defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, Republican lawmakers are questioning whether the Fox News host will make it through the confirmation process.

CNN's Manu Raju reported via X: "New on Pete Hegseth’s tough road to confirmation. [Senator] Joni Ernst (R-IA), a victim of sexual assault, plans to have a 'really frank and thorough conversation' with Hegseth amid misconduct allegations."

Raju continued, "Roger Wicker, incoming chairman, told me of the whistleblower report detailed in the New Yorker article about his time running veterans group: 'I’m sure I’ll see it.'"

The New Yorker published a bombshell report Monday revealing that in addition to the sexual assault allegations against him, Hegseth is allegedly known to have been drunk "on the job" on several occasions.

Additionally, the CNN reporter noted that [Senator] Susan Collins (R-ME) says the FBI should investigate the Hegseth allegations," while "several" Republicans are "uncertain they can back" the Fox News host.

In opposition to his colleagues, Senator Kevin Cramer said earlier today that "standards have 'evolved' since the last Defense nominee was voted down in 1989," adding, "I'm interested in who Pete Hegseth is today."

Reprinted with permission from Alternet.

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