All posts tagged "steve scalise"

Iranian mom snatched by ICE while gardening freed after Republican intervenes

An Iranian mother who was seized by ICE while gardening at her New Orleans home has been freed after a prominent Republican intervened with the Department of Homeland Security.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) told media outlet WDSU that he asked DHS to give 64-year-old Mandonna “Donna” Kashanian "a fair shake" by considering "her life's work."

That includes being a “'devoted mother and wife, a caretaker, neighbor and dedicated volunteer' with Habitat for Humanity, her local school district and other organizations," Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, a Louisiana House Republican, told The Associated Press.

Hilferty said she and Scalise shared more than 100 letters of neighborhood support for Kashanian with President Donald Trump’s administration.

Kashanian arrived in the United States in 1978 on a student visa and "unsuccessfully applied for asylum based on her father’s support of the U.S.-backed shah," according to the report. She remained in the United States for 47 years, and her husband and daughter are both U.S. citizens.

She "had been allowed to stay in the U.S. as long as she checked in regularly with immigration authorities, as she had done without fail, her family and attorney said," according to the report.

“When she was picked up, we looked at it and said, ‘Are they really looking at it the right way, objectively?’” Scalise told WDSU. “And so they took a second look at it.”

Kashanian's attorney, Ken Mayeaux, told the AP that Scalise’s intervention was “absolutely crucial” to secure her release after two weeks in custody. He added that "Kashanian’s legal status is still being worked out."

Kashanian's husband, Russell Milne, told the AP, “She’s meeting her obligations. She’s retirement age. She’s not a threat. Who picks up a grandmother?”

A spokesperson for DHS told the AP in an emailed statement that “the facts of this case have not changed.”

“Mandonna Kashanian is in this country illegally. She exhausted all her legal options," the email said.

Read the Associated Press article here.

How much access did $50,000 buy someone at the Republican National Convention?

MILWAUKEE — An open secret about national conventions: the real action is often outside the convention hall, blocks or even miles away from where a political party will formally nominate its presidential candidate.

And this week in tony restaurants, trendy bars, hotel ballrooms and entertainment venues across Milwaukee, corporate lobbyists, megadonors and conservative advocacy organizations will engage in the age-old tradition of using money to influence politics.

The more money you have, the more access you can buy.

So what does $50,000 buy you at the Republican National Convention?

ALSO READ: Trump and God: Religion raises the stakes at Republican convention

Quite a lot, according to more than two-dozen private invitations and political sponsorship offers reviewed by Raw Story.

Take the Republican Party of Arizona’s $50,000 “corporate platinum sponsorship” package. Includes the opportunity to “serve as the title sponsor” for an Arizona delegation event and an “upgraded VIP hotel room,” in addition to seemingly unlimited access to the delegation’s gatherings and activities. “Help raise WVGOP’s profile and promote your organization.”

Then there’s the $50,000 West Virginia delegation’s “Almost Heaven Convention Strategies Sponsorship Package,” which includes invitations to “all WVGOP convention receptions” — more than a dozen in all. You’ll also get a “speaking role” at two West Virginia delegation events and recognition in the delegation’s convention program and “all WVGOP convention receptions.”

“Connect with GOP leaders from across the country,” a sponsorship document reads.

The Virginia delegation offers a $50,000 “platinum supporter” package with similar perks plus such sweeteners as a “private sponsor Meet and Greet and photo op opportunity with VIP guests” and recognition as a “platinum Sponsor for all events honoring the Virginia Republicans with name/logo listed on all signs, materials, etc.”

And if you’re really loaded, you can double down and cough up $100,000 to become the “title sponsor” of Donald Trump’s home state delegation of Florida, which on Monday officially cast the delegate votes to formally put Trump over the threshold to become the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nominee.

Florida delegation title sponsors are entitled to the works: top billing at numerous delegate events, access to high-profile politicians, recognition wherever one goes.

The "Southern States Fest at the Ballpark" is also a six-figure-sponsor affair, with a "stage and band sponsor" buying themselves access to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), the Louisiana convention delegation and musician Lee Greenwood, along with 100 event tickets, "stage naming rights" and "other special benefits."

The delegations for Georgia, Missouri and Alabama also offer prospective sponsors big-time benefit packages for $50,000 contributions.

Here’s what you’ll get at other events this week, according to sponsorship documents:

“BBQ, Bikes & Blues”: The “gold supporter” “host sponsorship package” at Tuesday’s event at Milwaukee’s Harley-Davidson Museum, which honored the delegations of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming,” costs $20,000. It includes 20 tickets to the event, top billing on event signage, meet-and-greets with “VIPs,” “hotel room opportunities” and “access to official RNC Convention credentials.”
“The Lawyers Reception”: For a cool $25,000, the Republican National Lawyers Association will provide you “elite recognition of your law firm — logo featured on multiple displays at the reception” at a three-hour event at the law firm Husch Blackwell. You’ll also receive “special acknowledgment of your firm by master of ceremonies during program” and a host of other goodies, such as the “possibility of privileged access for multiple guests to RNC Convention for multiple days and one guest to delegate floor.”
“Boots and Bourbon”: Join Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) and the Kentucky delegation for top-shelf treatment, constant promotion at private events and speaking opportunities — for $20,000. You’ll also get the cool title, “Bourbon Host.”
“Red White & Brew”: Sponsored by conservative organizations Independent Women’s Voices and RightNow, a $15,000 “pilsner supporter” sponsorship will buy you access to the same beer everyone else is drinking — plus a dozen event tickets and your name plastered everywhere, among other
“Brewing a Majority Reception”: This is Milwaukee, after all, so it serves to reason there would be more than one beer-themed event. This one, at the Historic Pabst Brewery, features two powerful members of Congress — Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA). Sponsors who pay $20,000 get 15 event tickets, photos with VIPs, top listing on signage and credentials, “speakeasy access” and two tickets to a future event in Washington, D.C., with Barrasso.

As these are generally private events and closed to press, it’s not immediately evident who is shelling out top dollar to sponsor these and other events.

But there are hints.

For example, Raw Story spotted signs for ULINE, the shipping supply company founded by GOP megadonors Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, inside a private Fiserv Forum lounge for top Trump campaign and Republican National Committee supporters attending the Republican National Convention.

Spotted inside a lounge for the Republican State Leadership Committee: pillows placed on plush chairs featured logos for Lyft, the ride hailing company.

Some of these sponsorship packages are organized by Conventions2024, a company that describes itself as “a group of veteran political convention operatives who have been producing events at the GOP Convention since 2008.”

Representatives from the company did not respond to Raw Story messages.

But one government watchdog bemoaned the widespread influence peddling, which is certain to also be present next month in Chicago when the Democratic National Convention is conducted.

“Corporate lobbyists, big businesses, and special interests always see the national party conventions as yet another way of buying influence with elected officials, and as a result, party officials are often complicit in selling access during conventions,” said Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs at Common Cause.

Scherb insisted that Congress needs to pass legislation to “get big, secret money out of politics and to ensure that the voices of everyday Americans can be fully heard in government.”

NFL drafts Capitol Hill staffers for lobbying retreat

The National Football League — by far the richest sports league in the world — paid for several U.S. House of Representatives aides to attend last month’s NFL Draft.

The catch?

The aides allowed top NFL officials lobby them on issues of significant financial and political importance to the league.

“Stadium Construction and Municipal Bonds” was the first session for at least 11 aides who attended the NFL’s “Government Affairs Congressional Forum” in Detroit on April 25 and April 26.

Another session, titled “Community Relations & Economic Impact,” touted the NFL’s marquee events such as the Super Bowl and how they bring “thousands of jobs and tens of millions of dollars in economic activity to a local economy.”

ALSO READ: Democratic congressman commits massive stock law violation

Members flew from Washington to Detroit on April 25 — the first round of the three-day NFL Draft — and went back the next day, according to the agenda.

The NFL spent about $800 to $900 per attendee on travel and lodging, according to the congressional disclosures.

The details were part of Raw Story’s review of congressional travel disclosures submitted by attendees to the House Committee on Ethics, which requires such documentation when private sources pay for lawmakers or their staff members to travel on official business.

The NFL, whose 32 franchises are worth an average of $5.1 billion each, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Political power players

Among those attending were two aides to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA): AJ Sugarman, policy adviser, and Ben Napier, floor director.

The chiefs of staff for two House Democrats attended: Jeremy Marcus for California Rep. Doris Matsui and Nicole Varner for Rep. Marc Veasey of Texas.

Others include:

Brandon Casey, staff director for the House Ways & Means Committee and staff member of Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA).

Elia Yates, members service director for the House Judiciary Committee and staff member of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH).

Michael Koren, staff director of the Homeland Security Committee and staff member for Rep. Mark Green (R-TN).

James Tyler Grimm, chief counsel for the Judiciary Majority and staff member of Jordan.

Joseph Orlando, staff member of the Energy & Commerce Committee and staff member of Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ).

Waverly Gordon, deputy staff director of the Energy & Commerce Committee and staff member of Pallone.

Vivian Moeglein, staff director of the Natural Resources Committee and staff member of Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR).

Hope Goins, staff director of the Homeland Security Committee and staff member of Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS).

Some of the other sessions in the agenda — and the point of view the NFL was selling:

Illegal offshore sportsbooks “that continue to subvert the legal U.S. betting market, and how the NFL protects consumers and ensures the integrity of the game.”

Player health and safety and how “the league uses technology and resources to protect and advance player health and safety on gameday and beyond.”

Drones and stadium safety on “potential legislative framework to counter threats posed by the illicit use of unmanned aircraft systems.”

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in head coaching, general manager, and top leadership jobs. The agenda says the NFL “is constantly refining policies that give candidates from all backgrounds the ability to participate and excel on and off the field.”

Kennesaw State economics professor JC Bradbury said the general view among academics is that using public money for stadiums and sports events does not make economic sense.

But, he added, the NFL’s lobbying to use public money for those purposes makes perfect sense.

“Politicians seem willing to foot the bill, so why not ask?” Bradbury said. “As (Seinfeld television show character) George Constanza once said, ‘Why should I pay when, if I apply myself, maybe I can get it for free?’

"’Economic development’ is just a convenient justification, even though it has been long debunked by economists. Subsidizing sports to promote economic development is like taking up smoking for the health benefits.”

ALSO READ: Trump campaign allegedly took ‘excessive’ contributions by the nickel and dime

Matthew Shapiro, vice president of NFL Events Strategy, and Brad Firestone, vice president of NFL Tax and Risk Management, led the stadium construction session. An agenda described the session as “Discussion of Federal-tax-exempt bonds as a tool to promote economic development at the local level that allow state and local governments low-cost financing for community economic development projects.”

“It's interesting that they are discussing tax exemptions for municipal bonds,” Bradbury said. “The 1986 tax reform made it much more difficult for stadiums to qualify for the federal tax exemption for municipal projects. I wonder if there is a push to get rid of it.”

Another session caught Bradbuy’s eye: A discussion of the vastly lowered threshold for reporting income on tax returns from individual transactions.

“This change may affect season ticketholders and other fans who resell over $600 of tickets per year,” the agenda said. “Will include discussion of a permanent solution that would raise the threshold and reinstate a minimum level of transactions.”

Said Bradbury: “They are clearly pushing for changes to make life easier for their wealthy fans.”

‘We're wounded:’ Speaker Mike Johnson struggles to lead GOP after ‘unnecessary purging’

WASHINGTON – House Republicans are divided over what to do about their internal divisions – or even whether anything’s the matter at all.

Welcome to Speaker Mike Johnson’s Capitol.

After a string of recent tactical blunders – from a failed impeachment vote to pulling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (or FISA) reauthorization measure he put on the floor this week – some Republicans in the House of Representatives are reassessing the successor to deposed Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Johnson, Republicans’ replacement speaker, has now been on the job 114 days. Yet the GOP still feels rudderless. He is hardly a phoenix, but the GOP is covered in plenty of ashes from the house fire that is the 118th Congress' Republican conference.

“We're wounded. I'm not saying that's because of Mike Johnson. It’s because of the situation we put ourselves in, no matter who came out of that,” Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) told Raw Story. “There's a lot of things that are out of his immediate control with the suddenness of this happening.”

ALSO READ: Uncivil war: How Speaker Mike Johnson’s dream of bipartisan decency died in his hands

The Republican unrest with Johnson (R-LA) is starting to become undeniable, even to his allies such as LaMalfa.

“It feels like there’s a little more unrest. Or that the unrest is now bubbling to the surface?” Raw Story asked.

“I think there’s some underground bubbling going on,” LaMalfa said.

The Republican Party still hasn’t healed since members ran McCarthy out of the speaker’s chair — and right out of Congress. While Johnson hasn’t had his speakership challenged by the gang of eight Republicans who ousted McCarthy, he’s constantly under pressure from every faction of his fractious conference.

“In fairness, I think the problem changes every day, depending on where he's got to focus,” Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) told Raw Story in front of the Capitol this week. “Sometimes it's just the issue of the day. It's just a tough, tough time.”

Johnson’s job is only getting more complicated now that the 2024 election has fully engulfed the U.S. Capitol. Campaign considerations helped derail a bipartisan Senate border security compromise and cast a broadly bipartisan foreign aid package – and U.S. allies Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan – in limbo.

Speaker in empty suit only?

Looming over everything, including Johnson’s speakership, is former President Donald Trump.

Trump, for example, single-handedly killed the border bill before lawmakers even finished drafting it.

That’s begged the question: Who’s running the show on Capitol Hill?

“Is Donald Trump calling the shots here, Mr. Speaker?” Meet the Press host Kristen Welker asked Johnson a couple Sunday’s ago.

“He’s not calling the shots. I am calling the shots,” a defensive Johnson replied.

The reserved speaker was animated, if not entirely believable.

ALSO READ: 11 ways Trump doesn't become president

“Certainly, Trump has influence on people. I don’t want to say he’s in charge. We do a lot of things that Trump disagrees with,” Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) told Raw Story just off the House floor.

Johnson is known as a staunchly conservative Christian nationalist, but lawmakers still don’t know how to define his leadership style.

As Raw Story revealed in January, Johnson came to Congress in 2017 with big dreams of bipartisanship and civil discourse among lawmakers. Those dreams dashed, he’s embraced the MAGA mantle, ever-evolving – or devolving – as it is.

“He’s just trying to figure out some things,” Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) told Raw Story Thursday.

The speaker is getting pulled in most every direction, and he doesn’t seem to tell anyone ‘No.’

That hurt Johnson last week when he stepped in a political dogpile.

Basically, Johnson backed fringe-right Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) in Montana’s U.S. Senate GOP primary. Within hours of that news dropping, the speaker reversed course. The pressure came from old guard Republicans in the House and the National Republican Senatorial Committee who, along with Trump, are backing retired Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy in the race against Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT).

Rosendale was one of the eight GOP lawmakers who ousted McCarthy, making him anathema to the majority of House Republicans who remain bitter over last year’s speaker battle. After formally announcing his Senate bid last Friday, Rosendale reversed course — and withdrew. Johnson’s highly publicized reversal seems to have led to the demise of the Freedom Caucus member’s longshot bid – the opposite of what he set out to do.

Johnson’s a leadership novice, and everyone seems to know it.

“You got some advice for Speaker Johnson?” Raw Story asked former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) – who served as House minority whip during the 1980s – as he strolled past the House floor Wednesday.

“Every now and then,” Lott, now a lobbyist, said with a laugh — and without detailing what that advice is. “I spent a little time over here in leadership. I still stay in touch with them.”

When not crying, Democrats are laughing at the dysfunction.

“Tell them to keep up the good work!” Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) told Raw Story as he was entering the Capitol on Wednesday, the day after Democrats won the special election in New York to replace expelled former Rep. George Santos (R-NY).

Despite Democratic chiding, many Republicans say there’s still time to salvage the least productive Congress in recent decades.

‘I wish we did less’

With Democrats recapturing Santos’ seat, Republicans are now down to a mere two-seat advantage on floor votes. House Republicans aren’t calling to reverse course — rather the loudest voices in the conference this week have been bemoaning the bipartisan ouster of Santos, a demonstrated liar and credibly accused fraudster who faces numerous federal charges and potential prison time.

"I voted against expelling George Santos. He wasn’t convicted of anything, and I don’t think he should have been expelled. And I think it was a very bad strategy from our conference to expel a member of Congress who hasn’t been convicted," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) told Raw Story at the Capitol. “We shouldn't have lost that seat to begin with.”

Johnson was also back in the headlines this week when he pulled a FISA – think warrantless wiretapping – reauthorization from the House floor after it became clear Republicans were prepared to kill the measure.

“Pulling the FISA bill – doesn't that make y'all look like you can't govern?” Raw Story asked Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), the new head of the far-right Freedom Caucus.

“Well, what you guys call ‘not governing’ is not doing more bad stuff, not doing more of what Democrats want to do, not doing more what the D.C. swamp wants us to do, not doing more of what the status quo is,” Good said while walking through a tunnel leading to the Capitol Thursday. “What is it you want us to do more of that would show we could govern?”

“Even when it comes to unwinding the administrative state, you guys are historically a piss poor Congress,” Raw Story replied. “Like, you can't even unwind what you want to unwind, right?”

“Well, I would argue, we are historical in the sense that we have not worsened the administrative state, and we have not done more harm to the American people on the level that most congresses have done,” Good said.

“I wish we did less. Unless we had absolute control of government, and we could truly undo all the harm. At least we're not layering it on and adding to it,” Good said. “Just take FISA, if it weren't for the Freedom Caucus conservatives, FISA would already have been reformed in a way that totally trampled on and expands upon the harm being done to the citizens.”

The House has now joined the Senate on an extended President’s Day recess.

When the two chambers return to town in two weeks, they’ll have just a handful of legislative days to fund the government before federal funding starts clicking off on March 1.

Can Democrats solve Johnson’s problems?

Everything’s not fine in the GOP, and rank-and-file Republicans know it. That has some conservatives now calling on Johnson to do what’s become anathema in today’s GOP: Work across the aisle.

“He’s got a tough job. He’s got the toughest job in America, so he's got to reach out to Democrats to get things done,” Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) told Raw Story on his way to vote on the House floor this week. “He doesn’t really have much of a choice.”

Johnson was no one’s first choice to be speaker. In fact, he wasn’t the GOP’s second, third or fourth choice, either.

Over three long weeks last year, Republican speaker-designates Reps. Steve Scalise (R-LA), Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Tom Emmer (R-MN) all quit after failing to solidify enough GOP support to win the gavel on the House floor.

The party needed someone – anyone, really – to replace McCarthy as speaker.

In that environment, many of the party’s proven leaders refused to run, and thus Speaker Mike Johnson was born.

“This was all made difficult by the unnecessary purging of McCarthy,” LaMalfa of California told Raw Story. “In some cases, the cream of the crop of who would be the ideal leader, weren't presenting themselves – and this is not a personal knock to any individual – so Mike kind of evolved from those different pools.”

Since he was anointed, Johnson’s had to host fundraisers, travel to member’s districts and run the House. He’s proven a quick study in fundraising from GOP donors, and Republican members have been happy to host him in their districts. It’s the whole running the House of Representatives that Johnson seems to be struggling with most these days.

That’s largely because of the same far-right Republicans who seem to hijack most every measure that hits the House floor. The new boss seems to have the same problem as the old boss.

“They’re not going to be happy with anything,” LaMalfa said. “They don't give a s—. They don't care.”

'Gaslighting liar': Ex-GOP staffer slams Rep. Steve Scalise's 'nonsense' victory lap

Following the House's impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by a single vote, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) spoke to MSNBC, demanding that President Joe Biden pass the House's extremely strict anti-immigration bill rather than the bipartisan border security compromise brokered in the Senate, otherwise he supports "open borders."

This did not sit well with former Republican turned Democratic strategist Kurt Bardella, who raged against the House leader on MSNBC.

"After you heard that interview, what are your thoughts?" asked anchor Charles Coleman. "Tell me your reaction immediately not only to the vote, but to the narrative that is continuing to be pushed?"

ALSO READ: How Donald Trump is spreading a dangerous mental illness to his supporters

"What a gaslighting liar, that is what Steve Scalise is," said Bardella. "He is full of it. This idea that if you don't do what we say you want open borders, that is utter nonsense. The idea that we want to compromise, you will come to an agreement in a room and then Donald Trump would say don't make any agreement and all of a sudden it would fall apart. How many times have we seen that story play out?"

"The idea that Steve Scalise or any Republicans are going to get something done, saying we are tired of passing things that look good but don't do anything," Bardella continued. "What are you guys — did you guys just do right now? You passed an impeachment and he's never going to be removed from office. Don't give me that. He sits and talks about the American people being tired of this and that. The American people voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden, and Joe Biden appointed the Homeland Security secretary, and you are undermining the will of the people. Don't sit there and tell me what the American people want."

"By the way, I thought Donald Trump was supposed to fix the border in the first place?" added Bardella. "Wasn't Mexico supposed to pay for a border wall? Whatever happened to that? Where's the check? The amount of lying and gaslighting that we just saw from Steve Scalise is amazing."

Watch the video below or at the link.

Kurt Bardella slams Steve Scalise's post-Mayorkas impeachment interviewwww.youtube.com

Trolling, erotica, vulgarity: Trump, Biden Facebook pages are unmitigated trash heaps

Former President Donald Trump is depicted as Ken getting booked in jail during the blockbuster movie, “Barbie.”

House Speaker Emerita Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is shrieking “I’m melting” while portraying the Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz.”

Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is sporting a neon green “Borat”-style mankini while walking alongside a bikini-clad Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) — she died earlier this year — and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) in his signature hoodie and gym shorts.

And Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is transposed over a meme of Leonardo DiCaprio laughing during a dinner scene in the 2012 film “Django Unchained.”

None of this might seem remarkable in this day and age. Except for one twist: the images appear on the politicians’ own social media.

Indeed, the official Facebook pages of more than a dozen members of Congress, presidential candidates and Executive Branch leaders reviewed by Raw Story feature hateful, violent or sexual content — even pornography, in some cases.

The prime culprits are tagged Facebook photos — some lighthearted, some mean-spirited, others overtly vile — that other Facebook users have created, but that the politicians’ page administrators have failed to block.

After being contacted by Raw Story, a handful of political leaders' Facebook settings changed or inappropriate content suddenly disappeared.

Whether the decision to leave tags open to the public is an intentional choice or an oversight is up for debate among political and social media experts. So is the question of whose responsibility it is to police the content — Facebook or the politicians’ social media managers.

Screen grab from Donald Trump's Facebook

“To me, it's not a mistake. I think at a certain point, you or the staffer behind it sees this content, and to not adjust the privacy settings, there seems to be intention there in my eyes,” said Dillon St. Bernard, a digital strategist who has worked on social media strategies for youth-led movements.

On the other hand, John Hart, a former communications director for late-Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) said “often, it's usually an oversight” when a politician doesn’t activate their social media privacy settings, but they should monitor the content posted on their social media.

“Members are responsible for choosing the medium on which other people post material,” said Hart, co-founder of the Conservative Coalition for Climate Solutions. “They shouldn't be held accountable for users' posts per se, but if they're facilitating the dissemination of that information, then they need to rethink their chosen medium."

Screen grab from President Joe Biden's Facebook

Facebook, and its parent company, Meta, did not respond to Raw Story’s request for comment.

From cartoons to porn: Presidential candidates on Facebook

As their parties’ presumptive nominees for the 2024 presidential election, President Joe Biden and Trump’s Facebook pages have been frequently targeted by Internet trolls.

Biden’s “politician” page, run by his Biden for President campaign, has its tagged photos settings turned off. But his official presidential Facebook page has its tags open to the world, attracting a range of posts from nearly naked people to violent images from the Israel-Hamas war.

Trump’s page, run by the Donald J. Trump for President 2024 campaign, features numerous inappropriate tagged photos and images, including frequent sexual content, such as some pornographic drawings, as well as Nazi imagery and depictions of drug use.

Neither Trump nor Biden responded to Raw Story’s request for comment.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who has ascended in the polls in recent weeks to compete with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for second place in the Republican primary, has her tagged photo settings turned off on the Facebook page run by her campaign.

DeSantis’ campaign page has tagged photos disabled, too, although his official governor page is open to public tags. As a result, his tagged photos page includes Nazi imagery and some violence toward Biden, along with an assortment of trolling, including an image of DeSantis photoshopped into a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader uniform.

Neither the governor’s office nor DeSantis responded to Raw Story’s request for comment.

Screen grab from Gov. Ron DeSantis' Facebook

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has his Facebook tags open but — so far — has mostly evaded posts from Internet trolls.

Ramaswamy and Haley’s campaigns also did not respond to requests for comment.

Smut to memes: Members of Congress’ Facebooks

One of the biggest targets of Facebook trolling has been Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), whose public tagged photos have included derogatory, misogynistic — and even pornographic content.

Some erotic images on her page were taken down after a Raw Story investigation, but her tag settings remain open to the public and have received new tagged posts.

Her colleagues on the far-right, including Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO), have been targeted with inappropriate tags and heckling, too.

“Although it hasn't been utilized often, we've previously allowed Facebook users to tag us in photos as one option for constituents to keep us looped into issues they may be passionate about and want us to be aware of,” said Drew Sexton, campaign manager for Lauren Boebert for Congress, via email. “Unfortunately, it appears someone has recently maliciously abused that option. We're taking steps to balance our desire to continue hearing directly from constituents and supporters in a number of ways while preventing inappropriate material from being posted.”

After being notified by Raw Story of the inappropriate tagged photos, some images disappeared from Boebert’s campaign Facebook page, including one sexually explicit image.

“It's my understanding our digital team reported the inappropriate photo to Facebook, and it appears to be removed now,” Sexton said.

Screen grab from Rep. Matt Gaetz's Facebook

On the far left, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) faced some trolling on the tagged photos page on her official congressional Facebook, but her team apparently changed her privacy settings after being contacted by Raw Story, as now both her campaign and congressional Facebooks do not allow tagged photos.

House and Senate leadership, including Schumer, Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Speaker Emerita Pelosi (D-CA), have all been targets of Internet trolls, as well, at least on their official congressional Facebook tagged photos pages. Since being contacted by Raw Story, Scalise's Facebook page no longer allows tagged photos.

House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has mostly evaded unwanted tags on his official congressional Facebook despite the open tag settings; however, his campaign page included a tagged image referencing Adolf Hitler. His campaign removed the image once contacted by Raw Story, and now his campaign page no longer allows tagged photos.

House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) was formerly tagged in spam weight loss images on his official congressional Facebook page, but after being contacted by Raw Story, the images appear to be removed.

Raw Story also found the official campaign pages for Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mike Lee (R-UT) and JD Vance (R-OH) to have their Facebook tags open to the public and tagged in inappropriate, offensive or spam content.

"In this case the ball is in the campaign's court," said Luke Schroeder, a spokesperson for Vance's congressional office, via text. Vance's official congressional Facebook page did not show inappropriate images.

No other congressional offices or campaigns responded to Raw Story’s requests for comment.

Screen grab from Sen. Bernie Sanders' Facebook

To moderate or not to moderate?

Leaving Facebook tags open to the public isn’t all bad, St. Bernard said.

“It's clear that there also are some supporters sprinkled into the trolling,” St. Bernard said. ”I think that's often the problem, and then also, the value-add with social media is that if you start moderating there is a way that you are taking away some of this support and the conversation.”

Concerns about limiting the right to freedom of speech could potentially influence a politician's decision to leave their Facebook tags open to the public, despite undesirable content.

“Politicians can disable Facebook tagging without impinging on people’s First Amendment rights,” said David Greene, civil liberties director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “They also can take steps to address harassment, and they can make viewpoint-neutral rules limiting profanity and sexual content. But they cannot engage in any kind of viewpoint discrimination — given how common it is for government officials and agencies to conduct official business through social media, the First Amendment rights of persons to access such accounts and participate in their interactive spaces are critical to modern civic engagement.”

The Electronic Frontier Foundation — whose mission is to “protect the rights of users to transmit and receive information online” — filed an amicus brief in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court that will try to answer whether it’s legal for public officials to block people on social media.

“When an official chooses to mix governmental and non-governmental conduct on an individual account, they must accept the First Amendment obligations that go with doing so,” the brief argues.

Adjusting Facebook privacy settings is ”pretty easy” and should prompt a conversation with a politician’s team about what content they want to show up on their public page, Hart said.

Ultimately, as politicians navigate the public nature of their jobs, some still just might not have figured out how to manage all the nuances of social media yet, Hart said.

“We're in this age of narcissistic exhibitionism in politics, and politi-tainment where members, too often, feel like their job is to be a stand-up comic, or be an entertainer, when they're really just hired to be a legislator,” Hart said. "There's an absurdity to what is considered normal politics these days. I don't think members broadly — Republican and Democrat — haven't figured out how to navigate the digital era."

Kevin McCarthy hints revenge against House Republican who helped oust him

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in an interview with Politico released Friday hinted at the possibility of enacting vengeance on a GOP tormenter who helped end his tenure as House speaker.

McCarthy replied with sarcasm when Politico asked about news that Virginia state Sen. John McGuire, a former Navy SEAL, might run against Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), one of eight Republicans who voted in approval of his ouster.

“Really? I'm shocked,” McCarthy said of the potential primary challenger. “You mean the military guy? I heard something about him.”

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When Politico asked if McCarthy might return the ousting favor and involve himself in the race, the former speaker said he didn't know what he'd do with his newfound freedom.

"Prior to being the speaker, I couldn't get engaged in races," McCarthy said. "But I'm a free agent now."

McCarthy's ouster as speaker led to three weeks of chaos in the Republican conference, which tried to get through Reps. Steve Scalise (R-LA), Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Tom Emmer (R-MN) as speaker before finally settling on current House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).

Here's how much Newt Gingrich's defunct presidential campaign still owes creditors

All hail Newt Gingrich — still the king of presidential campaign debt.

Gingrich's 2012 presidential campaign committee continues to owe creditors more than $4.63 million, according to new financial documents filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission.

No other presidential campaign committee from any past election cycle owes more.

Gingrich's committee debt has largely remained the same for the past decade, with dozens of campaign vendors who haven't been made whole.

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Comcast, FedEx, X (formerly Twitter) and a consulting company run by another former Republican presidential candidate — Herman Cain, who died in 2020 of COVID-19 — are among Gingrich's 2012 presidential campaign creditors. Gingrich's campaign committee also owes money to Gingrich himself as well as the committee's treasurer, Taylor Swindle.

Gingrich is not personally liable for his campaign committee's debts, per federal law. But he could personally help his campaign pay off debts if he wanted, either using his own money or raising money from others.

Has he? No.

The former U.S. House speaker, who won just two states en route to placing fourth in the 2012 GOP presidential primary, has done little to settle the debts of a campaign committee that bears his name — "Newt 2012". Gingrich's old committee has just $179.61 cash on hand as of Sept. 30.

That hasn't stopped Gingrich from criticizing what he considers the irresponsible spending practices of other politicians.

ALSO READ: Lawmakers, law breakers: 26 members of Congress have violated a federal conflicts-of-interest law

"The nation is currently $31.4 trillion in the red," Gingrich wrote in a February opinion article published in the Daily Mail. "Astonishingly, by 2025, interest on the debt may be a larger budget item than the entire U.S. Department of Defense. In the 2022 fiscal year, $475 billion was consumed by interest payments. That's nearly as much as the $677 billion spent on education and more than is spent on veterans' benefits and transportation — combined. A balanced budget — the novel concept of not spending more than is collected in revenue – can save the nation from this fiscal insanity."

"But it won't be easy to get there. I know what it takes," Gingrich added.

"We're deeply committed to lower spending, not higher spending," Gingrich said of Republicans during an interview on Fox Business in May.

A representative for Gingrich could not be reached for comment.

ALSO READ: Trump owes money to media outlets and Secret Service — after not paying his bills: report

Despite his old campaign committee's insolvency, Gingrich continues to rank among the Republican Party's favorite fundraising surrogates.

He frequently sends solicitations to conservative donors on behalf of political committees such as the Republican National Committee and GOP candidates including former President Donald Trump, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and 2022 U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker of Georgia.

"When the clock struck midnight last night, House Republicans were still well short of their huge 3rd quarter goal! I don’t want to lie, so I’ll be blunt. This is a disaster," Gingrich wrote on Sept. 29 on behalf of the National Republican Congressional Committee. "Please help us, Friend. We need your support!"

This article originally appeared on July 14, 2023, and has been updated to include new financial details and developments.

Top Republican prospect withdraws from House speaker race as GOP descends into chaos

Just a day after being nominated for House Speaker by the Republican Party, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) has withdrawn his name from consideration, leaving the GOP's path forward to elect House leadership uncertain, CNN reported on Thursday.

"House Republicans met behind closed-doors for more than two hours Thursday afternoon, where the Majority leader urged his detractors to explain their opposition to him in front of the conference. After the meeting ended, Scalise huddled with those opposed to him in his office. And Republicans scheduled a second members-only conference meeting for Thursday evening," reported Jeremy Herb, Melanie Zanona, Manu Raju, and Haley Talbot. "But the opposition to Scalise as the next speaker only grew Thursday, with roughly 20 Republicans publicly opposing him. Scalise needs a majority of the House to be elected speaker, meaning he can only afford to lose four votes."

"The deadlock is leading to intensifying frustration as the House GOP looks no closer to coalescing around a speaker candidate," said the report. "Several Republicans described Thursday’s meeting as a venting session that wasn’t terribly productive. Many said it didn’t feel like anyone could actually get to the 217 votes needed."

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Republicans' next move is unclear. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) had also been floated as a potential nominee earlier in the process, but a critical mass of members appear resistant to him as well.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who was ousted from the speakership last week in a historic first-of-its-kind vote orchestrated by disaffected far-right Republicans, had previously said he didn't intend to run again. If he changed his mind, it is unclear how he would overcome the votes either, as he would have to win over some of the eight Republicans who voted him out in the first place.

Without a speaker appointed, most business in the House cannot function under the rules. All of this comes as Congress is faced with the prospect of needing to avert a government shutdown in a matter of weeks, and potentially to increase military aid to both Ukraine and Israel.

'We might never elect a speaker': Republican House in complete disarray after meeting

Republicans emerged from the House conference meeting on Thursday afternoon in complete disarray.

While the GOP has been fighting for the better part of the year, after removing Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as speaker, the caucus is so split on who the next one should be that no one can reach the 217 votes necessary to reach the position. Democrats have 212 votes for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who continues to have the most votes of any member in the House.

Before the meeting was even over, Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who is facing a 23-count indictment, abandoned the ship calling it a "waste of time."

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“Yeah, it’s never Scalise,” Santos told CNN's Manu Raju. “At this point we’re going to find someone else in leadership that comes forward that’s going to be a compromise candidate. But as for me it’s never Scalise.”

An hour later, it turned out he was right. Scalise didn't have the votes, and he was losing support.

Republicans in the room told Punchbowl News that Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) repeatedly refused to answer questions from at least three colleagues about his "plan."

He “just rambled and didn’t directly answer questions. No plan. Didn’t unify or inspire the conference," one member told John Bresnahan.

After the meeting, however, Scalise told Punchbowl's Jake Sherman he'll meet with some of the "no" votes personally.

Rep. Dan Bishop told a far-right activist that Jim Jordan is the only Republican who could reach the 217 votes necessary, The Messenger's Stephen Neukam posted on the social media site formerly known as Twitter.

Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR), who is supporting Scalise, told Sherman that there are six "hard nos" against Scalise, which means without those he'll never reach the votes necessary. "Based on what I've heard, I don't [think] there's gonna be a vote this week."

Foreign Affairs Chairman, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) told Sherman, “I see a lot of threats out there. One of the biggest threats I see is in that room."

“They’re airing these grievances but at the end of the day, we elected the speaker designee and you know, we may just have to bring it to the floor and have another episode like we had with McCarthy. I don’t really know if he’s going to get the requisite votes right now," he continued.

Meanwhile, Republicans are demanding the United States step up funding to Israel to fight back against Hamas, which orchestrated a terrorist attack over the weekend.

CBS News' Robert Costa asked Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), whose name has been thrown around as someone who could get to 217, if he’s willing to serve as a kind of consensus speaker who works with both parties. Cole has long been a Republican conservative.

“Oh please,” he laughed. When Costa asked for some clarity on where he stands, Cole laughed again. “I’m not running for speaker.”

The idea of a consensus speaker is becoming more and more of a possibility with the so-called "Problem Solver's Caucus" having 10 Republicans in its ranks that could form a joint government with Democrats.

Rep. David Joyce (R-OH), who is a member of the "Problem Solver's Caucus," told Sherman that he's speaking with Republicans and Democrats about a possible joint government with interim Speaker Patrick McHenry (R-NC).

It's unclear if that's even an option, as McHenry is seen as a McCarthy loyalist who booted Speaker emeritus Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) out of their offices with just 24 hours-notice. It was later reported that McCarthy was the one demanding it because Democrats wouldn't vote to keep him in as the speaker.

Pelosi wasn't in attendance for the vote. She was in California, attending the funeral of her longtime friend, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).