In 2018, a graphic novel version of the diary began to revive similar criticisms from parents. A school district in Florida banned it in April, following a campaign by the local chapter of Moms for Liberty, a grassroots organization designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an extremist group. Texas' Keller Independent School District removed it last year, too.
'Fight this battle piece by piece':'Fight this battle piece by piece': How angry moms are shaping culture wars and the 2024 race
Data from the American Library Association shows book-banning challenges across the country hit a two-decade high last year. Texas banned more books than any other state between July 2021 and June 2022, according to PEN America.
As if campaign contributions are not good enough.U.S. prosecutors on Friday charged powerful Senator Bob Menendez and his wife with taking bribes from three New Jersey businessmen, which could complicate Democrats' efforts to keep their slim majority in the U.S. Senate in next year's elections.
Menendez later stepped down temporarily from his role as chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee until the case is resolved, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement, adding that Menendez had a right to due process.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan said Menendez, 69, accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cash and gold bars in exchange for using his power and influence as New Jersey's senior senator to benefit the government of Egypt and interfere with law enforcement probes into the businessmen.
However, he has decided to stay put in the Senate.New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, as well as several other Democratic state officials and members of the U.S. House of Representatives, called on Menendez to resign from the Senate.
So he's hiding behind his identity."It is not lost on me how quickly some are rushing to judge a Latino and push him out of his seat. I am not going anywhere," he said in a statement late Friday.
Prosecutors are seeking to have Menendez forfeit assets including his New Jersey home, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz convertible, and about $566,000 in cash, gold bars and funds from a bank account.
The indictment contained an image of gold bars investigators seized from Menendez's home as well as envelopes stuffed with cash found inside jackets bearing Menendez's name hanging in his closet. Prosecutors said they found more than $480,000 in cash in his home.
Several other Reps have called for his resignation, like AOC.Over the following days, Democratic Party politicians such as New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New Jersey General Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin, Michael Bennet, Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey Jr., Tammy Duckworth, Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Kirsten Gillibrand, Maggie Hassan, Martin Heinrich, John Hickenlooper, Mazie Hirono, Mark Kelly, Amy Klobuchar, Ed Markey, Chris Murphy, Jon Ossoff, Gary Peters, Jacky Rosen, Bernie Sanders, Debbie Stabenow, Jon Tester, Raphael Warnock, Elizabeth Warren, and Peter Welch, as well as New Jersey U.S. Representatives Mikie Sherrill, Andy Kim, Donald Norcross, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Frank Pallone, and Bill Pascrell had called for Menendez's resignation
She refuses to accept his hiding behind his ethnic identity.MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you about some democratic politics. You were outspoken about George Santos, the New York congressman and said he should resign because of all the legal issues and ethical issues he was facing. Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey, as you know, has just been indicted on bribery charges. Should he resign? And what do you think of his statement that it has to do with him being a Latino?
REP. OCASIO-CORTEZ: Well, you know, I think it's- the situation is quite unfortunate, but I do believe that it is in the best interest for Senator Menendez to resign in this moment. As you mentioned, consistency matters. It shouldn't matter whether it's a Republican or a Democrat. The details in this indictment are extremely serious. They involve the nature of, of not just his but all of our seats in Congress. And while you know, as a Latina, there are absolutely ways in which there is systemic bias. But I think what is here in this indictment is quite clear. And- and I believe is in the best interest to maintain the integrity of the seat. I want to emphasize that all people are- they must be extended the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. That is the legal reality in our country. But when it comes to the political and the standard of dignity that we want to maintain for the public in the United States Congress, I do believe it is in- in the best interests.
So, a Democrat(AOC) agrees that a fellow Dem congressman should resign.She refuses to accept his hiding behind his ethnic identity.
George Santos on X: "You can hear ..." / XWhen asked by NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent Julie Tsirkin about the matter, Santos replied that he believes “due process is important,” adding that the senator “has the right to defend himself.”
“He’s innocent until proven guilty,” Santos told Tsirkin on Sunday. “This … the media has to stop acting like everybody is guilty … before they’re even judged by a jury.”
“So no, I think everybody is innocent until proven guilty,” Santos added. “When did we walk away from the fabric of our Constitution, that everybody has a presumption of innocence before anything else? So I don’t think he should resign.”
notingYou can hear her soft “okay”, displaying disappointment that I actually believe in the constitution.
Everyone is innocent until the government executes its burden of proving otherwise.
I don’t care if you are a Rep or Dem we are all afforded the same constitutional rights!
On Saturday, McCarthy called for the senator’s resignation, saying that the indictment was “very damaging” and that the evidence presented by prosecutors “seems pretty black and white.”
But McCarthy seemed to flip-flop on Tuesday after CNN’s Manu Raju asked him a cagey question: “Do you think that George Santos, who’s been indicted on federal criminal charges, should also resign?”
...
So after Raju pointed out the hypocrisy of asking a Democrat to resign and a Republican to fight their charge in court, McCarthy decided Menendez should also be presumed innocent until found guilty.
“I think George could have his day in court, and I think Menendez could have his day in court,” he said.
Raju then reminded McCarthy of his earlier comments, saying, “Mr. Speaker, why do you think [Menendez] needs to resign, then?”
McCarthy immediately flip-flopped.
“It could be his choice of what he wants to do, yes,” he said.
Why Aren't Senate Republicans Asking Bob Menendez to Resign?
Andrew Solender on X: "GOP Sen. Susan Collins says the charges against Menendez are “extremely serious” but “it’s up to him and the voters of New Jersey to make the resignation decision.”" / X
What a weenie. A hand-wringing weenie.
Marco Rubio on X: "The allegations against the Senior Senator from New Jersey are nasty & the evidence offered difficult to explain away
But in America guilt is decided by a jury, not politicians in fear of their party losing a Senate seat" / X
He's been getting lessons in hand-wringing from Susan Collins.
Stan Veuger on X: "@danieldbunn Vance: "Whether Bob Menendez steps down is a decision for the voters of New Jersey. Clearly the guy's been accused of some pretty crazy stuff ... but we do have innocence until proven guilty here."" / X
Andrew Solender on X: "NRSC Chair Steve Daines, asked twice if Bob Menendez should resign, says both times: “That’s up to the Democrats.”" / X
Andrew Solender on X: "GOP Sen. Mitt Romney, asked if Menendez should resign: “If one ounce of what’s in the indictment is true, then yes. If not even one ounce is true, then he’ll have to make that decision himself.”" / X
Andrew Solender on X: "“I think that’s an issue for Democrats to deal with,” McConnell says of whether any action should be taken against Bob Menendez (or whether he should resign)" / X
What the Hades is going on here? Are they afraid that they might be next?
A man demanding to see Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) was arrested for bringing a gun to the state Capitol on Wednesday—and returned later that night with an assault rifle, before being taken into custody again.
A New Jersey electrician who is running for a seat in the State Assembly admits he once smeared poop on the doors of a day care center ― and he says it’s Barack Obama’s fault.
Joseph Viso Jr. is a Republican candidate for the 36th District, but, as the New Jersey Globe notes, he has a lengthy criminal record that includes federal and state convictions on drug and gun charges and a history of financial issues.
He sounds like just the sort of chap you need more of within your parliaments![]()
New Jersey GOP Candidate Who Smeared Poop On Day Care Blames Obama
State Assembly candidate Joseph Viso Jr. admits to the gross crime, but, as a caveat, he points out that “Obama came into office the year before.”www.huffpost.com
A New Jersey electrician who is running for a seat in the State Assembly admits he once smeared poop on the doors of a day care center ― and he says it’s Barack Obama’s fault.
Joseph Viso Jr. is a Republican candidate for the 36th District, but, as the New Jersey Globe notes, he has a lengthy criminal record that includes federal and state convictions on drug and gun charges and a history of financial issues.