Bill Cosby convicted on three counts of indecent assault.

Courtesy of CNN: 

The jury in Bill Cosby's retrial found the TV icon guilty of all three counts of aggravated indecent assault on Thursday for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in a Philadelphia suburb in 2004. 

The 80-year-old comedian faces up to 10 years in prison on each count, but would likely serve them concurrently. 

After the trial concluded, Constand left through a side door in the courtroom, walking into a hallway with her arms around two women and a huge smile on her face. 

Cosby shouted at the prosecutor in court when his bail was discussed, observers said. 

The case against Cosby centered on testimony from Constand, a former employee with Temple University women's basketball team. She testified that Cosby, a powerful trustee at Temple, drugged her and sexually assaulted her when she visited his home to ask for career advice. 

Cosby's defense team argued that their interaction was consensual. Constand is a con artist, they argued, who wanted a piece of Cosby's fortune. 

The case is the first celebrity sexual assault trial since the #MeToo movement began last fall, and as such, represents a test of how the cultural movement will translate into a courtroom arena. In closing arguments, defense attorney Kathleen Bliss positioned Cosby's legal team as standing up against "witch hunts, lynchings (and) McCarthyism."

"Witch hunt" where have we heard THAT before? 

It can be argued that the Cosby allegations were actually the impetus for the #MeToo movement, and that this conviction is proof that powerful men who thought that their money and prestige would protect them from justice have another think coming.

Gee, I wonder who could be next to learn that lesson?

Donald Trump announces that April is "Sexual Assault Awareness" month. Let's not all laugh at once.

Courtesy of Yahoo:

US President Donald Trump -- who has himself been repeatedly accused of sexual misconduct -- on Friday designated April 2018 "National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month" amid a national debate over the issue. 

"Sexual assault crimes remain tragically common in our society, and offenders too often evade accountability," said a proclamation from Trump released by the White House. "These heinous crimes are committed indiscriminately: in intimate relationships, in public spaces, and in the workplace." 

"Too often, however, the victims of assault remain silent. They may fear retribution from their offender, lack faith in the justice system, or have difficulty confronting the pain associated with the traumatic experience," it continued. 

"My administration is committed to raising awareness about sexual assault and to empowering victims to identify perpetrators so that they can be held accountable."

Well I for one did not even make it part way through that before I was banging my head on my desk. 

Trump announcing this is like Colonel Sanders announcing a "Be Nice to Chickens" month.

Ecuador cut off Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's internet, because that is how you punish petulant teenagers.

Courtesy of The Guardian:  

Ecuador has cut Julian Assange’s communications with the outside world from its London embassy, where the founder of the whistleblowing WikiLeaks website has been living for nearly six years. 

The Ecuadorian government said in statement that it had acted because Assange had breached “a written commitment made to the government at the end of 2017 not to issue messages that might interfere with other states”. 

It said Assange’s recent behaviour on social media “put at risk the good relations [Ecuador] maintains with the United Kingdom, with the other states of the European Union, and with other nations”.

It has already been reported that being locked away in this embassy was having a "dangerous" impact on Assange's health, losing access to the internet might drive him out of his mind as well.

Gee' maybe then he will be forced to flee the embassy and he can be picked up by Swedish law enforcement for those sexual assault allegations, or by American law enforcement for his part in helping Russia hijack our democracy.

Either way he needs to have his day in court, and quit hiding like a pussy.

Attorney for Stormy Daniels demands that Trump Organization preserve all documents pertaining to hush money paid to his client.

Courtesy of Politico:

The attorney for adult film actress Stormy Daniels has asked the Trump Organization to preserve records related to a $130,000 payment that President Donald Trump’s lawyer made to Daniels just weeks before the 2016 election. 

In letters sent Thursday to the Trump Organization, First Republic Bank and City National Bank, Michael Avenatti, a lawyer for Daniels, asked that all documents connected to the payment be preserved, including emails and communications with Trump family members. The demand is part of a civil lawsuit Daniels filed this month seeking to void an October 2016 nondisclosure agreement in which she was paid in return for her silence about an alleged affair she had with Trump nearly a decade earlier. 

Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, is one of three women suing Trump over his alleged sexual behavior. While the lawsuits are in their earliest stages, they threaten to embroil the president in years of litigation that could expose embarrassing details of his alleged sexual relationships, uncover evidence of possible hush-money payments and draw the scrutiny of federal campaign finance regulators. Ultimately, the president himself could be forced to testify or give depositions under oath. 

Avenatti said Thursday’s letters are just the beginning.

By the way, Avenatti also posted this late last night on Twitter.

If “a picture is worth a thousand words,” how many words is this worth?????#60minutes #pleasedenyit #basta pic.twitter.com/eCkU0JBZaR

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) March 23, 2018

I have a feeling that is going to send a cold chill up someone's spine.

There were a lot of choices for this last post of the day, but I thought I would end with one about Stormy Daniels, because, just like Karen McDougal, I think that her story is going to prove very damaging to Donald Trump.

As well as to the Republican party. 

There are some who will argue that Trump is inoculated from all of this, and that the proof of that is in the fact that he got elected even with all of those sexual assault allegations swirling around.

However my answer to that argument is that the Women's March was inspired by the fact that Trump was elected despite those allegations, and that the #MeToo movement actually grew out of this newly energized female activism.

In short, Trump's election was such a shock to our collective systems that it jolted people awake in a way they simply had not been awake before.

The result has been a changed atmosphere in which allegations of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and even gender inequality are taken FAR MORE seriously than they ever have been in decades past.

So in this new atmosphere these stories about Donald Trump's extramarital affairs, bullying by his attorneys, and attempts to buy women's silence is being viewed through newly attentive eyes.

That has created a powerful desire to somehow remove Trump from the White House, and to punish all of those who supported him during the campaign, and to especially punish all of those Republican politicians who stand with him today.

Yes Mueller's investigation may provide the evidence needed to start impeachment proceedings against Trump, but it will very likely be the politically active women in this country who will be the driving force to replace the obstructionist Republicans with Democrats who will actually it through.

And every time we read about Trump assaulting a woman, treating a woman like a prostitute, or having a woman bullied into submission, only serves to further inspire this women's movement to work harder to ensure that there will never again be a Misogynist-in-Chief in the People's House.

It also goes without saying that being the party which supported the Misogynist-in-Chief is not exactly an enviable position.

So like I said, these interviews and news stories, about women who were in some way wronged by Donald Trump, are simply NOT good news for the Republicans.

Anti-LGBTQ preacher suggests that USA Gymnastics doctor's sexual abuse of his patients was due to the immodesty of the sport.

Courtesy of Right Wing Watch: 

On his radio program today, extremist anti-LGBTQ pastor Kevin Swanson attributed USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse of more than 150 women and girls he treated, in part, to the fact that gymnastics encourages “a fair amount of immodesty.” 

Citing a variety of supposed dangers, such as the use of open showers, Swanson warned Christian parents against allowing their children to participate in sports because “sports tend to focus on the body.” 

“There is an infatuation with the body,” he said, “and, of course, the sexual aspects of the body as well. Some sports encourage immodesty, revealing large portions of the body and this happens in some sports. These are the risky sports. Here they are, what are the risky sports? Gymnastics. Gymnastics and swimming. These are the sports in which there is an added risk.” 

“Why are all of the gymnasts [at] more of a risk than other sports?” Swanson asked. “Do you really want your daughters involved in a sport that involves a fair amount of immodesty in which red-blooded American male coaches are interacting with these girls? Or, worse yet, where the infatuation of the body eventually effects the lesbian coaches?”

Swanson went on to suggest that Nassar was brought to justice because, “God is not going to put up with 20 years of this.”

So what, five, ten, or fifteen years is perfectly acceptable, but not 20?

Is that where "God" draws the line? 

First off the uniforms typically worn by female gymnasts are in no way the most revealing in the Olympics.

Some of the shorts worn by the female track and field competitors are barely even there, and don't get me started about the beach volleyball competitors.

But once again, so what?

The sports these athletes participate in require freedom of movement, and clothing that does not bind or interfere in their sport.

If a man finds that erotic in any way, that is entirely beside the point.

And it in NO WAY excuses a person from sexually assaulting or victimizing ANYONE.

I was a gymnastic coach for over four years, and ran a program that included young college age women working with children ages five to twelve.

I was literally surrounded by some of the most fit and attractive young women in the state. 

And yet every one of my interactions with them was purely professional. And I was very careful to keep in that way.

I was well aware that I was in a position of authority, and conducted myself appropriately at all times.

Because THAT is what you do.

I also once worked, very briefly, as the bouncer at a strip club.

And even in that setting I did not objectify my coworkers or do anything to make them feel uneasy in my presence.

Because once again, THAT is what you do. 

Besides this man was a doctor, so of course he saw these young women without any clothing at all, which renders this entire defense ridiculous.

Not to mention that some of Nassar's victims were children, so how does the "immodesty" of gymnastics excuse that?

No, being a man, unable to control his base impulses, cannot be excused by any claims of "immodesty" or blamed on the victims in any way.

Dr. Nassar is solely responsible for his actions, and he got what he deserved for them.

One of Donald Trump's victims is running for the Ohio State Legislature.

Courtesy of The Hill: 

A woman who accused President Trump of sexual misconduct is running for the Ohio state legislature. 

Rachel Crooks, a 35-year-old Democrat, came forward with her accusation against Trump just before the 2016 presidential election. She accused the president of forcibly kissing her when she worked as a receptionist in Trump Tower in 2005. 

“I think my voice should have been heard then, and I'll still fight for it to be heard now,” Crooks told Cosmopolitan, who first reported on her run for office. “Americans are really upset with politics as usual, and I want to be a voice for them.” 

Crooks, the director of international student recruitment at Heidelberg University in Ohio, is running to represent the state’s 88th district and would have to unseat two-term GOP incumbent Bill Reineke. 

She has the support of the state’s Democratic Party, according to Cosmopolitan. She told the magazine that she was inspired to run by the “momentum” of Democratic activism in response to Trump’s election and the #MeToo movement that has felled powerful men in many industries.

Well you gotta love this!

I referred to this woman as a "victim" in my headline, but that is clearly a poor choice of wording.

This is a person taking charge of her life, and turning her negative experience into a positive contribution to their community.

Those are not the actions of a victim, those are the actions of a survivor, those are the actions of a leader.

So yesterday Dr. Larry Nassar was sentenced to another 40 to 125 years in prison.

Courtesy of NBC News: 

Larry Nassar, the former Olympic gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor accused of molesting 265 girls and women over two decades, was sentenced to another 40 to 125 years in prison on Monday for molesting three of the victims under the guise of medical treatment. 

Eaton County Court Judge Janice Cunningham said she didn't believe Nassar — who as recently as last month was claiming his invasive pelvic procedures were not sexual — was truly remorseful.

"I'm not convinced that you truly understand that what you did was wrong and the devastating impact you have had on the victims, their families and friends," the judge said. "You are in denial. You don't get it."

Nassar had previously been sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison so clearly he will never breath the air as a free man again.

Nor should he.

I have to imagine that there are sexual predators all over the country who pissed themselves a little after reading about this verdict.

It is a new day, and women are demanding a reckoning.

Former doctor who sexually abused well over a hundred young female gymnasts sentenced to 40 to 175 years.

This GIF of Judge Aquilina throwing away the letter Larry Nassar wrote the court about how hard it is for him to listen to victim testimonies PRETTY MUCH SAYS IT ALL. pic.twitter.com/5HB9WMaPqU

— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) January 24, 2018

Courtesy of the New York Times:

After an extraordinary seven-day hearing that drew more than 150 young women to speak out publicly about sexual abuse they said was committed by Dr. Lawrence G. Nassar, the former team doctor for the American gymnastics team, a judge sentenced him on Wednesday to 40 to 175 years in prison. 

He had faced a minimum term of 25 to 40 years. 

Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who had opened her courtroom to all the young women who wanted to address Dr. Nassar directly, and forced him to listen when he pleaded to make it stop, handed down the sentence, saying to him, “You’ve done nothing to deserve to walk outside a prison again.” 

“It is my honor and privilege to sentence you,” she said, and noting the length of the sentence, added, “I just signed your death warrant.” 

Given an opportunity to address the court before sentencing, Dr. Nassar apologized and, occasionally turning to the young women in the courtroom, said: “Your words these past several days have had a significant effect on myself and have shaken me to my core. I will carry your words with me for the rest of my days.” Several women sobbed in the gallery as he spoke.

Just before sentencing Dr. Nassar, the judge read parts of a letter he submitted to the court last week. In the letter, he complained about his treatment in a separate federal child pornography case and wrote that his accusers in this case were seeking news media attention and money. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” he wrote in the letter. There were audible gasps from the gallery when the judge read the line.

I'm guessing that did not help him with his sentencing.

Obviously this guy is a pig.

The impact of this case has also rippled through the world of USA Gymnastics, which just saw an Olympic coach suspended and three members of their board resign under pressure.

As you know I was at one time a gymnastics coach, but certainly not at this level.

My concern during my years coaching was not sexual abuse, which I never saw, but the ever present danger of eating disorders which were quite prevalent with female gymnasts in their teens and early twenties.

I think pound for pound gymnasts are the strongest, most coordinated athletes in the world.

But they are often pressured to slim down, or bulk up depending on their body type, and the risk of developing a poor body image is a constant danger that can have lifelong repercussions.

That same insecurity also makes them vulnerable to predators like Dr. Nassar.

For decades these young women suffered in silence, feeling that they had no voice, that nobody wanted to listen.

But for these last seven days they certainly found that voice and have been speaking out loud and clear, and I have no doubt that they have inspired hundreds, if not thousands, of others to do the same.

In my opinion what happened today is right up there with the Women's March, the #MeToo movement, and the outing of powerful predators like Harvey Weinstein, Roger Ailes, and Bill O'Reilly.

This is another example of women standing up for themselves, saying that they are tired of the status quo, and declaring that they are taking charge of their lives and putting those who would minimize, victimize, of disenfranchise them on notice.

I for one think it is about time.

Women of Hollywood launch initiative to protect all women from sexual harassment.

Courtesy of the New York Times:  

Driven by outrage and a resolve to correct a power imbalance that seemed intractable just months ago, 300 prominent actresses and female agents, writers, directors, producers and entertainment executives have formed an ambitious, sprawling initiative to fight systemic sexual harassment in Hollywood and in blue-collar workplaces nationwide. 

The initiative includes: 

— A legal defense fund, backed by $13 million in donations, to help less privileged women— like janitors, nurses and workers at farms, factories, restaurants and hotels — protect themselves from sexual misconduct and the fallout from reporting it. 

— Legislation to penalize companies that tolerate persistent harassment, and to discourage the use of nondisclosure agreements to silence victims. 

— A drive to reach gender parity at studios and talent agencies that has already begun making headway. 

— And a request that women walking the red carpet at the Golden Globes speak out and raise awareness by wearing black. 

Called Time’s Up, the movement was announced on Monday with an impassioned pledge of support to working-class women in an open letter signed by hundreds of women in show business, many of them A-listers. The letter also ran as a full-page ad in The New York Times, and in La Opinion, a Spanish-language newspaper. 

“The struggle for women to break in, to rise up the ranks and to simply be heard and acknowledged in male-dominated workplaces must end; time’s up on this impenetrable monopoly,” the letter says.

During the holidays my mother asked me what I thought it was that triggered the #MeToo movement.

I told her that was simple, Donald Trump. 

My mom thought it was the Harvey Weinstein scandal, but I told her that Harvey Weinsten would very likely have kept right on treating women like shit and getting away with it, if women had not been shocked, angered, and mobilized by an admitted abuser of women defeating the first viable female candidate for the job of president.

That was why the day after the inauguration we saw women lead the biggest protest in this country's history, and that is why we are seeing women coming together to not only protect themselves from the Donald Trump's of this world, but to chase them out of positions of power and influence forever.

Time Magazine had it exactly right when they chose the #MeToo movement for their "Person of the Year," and I think we are only seeing the very beginning of what this movement is capable of achieving.

More women than every before are entering politics, and I am telling you that chances are far more than just 50/50 that the next President of the United States will be female.

This is going to be the era of the woman, and you can take that to the bank. 

Both Bretibart news and James O'Keefe believed Roy Moore's accusers, and yet they attacked them anyway in the name of politics.

Breitbart editor in chief explains that he believed Moore accuser Leigh Corfman but that they had to discredit her to protect Trump. https://t.co/ACeAGaFpd5

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) December 22, 2017

Courtesy of CNN Money: 

Though Marlow concedes that Breitbart made coverage decisions around protecting Trump, before the sexual misconduct allegations against Moore, Breitbart had been hammering the news media and Hollywood for supposedly protecting individuals like Harvey Weinstein. Asked about the view from critics that Breitbart had done exactly that with Moore, Marlow claimed the website has been "much more careful" than other outlets when covering ongoing allegations of sexual harassment and assault, saying the website looks for "certain factors," such as "a certain level of detail" in allegations. 

Marlow also stressed that he was personally uncomfortable with the behavior attributed by The Post to Moore, and noted that he did believe the accusations from Leigh Corfman, who said Moore assaulted her while she was 14 -- they were "not perfect," he said, but had "a lot of credibility." He also noted that he, and much of the Breitbart audience, initially supported Mo Brooks in the Republican primary, and only shifted support to Moore because of his opposition to Strange as the establishment candidate. But he said he saw political motivations behind The Post's reporting on Moore and wanted to home in on the "coverage of the coverage."

So the editor-in-chief of Breitbart actually believed at least one of Moore's accusers, but because the Washington Post was accurately reporting on the allegations, and it hurt the conservative candidate, he thought it was appropriate to attack their credibility?

Now does somebody justify that while arguing that they should be taken seriously as a news outlet?

And it should come as no surprise to any of you that James O'Keefe, who you may remember had a woman pretend to be one of Roy Moore's victims in order to discredit the Washington Post reporting,  had essentially the same attitude.

I spoke with James O'Keefe and he said he *actually believes* Roy Moore's accusers, even though he payed a woman to pretend to be a rape victim in a failed effort to discredit the allegations https://t.co/86E4WonAzJ

— Caleb Ecarma (@calebecarma) December 22, 2017

Courtesy of Mediaite:

After initially dodging questions regarding the credibility of the at least nine women who have accused Moore of sexual misconduct and predatory behavior, O’Keefe admitted to believing these claims during a sit-down interview with Mediaite. 

“Yes [I believe them], but it’s not my subject matter,” said O’Keefe. “That’s not what my investigation was about. It wasn’t about the victims, it was about the bias in the media.” 

Just let the irony that these two outlets justify these tactics because they are convinced that the MSM reports "fake news" sink in a little.

Do you feel that wave of nausea?

I inoculated myself against it by purchasing subscriptions to both the Washington Post and then New York Times.

We need to support factual reporting at every opportunity.

That is the only way we get our country back. 

Majority of Americans believe that Donald Trump should resign over allegations of sexual misconduct.

Courtesy of Public Policy Polling:

PPP’s newest national poll finds that a majority of voters think Donald Trump should resign from the Presidency because of the allegations of sexual harassment against him. 53% think Trump should step down to just 42% who think he should remain in office. 53% of voters believe the women who have accused Trump of harassment, to 31% who think they aren’t telling the truth.

The pressure is building from all sides and it does not seen viable at this point that Trump will serve out his entire four years.

Personally I do not care how Trump is removed from office, whether it be due to the Mueller investigation, or due to these allegations of sexual harassment and assault, just so long as he is removed from office.

Kentucky state representative commits suicide after denying allegations that he sexually molested a 17 year old girl.

Courtesy of WDRB: 

Kentucky State Rep. Dan Johnson, who was under investigation for alleged sexual molestation, died of a "probable suicide," the Bullitt County coroner said Wednesday night. 

Bullitt County Sheriff Donnie Tinnell said Johnson drove onto the bridge over the Salt River on Greenwell Ford Road in Mt. Washington, parked on the north side of it and shot himself in front of his car. His body was found on the bank of the river, just past the bridge. 

Just before 5 p.m. Wednesday, Johnson posted the following message on his Facebook page: 

"The accusations from NPR are false GOD and only GOD knows the truth, nothing is the way they make it out to be. AMERICA will not survive this type of judge and jury fake news . Conservatives take a stand. I LOVE GOD and I LOVE MY WIFE, who is the best WIFE in the world,My Love Forever ! My Mom and Dad my FAMILY and all five of my kids and Nine grandchildren two in tummies and many more to come each of you or a total gift from GOD stay strong, REBECCA needs YOU . 9-11-2001 NYC/WTC, PTSD 24/7 16 years is a sickness that will take my life, I cannot handle it any longer. IT Has Won This Life . BUT HEAVEN IS MY HOME. “PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY, Only Three things I ask of you to do,if you love me is (1)blame no person,Satan is the accuser, so blame the Devil himself. (2) Forgive and Love everyone especially yourself .(3)most importantly LOVE GOD. P.S. I LOVE MY FRIENDS YOU ARE FAMILY ! GOD LOVES ALL PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT !"

The coroner said police were alerted after someone saw that Facebook post by Johnson. Officers then pinged Johnson's phone and found his body.

Johnson was found dead of a bullet wound, and it appears that his Facebook post is a suicide note, so I do not think that the word "probable" is especially necessary in this case. 

Johnson, who called himself the "Pope," was known to post racist images of President Obama and his family on Facebook, and he originally addressed these allegations by denying them and then busting out a Christmas carol.

Victims of Donald Trump's sexual misconduct call for a Congressional investigation.

Courtesy of WaPo: 

As the country grapples with a national reckoning over sexual misconduct allegations against powerful men, three women who accused the most high-profile man in America again questioned Monday why their claims did nothing to stop him from winning the presidency. 

It was “heartbreaking” for women to go public with their claims against President Trump last year, only to see him ascend to the Oval Office, said Samantha Holvey, a former Miss USA contestant who in October 2016 said Trump inappropriately inspected pageant participants. 

“I put myself out there for the entire world, and nobody cared,” Holvey said Monday on NBC's “Megyn Kelly Today” show.

During the television appearance and a news conference, Holvey sat alongside Jessica Leeds, a New York woman who said Trump groped her on a plane, and Rachel Crooks, who said he kissed her on the lips at Trump Tower, to renew their allegations against the president. 

The women also called for Congress to investigate these allegations amid the dramatic shift happening nationwide in response to charges of sexual misconduct against men from Hollywood to Capitol Hill. Claims have erupted across industry after industry, against lawmakers and movie stars alike, as the country has shown a sudden, newfound willingness to take such accusations seriously.

In response to the pleas of these women Kristen Gillibrand called for Trump's resignation.

Democratic US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says President Donald Trump should resign over allegations of sexual misconduct: "These allegations are credible; they are numerous" https://t.co/XNPhM9obx2 pic.twitter.com/KRiPAoxkle

— CNN International (@cnni) December 11, 2017

And she is not the only one calling for an investigation, or his immediate resignation.

Even his own Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said these women deserve to be heard.

That apparently pissed off Donald Trump according to the AP:

Haley’s comments infuriated the president, according to two people who are familiar with his views but who spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly about private conversations. Trump has grown increasingly angry in recent days that the accusations against him have resurfaced, telling associates that the charges are false and drawing parallels to the accusations facing Republican Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore. 

Poor baby. 

Today Sarah Huckabee Sanders' attempts to change the subject seemed especially strained and ineffective.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders addresses allegations of sexual conduct against President Trump:

"The American people knew this and voted for the president, and we feel like we're ready to move forward" pic.twitter.com/Oj7NHOcV9o

— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) December 11, 2017

Things even got a little testy.

Question on accusations of sexual misconduct against Trump: “You said he has denied them. Can you say whether or not they are false?”
Sarah Sanders: “I'm not going to respond.” pic.twitter.com/BTOvF82yQ1

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 11, 2017

Let's face it, as this #MeToo revolution continues moving forward the fact that Donald Trump, a man accused by at least 16 women of sexually abusing or harassing them, remains in the White House becomes more and more conspicuous.

At some point soon it may simply be impossible for him to continue in that job as more and more people demand an investigation, or that he simply be removed from office.

He said it. “Grab ’em by the pussy.” Billy Bush writes op-ed in response to Trump's denial about the Access Hollywood tape.

Courtesy of New York Times:  

He said it. “Grab ’em by the pussy.” 

Of course he said it. And we laughed along, without a single doubt that this was hypothetical hot air from America’s highest-rated bloviator. Along with Donald Trump and me, there were seven other guys present on the bus at the time, and every single one of us assumed we were listening to a crass standup act. He was performing. Surely, we thought, none of this was real. 

We now know better.

Bush then goes on to talk about having read the stories by the women accusing Trump of sexual harassment or assault, and says how they are quite believable in light of his experiences with Trump.

President Trump is currently indulging in some revisionist history, reportedly telling allies, including at least one United States senator, that the voice on the tape is not his. This has hit a raw nerve in me. 

I can only imagine how it has reopened the wounds of the women who came forward with their stories about him, and did not receive enough attention. This country is currently trying to reconcile itself to years of power abuse and sexual misconduct. Its leader is wantonly poking the bear.

Bush then goes on to say that in 2005 Trump was a ratings winner for his show so of course everybody played along, and kissed his ass.   

None of us were guilty of knowingly enabling our future president. But all of us were guilty of sacrificing a bit of ourselves in the name of success.

However none of them suspected at the time that Trump would ever be elected president, and now that he has it is time to stop enabling his lies and time to start calling him out over them.

Here is the Access Hollywood tape for anybody who has forgotten.

Keep in mind that this video was shown far and wide, and STILL this POS convinced millions of you fellow Americans to vote for him.

Ted Cruz defines the word hypocrisy.

FOX NEWS HOST TO @tedcruz: You cool working with alleged child molester Roy Moore if he's elected?

CRUZ: Sure, no problem, that's up to the voters.

FOX NEWS HOST: And what about alleged groper Al Franken?

CRUZ: Now that's a very serious problem. I'm extremely concerned. pic.twitter.com/1QzMq0Hud5

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 30, 2017

When it comes to the allegations against Roy Moore Cruz is all "let the voters decide," but when it comes to the far less egregious allegations against Democrat Al Franken it is suddenly "These allegations are serious and they keep coming up everyday."

It is like he has absolutely no irony meter.

Longtime "Today Show" anchor Matt Lauer fired from NBC over allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct.

Matt Lauer has been terminated from NBC News. On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. As a result, we’ve decided to terminate his employment. pic.twitter.com/1A3UAZpvPb

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 29, 2017

Courtesy of NBC News: 

Matt Lauer, the anchor of "Today" for two decades, was fired by NBC News after a detailed complaint about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. 

"Today" co-anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb announced Lauer's firing Wednesday, telling viewers at the top of the show that they were processing his departure but didn't yet know all of the details. 

In a memo to employees sent Wednesday morning, NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said the complaint, which was made by a colleague of Lauer's, prompted a serious review and represented a "clear violation of our company's standards."

Lack said it was the first complaint lodged against Lauer, 59, for his behavior since he took over as anchor of the show in 1997, but there was "reason to believe" it may not have been an isolated incident. 

"Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender," Lack said.

Guthrie, who joined Lauer at the anchor desk in 2012, said she was "heartbroken" for both him and the "brave colleague who came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their stories to tell." 

"I'm sure we will be learning more details in the hours and days to come. And we promise we will share that with you," she said.

I predicted weeks ago that we would see people who we would never have suspected accused of sexual misconduct, and I have to say that this is certainly one of them.

One thing is for certain, NBC News is absolutely not going to waste any time once allegations are made.

And another thing that is for certain is that Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are the very definition of grace under pressure.

It is quite clear that their heart is broken and yet they soldier on and do their job even through their tears.

Which only underlines the hypocrisy in this tweet from Trump this morning.

So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin? And will they terminate low ratings Joe Scarborough based on the “unsolved mystery” that took place in Florida years ago? Investigate!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

The fact that this POS continues to live in the White House while so many people are losing their jobs for far less egregious acts of sexual misconduct is a terrible injustice that I hope will someday be rectified. 

James O'Keefe attempts to undermine reporting by Washington Post by sending in an operative who lied about having underage sex with Roy Moore and becoming pregnant by him.

Man that is some cringe worthy video right there.

Here's the story courtesy of the Washington Post:  

A woman who falsely claimed to The Washington Post that Roy Moore, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, impregnated her as a teenager appears to work with an organization that uses deceptive tactics to secretly record conversations in an effort to embarrass its targets. 

In a series of interviews over two weeks, the woman shared a dramatic story about an alleged sexual relationship with Moore in 1992 that led to an abortion when she was 15. During the interviews, she repeatedly pressed Post reporters to give their opinions on the effects that her claims could have on Moore’s candidacy if she went public. 

The Post did not publish an article based on her unsubstantiated account. When Post reporters confronted her with inconsistencies in her story and an Internet posting that raised doubts about her motivations, she insisted that she was not working with any organization that targets journalists.

But on Monday morning, Post reporters saw her walking into the New York offices of Project Veritas, an organization that targets the mainstream news media and left-leaning groups. The organization sets up undercover “stings” that involve using false cover stories and covert video recordings meant to expose what the group says is media bias. 

James O’Keefe, the Project Veritas founder who was convicted of a misdemeanor in 2010 for using a fake identity to enter a federal building during a previous sting, declined to answer questions about the woman outside the organization’s offices on Monday morning shortly after the woman walked inside. 

“I am not doing an interview right now, so I’m not going to say a word,” O’Keefe said.

O'Keefe later posted a heavily edited video of that brief conversation with the Post reporter, which made him look like the hero, but WaPo then released the entire thing, which did not. 

So to be clear about what happened here that sniveling POS James O'Keefe hired somebody to pretend to be an actual victim of sexual assault, so that he could attack the actual victims of Roy Moore, and  undermine the journalistic integrity of the mainstream media.

That is a level of fucked up that is almost impossible to comprehend.

The White House is quietly making it harder for women to report sexual harassment.

Courtesy of HuffPo:

Behind the scenes, and mostly through executive orders, the White House is making it harder for women to report sexual harassment and fight sex discrimination. 

The clearest example came in March. It received little coverage at the time. President Donald Trump reversed an Obama-era order that forbid federal contractors from keeping secret sexual harassment and discrimination cases. The 2014 rule prohibited these companies, which employ about 26 million people, from forcing workers to resolve complaints through arbitration, an increasingly common method businesses use to settle disputes out of the public eye. 

“This was a clear sign of the administration silencing women,” said Jessica Stender, senior staff attorney for Equal Rights Advocates, a women’s rights nonprofit. 

And it’s only a small piece of the picture. “The Trump administration has a clear anti-women agenda,” Stender said. “I say that with complete certainty. This is an all-out, full frontal attack on women.” 

The attack so far has seen the most success via executive order, but a vast swath of the public policies proposed or endorsed by administration officials attempt to scale back women’s rights. From Trump’s repeal of executive orders meant to reduce pay discrimination to the budget floated in May, the failed repeal of Obamacare, and now the Republican tax bills, actions taken or backed by this administration harm women.

It should not surprise any of us that the man who believes he has carte blanche to grab women by their genitals, and who defends a candidate accused of sexual assault and statutory rape, would have no interest in helping women or keeping them safe from male predators.

We just have to wait and see how long he can stand against the tide of determined women coming into politics specifically to wrest control out of the hands of the patriarchy and start moving the country toward a more just society.

Senator Al Franken issued a Thanksgiving apology in the wake of new allegations.

All Franken and Leann Tweeden.

Courtesy of EW: 

Sen. Al Franken issued a new statement this week in the wake of several sexual misconduct allegations against the former Saturday Night Live star. Though Franken’s statement did not explicitly confess to groping or other inappropriate behavior, he acknowledged that some women felt disrespected by him, and apologized for that. 

“I’ve met tens of thousands of people and taken thousands of photographs, often in crowded and chaotic situations,” Franken said in the statement, per the Associated Press. “I’m a warm person; I hug people. I’ve learned from recent stories that in some of those encounters, I crossed a line for some women — and I know that any number is too many. Some women have found my greetings or embraces for a hug or photo inappropriate, and I respect their feelings about that … I’ve thought a lot in recent days about how that could happen, and recognize that I need to be much more careful and sensitive in these situations. I feel terribly that I’ve made some women feel badly and for that I am so sorry, and I want to make sure that never happens again. And let me say again to Minnesotans that I’m sorry for putting them through this and I’m committed to regaining their trust.”

This was in response to two more women coming forward and claiming that Franken was inappropriate with them.

Courtesy of HuffPo:

Two more women have told HuffPost that Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) touched their butts in separate incidents. These are the third and fourth such allegations against Franken in the past week. Leeann Tweeden, a radio host, wrote last week that Franken had kissed and groped her without her consent during a 2006 USO tour. On Monday, Lindsay Menz accused Franken of groping her at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010. 

The two additional women, who said they were not familiar with each others’ stories, both spoke on condition of anonymity. But their stories, which describe events during Franken’s first campaign for the Senate, are remarkably similar — and both women have been telling them privately for years. 

In a statement to HuffPost, Franken said, “It’s difficult to respond to anonymous accusers, and I don’t remember those campaign events.” 

The first woman, who spoke to HuffPost on condition of anonymity because she’s worried she’ll be harassed online for making the allegation, said Franken groped her when they posed for a photo after a June 25, 2007, event hosted by the Minnesota Women’s Political Caucus in Minneapolis. 

“My story is eerily similar to Lindsay Menz’s story,” the first woman said. “He grabbed my buttocks during a photo op.” 

The second woman told HuffPost that Franken cupped her butt with his hand at a 2008 Democratic fundraiser in Minneapolis, then suggested the two visit the bathroom together. She spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear that the allegation could affect her position at work.

One thing to be noted is that unlike Donald Trump or Roy Moore's accusers, these two women have decided to remain anonymous.

THAT does not mean that their stories are not valid, anonymous sources are often the backbone of journalism, however if does mean that they can say whatever they want with no real cost to them personally.

That second women's story, if true, seems to be the most damning of the four in my opinion.

If Franken actually groped her buttocks and then invited her into a bathroom that seems the more egregious charge.

However if there is an ethics investigation I would imagine that these women would be compelled to testify and I am interested to see how their stories hold up to scrutiny.

At least one former White House ethics attorney for the Bush Administration has some doubts.

We need more facts but much of this fits an old GOP playbook

Franken: The Obvious Setup and Liberals Took the Bait https://t.co/vduJtIcGr0

— Richard W. Painter (@RWPUSA) November 23, 2017

As progressives we are expected to take allegations like this seriously.

However if we start overreacting to every anonymous accusation, without first vetting it thoroughly, by demanding that the accused leave government or quit their job, we could literally see our biggest champions sidelined while the conservatives cover for their predators and maintain the upper hand.

All of this leaves us in a very precarious situation, and unfortunately the conservatives know that all too well.

Parent company of Fox News reaches 90 million dollar settlement with shareholders as result of the sexual harassment scandal that has plagued the network.

Courtesy of Reuters:  

Twenty-First Century Fox Inc has reached a $90 million settlement of shareholder claims arising from the sexual harassment scandal at its Fox News Channel, which cost the jobs of longtime news chief Roger Ailes and anchor Bill O‘Reilly.The settlement, which requires a judge’s approval, resolves what are known as “derivative” claims against Fox officers and directors, including: Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, who are Fox’s executive chairmen; James Murdoch, another son and its chief executive, and Ailes’ estate. 

The defendants did not admit wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement filed with the Delaware Chancery Court. 

Monday’s settlement calls for insurers of Fox officers, Fox directors and Ailes’ estate to pay the $90 million to the New York-based company for the benefit of shareholders. 

Fox will enhance governance and said it created the Fox News Workplace Professionalism and Inclusion Council to ensure a proper workplace environment, bolster training and further the recruitment and advancement of women and minorities.

Keep in mind that this follows the reporting that Bill O'Reilly also paid out 32 million to settle lawsuits over charges of sexual harassment.

Damn, being a pig in the 21st century is expensive!

It would be awesome if all of this female empowerment resulted in Fox News evolving into an actual news outlet and not a barely journalistic version of the Playboy Club.

However if I were a woman looking to break into journalism I would still skip sending my application to Fox.

To be honest, I would give that same advice to a man.