ALGOP blasts Doug Jones over Brett Kavanaugh decision: ‘His NO vote betrays our state’
U.S. Sen. Doug Jones publicly confirmed on Thursday he will vote against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, which led Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan to release a sharply worded statement blasting the newly elected senator’s decision. Before digging into Jones, Lathan first stopped to thank Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby for his support of Kavanaugh. “The Alabama Republican Party thanks Senator Richard Shelby for representing our state and committing to cast a YES vote to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court,” said Lathan. She continued, “Senator Doug Jones has now said he will vote NO on the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court. His NO vote betrays our state and his actions highlight his disingenuous promise to represent the majority of Alabamians.” Lathan says Jones’ “no” vote shows he is in the “Schumer/Feinstein/Warren/Sanders column” and is now a “full-fledged member of the ‘Never Trump’ resistance.” “After siding against Alabamians and President Trump, Senator Jones is now firmly in the Schumer/Feinstein/Warren/Sanders column. With his experience as an attorney, it is shocking that he is willing to betray the right of due process. This ‘seek and destroy’ hijacking of one of the most qualified court nominees in our lifetime is an abomination to our nation’s most fundamental principles of fairness,” Lathan added. “Alabama will not forget his betrayal. Senator Doug Jones’ days in the United States Senate are numbered,” Lathan added. “Anyone who experiences an assault should be taken seriously. All avenues should be exhausted to help a victim and to find the truth pertinent to each individual situation. It is clear Dr. Ford suffered from a traumatic event in her youth, and like Judge Kavanaugh’s daughter, we should pray for her to receive strength, peace and healing. Nevertheless, there was no case made that Brett Kavanaugh was involved in her incident. Actually, the opposite happened as witnesses she named refuted her story and Kavanaugh convincingly denies it.” “The one thing we are confident of is this: Senator Doug Jones’ nameplate on his office door in the halls of the United States Senate will be replaced by Alabamians in 2020,” she concluded.
Donald Trump agrees to FBI probe of Kavanaugh, bows to Jeff Flake, Dems
Reversing course, President Donald Trump bowed to Democrats’ demands Friday for a deeper FBI investigation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after Republican Sen. Jeff Flake balked at voting for confirmation without it — a sudden turn that left Senate approval newly uncertain amid allegations of sexual assault. Kavanaugh’s nomination had appeared back on track earlier Friday when he cleared a key hurdle at the Senate Judiciary Committee. But that advance came with an asterisk. Flake indicated he would take the next steps — leading to full Senate approval — only after the further background probe, and there were suggestions that other moderate Republicans might join his revolt. The abrupt developments gave senators, the White House and millions of Americans following the drama at home hardly a chance to catch their breath after Thursday’s emotional Senate hearing featuring Kavanaugh angrily defending himself and accuser Christine Blasey Ford determinedly insisting he assaulted her when they were teens. Emotions were still running high Friday, and protesters confronted senators in the halls. “The country is being ripped apart here,” said Flake. After he took his stance, Republican leaders had little choice but to slow their rush to confirm Kavanaugh, whom they had hoped to have in place shortly after the new court term begins Monday. Trump quietly followed suit, though he had vigorously resisted asking the FBI to probe the allegations of sexual misconduct by Kavanaugh, now being raised by three women. One day earlier, he had blistered the Senate process as “a total sham,” accused Democrats of a conspiracy of obstruction and declared on Twitter, “The Senate must vote!” The new timeline puts Trump’s nominee in further peril and pushes the politically risky vote for senators closer to the November congressional elections. It also means that any cases the Supreme Court hears before a ninth justice is in place will be decided by just eight, raising the possibility of tie votes. It was clear Republicans were still short of votes for final Senate approval after Thursday’s hearing. They convened late into the evening in a room in the Capitol with various senators, including Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, raising pointed questions, according to those familiar with the private meeting but granted anonymity to discuss it. Republican leaders said — and Trump ordered — that the new probe be “limited in scope.” But there was no specific direction as to what that might include. Two other women besides Ford have also lodged public sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh. Democrats have been particularly focused on getting more information from Mark Judge, a high school friend of Kavanaugh who Ford said was also in the room during her alleged assault. Judge has said he does not recall any such incident. In a new letter to the Senate panel, he said he would cooperate with any law enforcement agency assigned to investigate “confidentially.” Kavanaugh issued his own statement through the White House saying he’s been interviewed by the FBI before, done “background” calls with the Senate and answered questions under oath “about every topic” senators have asked. “I’ve done everything they have requested and will continue to cooperate,” said the 53-year-old judge. Flake, a key moderate Republican, was at the center of Friday’s uncertainty. In the morning, he announced he would support Kavanaugh’s nomination. Shortly after, he was confronted in an elevator by two women who, through tears, said they were sexual assault victims and implored him to change his mind. “Look at me and tell me that it doesn’t matter what happened to me,” said 23-year-old Maria Gallagher, a volunteer with a liberal advocacy group. The confrontation was captured by television cameras. Soon he was working on a new deal with his Republican colleagues and Democrats in a Judiciary Committee anteroom. Flake announced he would vote to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination to the full Senate only if the FBI were to investigate. Democrats have been calling for such a probe, though Republicans and the White House have insisted it was unnecessary. The committee vote was 11-10 along party lines. Attention quickly turned to a handful of undeclared senators. Two other key Republicans, Collins and Murkowski, said they backed the plan after they and other GOP senators met for an hour in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell‘s office in the Capitol. West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin said he supported Flake’s call for a further probe “so that our country can have confidence in the outcome of this vote.” With a 51-49 majority, Senate Republicans have little margin for error on a final vote, especially given the fact that several Democrats facing tough re-election prospects this fall announced their opposition to Kavanaugh on Friday. Bill Nelson of Florida, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Jon Tester of Montana all said they would vote no. Flake’s vote on final approval is not assured either. Some Republicans still resisted the delay but went along with the plan that may be the only way salvage Kavanaugh’s confirmation. “I think it’s overkill,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. “But they have a right to request it.” The FBI conducts background checks for federal nominees, but the agency does not make judgments on the credibility or significance of allegations. It compiles information about the nominee’s past and provides its findings to the White House, which passes them along to the committee. Republicans say reopening the FBI investigation is unnecessary because committee members have had the opportunity to question both Kavanaugh and Ford and other potential witnesses have submitted sworn statements. Agents could interview accusers and witnesses and gather additional evidence or details that could help corroborate or disprove the allegations. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Bradley Byrne urges Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation
He may not be able to cast an actual vote for his confirmation, but that’s not stopping Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne from voicing his support for President Donald Trump‘s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. On Friday, Byrne took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives where he took a stand for Kavanaugh saying he’s ashamed of where lawmakers find themselves today as he urged for Kavanaugh’s confirmation in the U.S. Senate. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the Senate to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Judge Kavanaugh has a clear record as a thoughtful jurist who respects and will defend our Constitution. Those who have worked with him over the years and know him best strongly defend his record as a good man who loves his family and our country. I’m ashamed we find ourselves where we are today. It is shameful the way Judge Kavanaugh has had his name smeared, just as it is shameful that Dr. Ford has been used as a pawn in a political game. Frankly, my heart hurts for both of them. Our government is only as good as the people who serve in it, and I am deeply concerned that this whole series of events will encourage fewer good men and women to take up the call of government service. This circus must end. The Senate should vote on Judge Kavanaugh, approve him to serve on the Supreme Court, and allow our great country to move forward. I yield back. Watch Byrne’s floor speech below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBTVmu8dcgE&feature=youtu.be Read Byrne’s speech below:
Martha Roby: Our most precious responsibility
As a society, our children are perhaps the greatest, most precious responsibility given to us. They are vulnerable, innocent, and wholly dependent upon the adults surrounding them for protection. While horrible and unthinkable, the unfortunate reality is that not everyone takes this responsibility seriously, and there are even those who would do children harm. The National Center for Victims of Crime reports that while the prevalence of child sexual abuse is difficult to determine because it is often unreported, experts still agree that the number of incidences is vastly greater than what is reported to authorities. Children are the most vulnerable members of our society, and there is perhaps no greater responsibility before Congress than the call to protect them. I believe it is our job to provide the most effective tools available to confront, fight, punish, and ultimately prevent horrific crimes against children. Our legal protections for children and the punishments for those who harm them must be as strong as possible. That’s why I was grateful that the House of Representatives recently passed my bill, H.R. 6847, the Preventing Child Exploitation Act of 2018, in the House where it recently passed. This bill combines four pieces of legislation in an effort to fight the abuse and exploitation of children and strengthen protections for them under the law. I’d like to take a moment to share with you more specifics on what this package of bills would accomplish. First, my bill includes H.R. 1842, the Strengthening Children’s Safety Act, which makes our communities safer by enhancing penalties for sex offenders who fail to register in the national sex offender registry, and then commit a crime of violence. Second, the bill includes H.R. 1862, the Global Child Protection Act, legislation I previously introduced to combat global sex tourism by closing loopholes that allow child predators to go unpunished for their abuse of children overseas. Third, this bill includes H.R. 1761, the Protecting Against Child Exploitation Act, to add legal measures to strengthen protections for victims of child pornography. Fourth, and finally, my bill includes H.R. 1188, the Adam Walsh Reauthorization Act, to continue our support for programs that help prevent child abuse by ensuring that the public has access to information about known sex offenders in their neighborhoods. In addition to introducing the Preventing Child Exploitation Act, I was also proud to join my colleagues in cosponsoring the Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2018. As you may know, the Victims of Child Abuse Act was first passed in 1990, and it provides federal funding for the development of Children’s Advocacy Centers (CAC). The primary mission of a CAC is to prevent further victimization of a child by ensuring that child abuse investigations are comprehensive and that intervention and healing services are age-appropriate for the needs of each individual child. Congress unanimously reauthorized the Victims of Child Abuse Act reauthorization in 2014, but it is set to expire this year. I am hopeful that the House will take up this important piece of legislation soon to ensure that CACs have the resources necessary to serve the children who need them most. In Congress, I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve on the Judiciary Committee where we have worked very diligently to combat crimes against children. In recent years, we have made remarkable progress in this fight – but we can, and we must, do more. I’m encouraged by House passage of the Preventing Child Exploitation Act, and I am hopeful that the Senate will act on this bill quickly to protect the most vulnerable among us. We must use every tool available to prevent horrific crimes against children. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
Transparency on the line in Fairhope
In the past Baldwin County School Board meetings have been live-streamed, as a part of a commitment to transparency. But according to The Fairhope Times, the most recent meeting was not live-streamed. According to the Baldwin County Public School System Director of Communications, Terry Wilhite, that’s because the “equipment is broken” that allows for live-streaming. Meetings instead are available to be watched on the board’s Vimeo channel once they are uploaded after meetings. But The Fairhope Times pointed out, “as of last Wednesday the most recent ones posted to the Board’s Vimeo website were from last May; but since we questioned it Thursday the more recent ones were posted as well,” leaving some to question whether or not videos will continue to be uploaded in a timely manner allowing for transparency of the meetings. Alabama Today has reached out to Mr. Wilhite for comment as to if and when the school system intends to repair the broken equipment and being live-streaming once again. This article will be updated if they choose to respond.
Senate Judiciary Committee advances Brett Kavanaugh nomination, Jeff Flake calls for delay on floor vote
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday voted along party lines, 11-10, to advance the vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to the floor of the U.S. Senate for a vote. Seconds before casting his vote in favor of advancing Kavanaugh’s confirmation, Sen. Jeff Flake, made a dramatic move saying his final vote for or against Kavanaugh would be contingent on the FBI conducting an investigation into the accusations. “I think it would be proper to delay the floor vote for up to, but not more than, one week, in order to let the FBI to do an investigation, limited in time and scope to the current allegations that are there,” Flake said before casting his vote for Kavanaugh in the committee. “I think that we ought to do what we can to make sure that we do all due diligence with a nomination this important. This country is being ripped apart here. We’ve got to make sure that we do due diligence.” Republicans can afford to lose no more than two of their 51 members on the floor to confirm Kavanaugh, making Flake’s comment all the more important. Kavanaugh’s confirmation process has become complicated over the past two weeks after Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, a psychology professor in Northern California, said Kavanaugh tried to “attack [her]and remove [her]clothing” during a party when both of them were high school students in Maryland in the early 80s. Since that time two more women have made accusations against Kavanaugh. Ford said she is “100 percent” certain Kavanaugh attacked her. Meanwhile, he continues to call the allegations “completely false.” It is unclear what Senate Republican Leadership will do in response to Flake’s request for further investigation. This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
City hopes to fill empty downtown Birmingham building with two federal agencies
The City of Birmingham, Ala. is looking to fill an empty downtown building with two federal agencies. The former Liberty National Building is one of the largest office spaces in the Magic City and has sat vacant since 2010. The city is now hoping to fill the building with the national headquarters of two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies: the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), whose purpose is to to consolidate all federally funded agricultural research, and the Economic Research Service (ERS), which provides key indicators, outlook analysis, and a wealth of data on the U.S. food and agricultural system. In August, the Trump Administration announced plans to move the two government agencies out of Washington, D.C. where their headquarters are located currently. “The need for a proposed NIFA facility would be approximately 90,000 square feet to house approximately 360 employees. The need for a proposed ERS facility would be up to 70,000 square feet to house up to 260 employees,” read a Federal Register notice requesting “expressions of interest” for the relocation of ERS and NIFA. The notice notes that both the ERS and the NIFA are now housed in space rented from the General Services Administration, and that the lease for the NFIA offices is expiring. According to the Birmingham Business Journal, the City of Birmingham is preparing a bid for the two agencies. Incentives to relocate to Birmingham will be included in the bid, but have yet to be disclosed. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a news release the USDA would pay relocation expenses, as the agencies have had a hard time recruiting staff, especially graduates of land-grant colleges. But part of the appeal of relocating to Alabama could be that the state has three land-grant universities: Alabama A&M, Tuskegee, and Auburn University.
Brett Kavanaugh gains key GOP senator ahead of crucial vote
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh gained the support of a key Republican senator Friday, virtually ensuring his nomination will advance to the full Senate a day after he adamantly denied sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford, who insisted she’s “100 percent” certain he did. Moments before the panel convened, Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, a member of the committee, announced he would vote to confirm Kavanaugh, who he said was entitled to the “presumption of innocence … absent corroborating evidence.” “While some may argue that a different standard should apply regarding the Senate’s advice and consent responsibilities, I believe that the Constitution’s provisions of fairness and due process apply here as well,” Flake said. “I will vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh.” The committee scheduled an afternoon vote on whether to recommend Kavanaugh’s nomination to the full Senate. After the vote was scheduled, several Democratic members of the panel walked out. Meanwhile, there were signs the remarkable testimony before the panel — in which Kavanaugh angrily declared his innocence and Ford calmly recounted the moment in which she says he attacked her — had registered negatively with two organizations whose support Kavanaugh had earlier received. The American Bar Association, which previously gave Kavanaugh its highest rating of “well qualified,” asked senators to delay all votes on him until the FBI can do a full background check on the assault claims — something President Donald Trump has refused to order. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said to reporters Friday that Kavanaugh has already “been through six separate background investigations by the FBI.” Late Thursday, the magazine of the Jesuit religious order in the United States withdrew its endorsement of Kavanaugh, saying the nomination was no longer in the interests of the country and “should be withdrawn.” “If Senate Republicans proceed with his nomination, they will be prioritizing policy aims over a woman’s report of an assault,” the America magazine editors wrote. “Were he to be confirmed without this allegation being firmly disproved, it would hang over his future decisions on the Supreme Court for decades and further divide the country.” Kavanaugh has repeatedly cited his Roman Catholic faith and his years as a student at the Jesuit-run Georgetown Prep school in Maryland. Meanwhile, former President George W. Bush has been advocating for Kavanaugh with wavering senators in recent days, according to a person familiar with Bush’s outreach who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly. The White House said it was also engaging with wavering GOP senators but provided few details. Trump is publicly standing by his nominee. “His testimony was powerful, honest and riveting,” he tweeted late Thursday. “The Senate must vote!” Thursday’s testimony appeared to have only sharpened the partisan divide over Trump’s nominee. Republicans praised Ford’s bravery in coming forward, but many of them said her account won’t affect their support for Kavanaugh. At the daylong session Thursday, Ford and Kavanaugh both said the event and the public controversy that has erupted 36 years later had altered their lives forever and for the worse — perhaps the only thing they agreed on during a long day of testimony that was a study in contrasts of tone as well as substance. Telling her story in person for the first time, Ford, a California psychology professor, quietly told the nation and the Senate Judiciary Committee her long-held secret of the alleged assault in locked room at a gathering of friends when she was just 15. The memory — and Kavanaugh’s laughter during the act — was “locked” in her brain, she said: “100 percent.” Hours later, Kavanaugh angrily denied it, alternating a loud, defiant tone with near tears as he addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee. “You have replaced ‘advice and consent’ with ‘search and destroy,” he said, referring to the Constitution’s charge to senators’ duties in confirming high officials. Trump’s tweet later used the same “search and destroy” language. Repeatedly Democrats asked Kavanaugh to call for an FBI investigation into the claims. He did not. “I welcome whatever the committee wants to do,” he said. Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has repeatedly declined as well. Republicans are reluctant for several reasons, including the likelihood that further investigations could push a vote past the November elections that may switch Senate control back to the Democrats and make consideration of any Trump nominee more difficult. Across more than 10 hours, the senators heard from only the two witnesses. Ford delivered her testimony with steady, deliberate certitude. She admitted gaps in her memory as she choked back tears and said she “believed he was going to rape me.” Kavanaugh entered the hearing room fuming and ready to fight, as he angrily denied the charges from Ford and other women accusing him of misconduct, barked back at senators and dismissed some questions with a flippant “whatever.” “You may defeat me in the final vote, but you’ll never get me to quit, never,” he said. Trump nominated the conservative jurist in what was supposed to be an election year capstone to the GOP agenda, locking in the court’s majority for years to come. Instead the nomination that Republicans were rushing for a vote now hangs precariously after one of the most emotionally charged hearings Capitol Hill has ever seen. Coming amid a national reckoning over sexual misconduct at the top of powerful institutions, it exposed continued divisions over justice, fairness and who should be believed. And coming weeks before elections, it ensured that debate would play into the fight for control of Congress. Wearing a blue suit as Anita Hill did more two decades ago when she testified about sexual misconduct by Clarence Thomas, Ford described what she says was a harrowing assault in the summer of 1982: How an inebriated Kavanaugh and another teen, Mark Judge, locked her in a room at a house party as Kavanaugh was grinding and groping her. She said he put his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams. “I believed he was going to rape me,” she testified, referring to
1 hearing, 2 witnesses, vastly different takeaways
It was one hearing, with just two witnesses. But, in an era of political polarization and yawning cultural divides, Americans came away having heard very different things. Millions of men and women listened to nervous-but-composed college professor Christine Blasey Ford tell the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday that she was “100 percent” certain that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers, and they lauded her credibility and courage in speaking out. Others saw a woman with a spotty memory who failed to prove Kavanaugh was her abuser, and believed the judge as he repeatedly choked up and vigorously defended himself. “The allegation of misconduct is completely inconsistent with the rest of my life,” he said. Americans followed the hours of testimony from their homes, in their cars, in offices and in classrooms. Wherever they were, though, it seemed most responded through the prism of their own politics, and personal experiences. Few people interviewed by The Associated Press seemed to have had their minds changed by anything they heard. Heather Lake of Omaha, a stay-at-home mother of four and registered Democrat, said she went into the hearings believing Ford, and that the professor’s testimony only solidified her belief. “Just seeing how vulnerable she is, it strikes me how cruel all the attacks on her have been,” said Lake, 38, who was sexually assaulted in her teens. “This is why women keep their sexual assaults to themselves.” But Connie Cook Saunders, a 52-year-old fitness director for a San Diego athletic club who considers herself a moderate Republican, wasn’t swayed by Ford’s appearance. “I personally feel like it’s a witch hunt,” she said. “It’s political. If it happened to her I am sorry, but it doesn’t make sense to bring it up now.” The hearing was to be the culmination of a Supreme Court nomination process that will determine the political bent of the court for decades, and quite likely decide issues such as the legality of abortion and gay marriage in the United States. It took place in a week when “America’s Dad,” Bill Cosby, was declared a sexual predator and sentenced to jail, and at a time when the U.S. president himself has battled multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. The major backdrop was the #MeToo movement, in which women across the country have brought down powerful men they accused of sexually assaulting or harassing them. Ford’s detailed testimony brought many to tears in the wood-paneled hearing room and beyond as she described being locked in a bedroom as a 15-year-old by two drunk boys whom she identified as Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge. She said Kavanaugh groped her, tried to take off her clothes and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming. “Both Brett and Mark were drunkenly laughing during the attack,” she said, adding that she eventually escaped to a bathroom. In fact, she said, her most indelible memory was the “uproarious laughter,” the two boys “having fun at my expense.” She was “terrified” to testify, she said, but did so because “I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school.” Kavanaugh began his own testimony on a note of barely contained fury. He labeled Ford’s accusation and two other allegations that have followed as “smears,” ”character assassination” and part of a “calculated and orchestrated political hit” fueled by a hatred of President Donald Trump and funded by left-wing opposition groups. He repeatedly fought to control his tears as he talked about how the allegation has destroyed his family. “The truth is that I have never sexually assaulted anyone — not in high school, not in college, not ever,” he said. His supporters focused on what Ford could not remember. How is it possible, they wondered, that she didn’t recall the exact address where the assault took place or how she got to and from the house? Mary Ann Almeida, who said she was raped as a 14-year-old, thought Ford came across as untruthful. “When you’re a true victim, you remember where it happened,” said Almeida, now 60, who watched the hearing from her home in southeastern Kentucky. “You know who was in the room, you also remember every single detail.” But it was Kavanaugh whom Jalon Alexander, a 25-year-old Democrat and law student at the University of Pittsburgh, did not find credible. “The more I listened to him, there was nothing he said that made me doubt Dr. Ford’s accusation,” Alexander said. “What makes him so special that we’re willing to undermine the integrity and legitimacy of the court?” In San Diego, Republican strategist Jennifer Jacobs was struck by Ford’s sincerity. But she also was moved by Kavanaugh. “Clearly this is a passionate man,” she said. “He’s not some crazed barbarian.” She added her “heart was breaking” for his wife and children. But Jen Bradshaw in Quincy, Illinois, who was texting with a girlfriend as they watched Kavanaugh’s opening statement, was shocked at his angry demeanor. “Can you imagine if Dr. Ford had shown even a hint of that much anger or openly cried?” said the 36-year-old mother of two. She also wondered: “If this is him sober and angry, what is he like after one too many beers?” At Yale, Kavanaugh’s alma mater, student Samantha Peltz was troubled by what she called the partisan nature of the judge’s remarks. “It’s quite surprising to see him behave in such a partisan manner as someone being considered to be elevated to the highest court in the land,” she said. Another viewer, sympathetic to Kavanaugh, saw the hearing as an attack on a successful white man. “He’s on trial for being basically a white conservative who went to an elite school,” said Mike Glasoe of West Fargo, North Dakota, who considers himself independent politically and said he has voted for both Democrats and Republicans. But in Raleigh, North Carolina, artist and retired state employee Penney De Pas called it
