When I reflect on all that has happened, there are certainly reasons to be discouraged. For six years, I've watched politicians foment hatred and mistrust of the press, demonizing us with the label "enemy of the people." The stream of lies and disinformation has become a flood. And now our democracy has reached a new low, with a former U.S. president this week calling for the … [Read more...] about ‘We live in an era of bombasity because there’s no political upside to acting with humility’
Missouri
St. Louis judge largely favors Georgia poll workers in court wrangling with The Gateway Pundit
A St. Louis Circuit judge has ruled that The Gateway Pundit, the far-right conspiracy website owned by James Hoft, must provide much of the information his accusers have been seeking for six months in their defamation suit against him. Judge Jason M. Sengheiser sided largely with attorneys for the two Georgia poll workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Moss, who sued The Gateway … [Read more...] about St. Louis judge largely favors Georgia poll workers in court wrangling with The Gateway Pundit
Effort to discipline Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley ends in failure; critic says ethics process is ‘opaque, arbitrary’
An effort to discipline Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., for his statements about the 2020 presidential election has received a final rejection from state legal authorities, leaving the man who led the effort feeling “ripped off.” In two recent letters to Alan B. Hoffman, the retired St. Louis lawyer who led the group seeking punishment, the Advisory Committee of the Supreme … [Read more...] about Effort to discipline Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley ends in failure; critic says ethics process is ‘opaque, arbitrary’
Missouri attorney general aligns with St. Louis far-right disinformation site ahead of election
After Attorney General Eric Schmitt won the Republican primary August 2 for the open U.S. Senate seat in Missouri, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch expressed the hope that he would pivot to the center for the general election. But Schmitt continued his embrace of “toxic radicalism,” as the Post has commented. And an indication that that might be the case – … [Read more...] about Missouri attorney general aligns with St. Louis far-right disinformation site ahead of election
TV ad called objectionable, but stations couldn’t refuse it
TV stations could not refuse to run Eric Greitens’ political ad showing him with an armed tactical squad in hunt of “Rino” Republicans, as long as he paid for the air time. No matter how objectionable, defamatory or wrong a federal candidate’s TV ad may be, the Communications Act of 1934 has a “no-censorship no-liability rule”, says Mark Sableman, a partner at Thompson … [Read more...] about TV ad called objectionable, but stations couldn’t refuse it