American Bridge 21st Century Weekly Recap: September 15, 2023
Our top moments of the week
This week, GOP candidates were caught:
- Going easy on sex offenders
- Making presidential merchandise in Myanmar
- Forgetting about 9/11
Here are our biggest moments of the week:
1. “Tough on Crime” Russell Coleman Is Soft on Sex Offenders
A bombshell new report from The New Republic details how Kentucky GOP nominee for Attorney General, Russell Coleman, offered sentencing pleas as a US District Attorney to pedophiles that were ultimately weaker than what the judge ordered.
“While serving as U.S. attorney, Coleman offered at least 48 plea agreements to people accused of exploitation of or sexual offenses against children. Nearly half of those agreements included dismissing certain charges or recommended sentences far weaker than those the judge ultimately issued, the latter of which rarely happens.”
If Coleman wins in 2023, he will “be in charge of enforcing both state and federal laws in Kentucky,” — welcome news to Kentuckians accused of exploitation or sexual offenses against children.
2. Daniel Cameron’s Abusive Employee Resigns After Investigation
A breathtaking new report from The Daily Beast details how Kentucky GOP gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron, the state’s attorney general, has been a “ghost” from the job and allowed his office to turn into a toxic cesspool run by his cronies.
“Two attorneys described Cameron independently as a “ghost,” and most of these sources said they had never met him personally, marking that behavior as a stark contrast from prior AGs…He’s never there, doesn’t weigh in on our briefs, never says ‘hello,’ one attorney said. “We sometimes wonder who’s really running the show.’”
Jeffrey Cross, a Kentucky deputy solicitor general with multiple harassment complaints and workplace violations filed against him, offered his resignation following an external investigation into his wrongdoing. For Cameron, the multitude of complaints was not enough to fire Cross — he only exited after inquiries from the Daily Beast.
3. Vivek Ramaswamy Campaign Hats Made in Repressive Nation With “One of the Worst Governments in the World”
Earlier this month, Raw Story uncovered that Vivek Ramaswamy’s presidential campaign is distributing hats made in Myanmar, one of the most repressive governments in the world. The revelation comes as Ramaswamy’s foreign policy positions are criticized by experts and are characterized as “wrong” and “completely naive” by his fellow Republican primary candidates.
“The Ramaswamy campaign hats given out at the Iowa State Fair, and worn by Vivek Ramaswamy before participating in the first Republican presidential debate, were made in Myanmar…The U.S. Department of State has levied numerous sanctions against Myanmar since 2021.”
4. Bernie Moreno Forgets About September 11
In new audio unearthed by Heartland Signal this week, Ohio GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno “falsely claimed that the United States has never been attacked on the mainland, notably forgetting the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.” Less than a week before the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks, Moreno claimed:
“We’ve never actually been attacked in the homeland other than, of course, Pearl Harbor, which is pretty far away from mainland America.”
As Heartland Signal noted, “Moreno made an X (Twitter) post on Monday, where he ironically urged people to never forget the attacks.”
5. Jeffrey Ross Gunter Had $45K California Delinquent Property Tax Bill
According to a new report from the Las Vegas Sun, Nevada GOP Senate hopeful Jeffrey Ross Gunter has “racked up nearly $45,000 in delinquent property taxes in Los Angeles County.” Gunter’s $17.2 million Golden State house is 9,301 square feet with five bedrooms and eight bathrooms.
When alerted about his outstanding tax bill, Gunter said the “delinquency was an ‘oversight’ among his accountants, who assist with his personal and business assets.”
