American Bridge 21st Century Weekly Recap: July 7, 2023
Our top moments of the week
This week, Republicans doubled down on two of their favorite -isms: elitism and extremism. GOP candidates:
✅ Promoted Hitler quotes
✅ Gave taxpayer-funded jobs to campaign donors
✅ Peddled tax cuts for the 1%
✅ Trivialized sexual assault
Here are our biggest moments of the week:
1. Mark Robinson Trivializes Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
A new report from Vanity Fair details how Mark Robinson, the frontrunner in the North Carolina GOP gubernatorial primary, has a long record of sexism, trivializing domestic violence, and attacking the LGBTQ+ community.
In social media posts, Robinson wrote:
“So if someone beats the bird dog hell of their spouse at the mall….is it still ‘Domestic Violence?’” and “So if a woman who ‘transitioned’ into a ‘man’ marries and abuses a man who ‘transitioned’ into a ‘woman’ is it still ‘violence against a woman?’ Will the feminist raise hell over it? I’m asking for a British Cigarette.”
The Republican frontrunner also “shared memes mocking alleged sexual assault victims of Harvey Weinstein and Bill O’Reilly.”
2. Tate Reeves Appointing His Big Donors to State Positions
A new report from the Daily Beast details how Mississippi GOP Governor Tate Reeves built a roster of political appointees who have donated a combined total of approximately $1.4 million dollars to his gubernatorial campaigns.
The article, which expands on coverage from Mississippi Today, showcases Reeves’ blatant disregard for ethics.
“One Reeves backer — Doug Hederman, another Restart committee member who made an in-kind contribution to Reeves’ 2015 campaign for lieutenant governor — not only doubles as a Reeves appointee; he’s also an employee. His family company, Hederman Brothers, has received nearly $50,000 for work it has done for the Reeves campaign to date this year.”
3. Mark Robinson: Study Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Etc.
According to a new report from Salon, Robinson, while defending a Moms for Liberty chapter for quoting Adolph Hitler in campaign materials, said dictators like Hitler are being taken out of context, and “it is time for us to get back and start reading some of those quotes.”
The video prompted a response from Robinson, as well as his Democratic opponent, Josh Stein:
4. No Labels: A Republican Ratf*ck
This week, the Wall Street Journal investigated the donors of No Labels. The political group, which has been deemed a potential spoiler in the 2024 presidential campaign, is being bankrolled by GOP financiers — including the now-infamous Harlan Crow.
The report is no surprise to political strategists who see the “centrist” group for what it is: a Republican ratf*ck operation designed to deliver Donald Trump the White House.
“Past known donors include executives in the finance and energy industries whose campaign contributions largely lean Republican…Crow, the Republican developer, has spoken at No Labels events and made contributions.”
5. Mike Pence: “I don’t really buy into the rich need to pay their fair share.”
This week, at an Iowa campaign stop, American Bridge caught GOP presidential candidate Mike Pence saying, “I don’t really buy into the rich need to pay their fair share.”
The clip, which went viral, showcased the ever-present Republican plan to cater to rich donors and stiff working families. Former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain and current U.S. House Representative Ted Lieu weighed in on Pence’s comments:
