Four experts from the United Nations last week expressed their misgivings with Alabama’s plan to execute a death row inmate with nitrogen gas, saying it would “result in a painful and humiliating death.” In a statement Wednesday, Morris Tidball-Binz; Alice Jill Edwards; Tlaeng Mofokeng and Margaret Satterthwaite, officials who work on health; executions, punishment and judicial issues, said the method may subject Kenneth Eugene Smith to “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or even torture.” The experts said Smith may be exposed to “grave” suffering and there was no scientific evidence to demonstrate otherwise. Smith, convicted of the 1988 murder-for-hire plot of Elizabeth Sennett, is currently awaiting a ruling on his appeal in the Middle District of Alabama for a preliminary injunction to stop his execution. He was convicted and sentenced to death by a vote of 11-1. Nitrogen executions have never been used on a human being before. The American Veterinary Medical Association generally discourages its use in euthanizing animals. Other experts have expressed skepticism that the execution method will be humane. Portions of the protocol that the Alabama Department of Corrections plans to use have been made available through documents as part of Smith’s lawsuit. A gas mask will be placed on Smith with breathable air flowing from the lines to the mask. When the order is given, that line will be shut off, replaced with another line containing pure nitrogen that Smith will breathe. Pastor Jeff Hood, Smith’s spiritual advisor, has filed a lawsuit challenging the execution, claiming the method will interfere with his duties to minister to Smith at the time of the execution. Smith is scheduled to be executed on Jan. 25. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, an independent nonprofit website covering politics and policy in state capitals around the nation.
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Following weeks of negotiations and just before Congress reconvened from its holiday recess, key Senate and House members announced their consensus on setting the total spending at nearly $1.66 trillion. The deal aligns with the agreement struck last year between President Joe Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a deal that faced strong opposition from conservative factions and led to McCarthy’s ouster by MAGA Republicans. The agreement includes a boost in Pentagon spending to $886.3 billion while keeping nondefense funding unchanged at $772.7 billion. The figure incorporates an additional $69 billion agreed upon through an informal arrangement between McCarthy and the White House. As a compromise, lawmakers would accelerate $10 billion in cuts to I.R.S. enforcement and reclaim $6 billion in unspent COVID funds and other emergency allocations. The agreed framework does not include the additional $14 billion requested by Senate appropriators from Republican and Democratic sides for increased domestic and military spending. “By securing the $772.7 billion for nondefense discretionary funding, we can protect key domestic priorities like veterans’ benefits, health care, and nutrition assistance from the draconian cuts sought by right-wing extremists,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a joint statement. Describing it as a “favorable arrangement for Democrats and the nation,” Schumer and Jeffries, stressed the necessity for a bipartisan approach in Congress to “prevent an expensive and disruptive shutdown.” In a communication to his GOP colleagues, House Speaker Mike Johnson highlighted the Republicans’ achievement in securing spending reductions, particularly the additional money from the I.R.S. He argued that the outcome translates to tangible savings for American taxpayers and genuine reductions in the federal bureaucracy. Although Johnson hailed the agreement as a favorable spending deal for Republicans, he acknowledged that the final spending levels “may not satisfy everyone and do not achieve as much spending reduction as many would prefer.” Biden acknowledged that the deal “offers a pathway” to fund the government without significant cuts. He urged Congressional Republicans to fulfill their responsibilities, cease government shutdown threats, and allocate funding for critical domestic and national security priorities, including his supplemental request for Ukraine and Israel. With the initial deadline for passing four spending bills on Jan. 19, securing an overall agreement on total funding is just the initial phase of avoiding a shutdown. A subsequent deadline for finalizing the remaining eight appropriations bills, including the one for the Pentagon, looms on Feb. 2.
Ronnie Long stands in a hallway at the Albemarle Correctional Institution east of Charlotte, N.C., in 2007.Peter Weinberger / The Charlotte Observer via AP file
By Minyvonne Burke, NBC News
A Black North Carolina man who spent 44 years in prison after he was wrongfully convicted of raping a prominent white woman has been awarded a historic $25 million settlement more than three years after he was exonerated. Ronnie Long, 68, settled his civil lawsuit with the city of Concord, about 25 miles northeast of Charlotte, for $22 million, the city said in a news release Tuesday. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation had previously settled for $3 million, according to Duke Law School’s Wrongful Convictions Clinic. The clinic, which represented Long, said the settlement is the second largest wrongful conviction settlement recorded. “It’s, obviously, a celebratory day today knowing that Ronnie’s going to have his means met for the rest of his life with this settlement. It’s been a long road to get to this point so that’s a great outcome,” clinical professor Jamie Lau, Long’s criminal attorney, said in a phone interview Tuesday. “Have we found justice in this case? Absolutely not. No amount of money will ever compensate Ronnie for all that he lost, but this is a big step forward for him,” Lau said. The city also issued a rare public apology to Long. “We are deeply remorseful for the past wrongs that caused tremendous harm to Mr. Long, his family, friends and our community. Mr. Long suffered the extraordinary loss of his freedom and a substantial portion of his life because of this conviction,” the city said. “He wrongly served 44 years, 3 months and 17 days in prison for a crime he did not commit.” “While there are no measures to fully restore to Mr. Long and his family all that was taken from them, through this agreement we are doing everything in our power to right the past wrongs and take responsibility,” the apology continued. “We are hopeful this can begin the healing process for Mr. Long and our community, and that together we can move forward while learning valuable lessons and ensuring nothing like this ever happens again.” Sonya Pfeiffer, one of Long’s civil attorneys, said a public apology was a part of Long’s settlement demand. “All of us on Ronnie’s team were very pleased with the responsiveness by the city of Concord. He also got a private apology, a direct apology, which was meaningful too,” Pfeiffer said. Chris Olson, another civil attorney for Long, said the settlement was “significant” and important “after this horror of four decades.” Long was convicted by an all-white jury on Oct. 1, 1976, after he was accused of raping a white woman. He was 21 when he was sentenced to life in prison, NBC affiliate WCNC of Charlotte reported. His attorneys detailed numerous issues with his trial, beginning with jury selection. They said that before jury summonses were issued, the chief of police and the sheriff had removed nearly all of the Black potential jurors, his attorneys said. They said there was no physical evidence tying Long to the rape and burglary and he did not match the original description of the suspect — a “yellow or really light-skinned Black male.” A rape kit collected at the hospital and provided to Concord police went missing and has never been found, Long’s attorneys said. They said the prosecution’s main piece of evidence was the victim identifying Long weeks after the attack and it was “the product of a suggestive identification procedure arranged by the police to target Long.” There were also numerous pieces of evidence from the scene, including suspect hair and 43 fingerprints, that could have helped exonerate him, according to his attorneys. The evidence, which they said did not belong to Long, was tested by investigators but not disclosed. The attorneys also accused Concord police officers of giving false testimony about the evidence at Long’s trial. The Concord Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. In February 2020, Long appealed his case. That year the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled 9-6 that his due process rights were violated at trial and remanded the case to the district court to decide whether he was innocent, the Duke Law School’s Wrongful Convictions Clinic said. In August 2020, the court overturned his conviction and he was released on Aug. 27, 2020. Gov. Roy Cooper pardoned him four months later, WCNC reported. The following year, the state paid him $750,000. Since his release, Long has put part of his settlement from the State Bureau of Investigation toward helping criminal justice reform, Lau said. He has been “trying to figure out modern society,” according to his attorney, and spending time with his family, including his wife whom he married while in prison, and a son from a relationship before his sentencing. Long and his attorneys hope his case becomes an example of how others should be handled. “One thing he recognizes is that he’s in a position of power now where he’s achieved a record settlement financially so that sets the bar for others,” Pfeiffer said. “If that could be the gold standard for all of these cases, that may be the closest that exonerees get to justice.”
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized on Jan. 1 for complications following surgery nearly two weeks earlier to treat prostate cancer, doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center revealed Tuesday. The disclosure of Austin’s diagnosis and cause of his hospitalization came amid controversy over the Pentagon’s failure for days to inform the White House or the public that the Defense secretary had been admitted to Walter Reed, where he ended up in the intensive care unit. Pentagon officials also failed for two days last week to notify Austin’s second-in-command that he had transferred authority to her while he was in the ICU, and while she was in Puerto Rico. President Joe Biden only learned Austin’s prostate cancer diagnosis on Tuesday morning, three days after speaking with Austin on the phone, the White House said. Hours later Tuesday, the Walter Reed doctors issued their public statement, which is just the latest in a series of surprising disclosures about the Defense chief’s health since Friday. Austin is sixth in the line of presidential succession and is an essential player in the United States national security apparatus. His previously secret hospitalization came as the U.S. was weighing and executing several major national security measures, including military strikes in the Middle East. Members of Congress were stunned last Friday to learn from a public Pentagon statement that Austin had both had elective surgery, and later hospitalized on Jan. 1 without them being informed at the time. Biden was informed of the hospitalization on Thursday. Shortly before Austin’s diagnosis was publicly released Tuesday, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Jack Reed said, “This lack of disclosure must never happen again.” “He is taking responsibility for the situation, but this was a serious incident and there needs to be transparency and accountability from the Department,” said Reed, D-Rhode Island. The Republican-led House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday opened a formal inquiry into Austin’s secret hospitalizations, saying it had “grave concerns about the handling of your absence and hospitalization.” “With wars in Ukraine and Israel, the idea that the White House and even your own Deputy did not understand the nature of your condition is patently unacceptable,” committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Alabama. The panel asked Austin for information about any medical sedation or anesthesia he received last week, any orders given to “inform or not inform any other person of your hospitalization or medical condition,” and a detailed account of his transfer of duties to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks. The statement Tuesday from Walter Reed came from Dr. John Maddox, trauma medical director, and Dr. Gregory Chesnut, director of the Center for Prostate Disease Research of the Murtha Cancer Center. The statement said that Austin, as part of his “routinely recommended health screen, “has undergone prostate specific antigen surveillance.” “Changes in his laboratory evaluation in early December 2023 identified prostate cancer which required treatment,” the doctors said in their statement. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in American men, occurring at a rate of 1 in every 8 men, and at a rate of 1 in every 6 Black men, the statement noted. “On December 22, 2023, after consultation with his medical team, [Austin] was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure called a prostatectomy to treat and cure prostate cancer.” Austin was “under general anesthesia during this procedure,” the doctors said. “Secretary Austin recovered uneventfully from his surgery and returned home the next morning. His prostate cancer was detected early, and his prognosis is excellent. ” But on Jan. 1, the doctors said, Austin was re-admitted to the Bethesda, Maryland, hospital after experiencing complications from the surgery, “including nausea and severe abdominal, hip and leg pain.” “Initial evaluation revealed a urinary tract infection,” the statement said. On Jan. 2, Austin was transferred to Walter Reed’s ICU “for close monitoring and a higher level of care,” the doctors said. Biden was not told that Austin was in the hospital until two days after his admission to the ICU. “He continues to make progress and we anticipate a full recovery although this can be a slow process,” the doctors said. “During this stay, Secretary Austin never lost consciousness and never underwent general anesthesia.” Austin is no longer in the ICU but remains at Walter Reed. The new statement is not likely to put an end to questions about Austin’s failure to disclose his condition or hospitalization, which had led to calls for his resignation by some lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Austin and Biden so far have resisted those calls. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has said that the president maintains “complete confidence” in his defense secretary. But on Tuesday, Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients sent a memo to all members of the president’s Cabinet, which includes Austin, notifying them that the White House is conducting a review of protocols by departments for the delegation of authority by Cabinet members. Zeints directed all Cabinet members to instruct their agencies to submit their existing protocols to the White House, according to the memo, which was obtained by NBC News. In the meantime, Zients wrote, Cabinet agencies “must ensure” that they notify the White House and the chief of staff “in the event of a delegation of authority or potential delegation.”
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday that after almost three months of war in Gaza, malnutrition and disease are creating a deadly cycle that threatens over 1.1 million children. A total of 90% of the 1.1 million young people in the region are not fully supplied with nutrients, according to a UNICEF survey conducted on December 26. “Children in the Gaza Strip face a deadly triple threat to their lives, as cases of diseases rise, nutrition plummets and the escalation in hostilities approaches its fourteenth week,” UNICEF said. Israel has been waging war against the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip for almost three months now. The number of Palestinians killed has risen to 22,600, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority. The war was triggered by the October 7 massacre carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other groups in Israel. Around 1,200 people were killed. “Children in Gaza are caught in a nightmare that worsens with every passing day,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s executive director. The report said that cases of diarrhea in children under 5 years of age rose from 48,000 to 71,000 in just one week starting December 17, equivalent to 3,200 new cases of diarrhea per day. It added that displaced children and their families are unable to maintain the necessary hygiene levels needed to prevent disease, given the alarming lack of safe water and sanitation. The report affirmed that prolonged diarrhea put children at high risk of death. “The futures of thousands more children in Gaza hang in the balance. The world cannot stand by and watch. The violence and the suffering of children must stop,” Russell said.
Candidates: Anthony Daniels, Merika Coleman, Napoleon Bracy, Shomari Figures
By: Bill Britt, Alabama Political Reporter
Voters in Alabama’s newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District are expressing a strong desire for a representative who champions a progressive agenda, focusing on issues such as voting rights, the rising cost of living, and the affordability of health care. This sentiment is highlighted in a poll released in late December by the SPLC Action Fund and its affiliate, the New Southern Majority, a federal independent expenditure (IE) PAC.
The newly created district stretches from Bullock and Macon counties in east Alabama, through Montgomery and counties south of the city, connected to Pritchard in Mobile county on the western side of the state. Brandon Jones, the director of political campaigns for the SPLC Action Fund, emphasized the significance of these findings. “This research demonstrates that voters across Alabama’s new congressional district want true, progressive representation,” he stated. Jones further noted that the candidates’ stances on progressive policies will play a crucial role, as voters are eager to harness the political power their district now offers. The poll results show a highly competitive race, with a significant 47 percent of voters still undecided. State Rep. Napoleon Bracy is currently leading with 15 percent support, followed by Shomari Figures at 9 percent, State Rep. Anthony Daniels at 8 percent, State Sen. Merika Coleman with 6 percent, Darryl Sinkfield at 5 percent, State Rep. Jeremy Gray at 4 percent, and State Rep. Juandalynn Givan at 2 percent. Notably, Sinkfield recently announced his withdrawal from the race. Some say the poll may have been weighted with Mobile county voters. It is interesting to note that several of the major candidates for this Congressional District live outside the district. State Representative and Democratic Majority Leader, Anthony Daniels, lives in Huntsville. He was born in Midway, Bullock County in the district. State Senator Merika Coleman represents and lives in Bessemer. State Representative Givan lives in Birmingham. State Representative Napoleon Bracy and Shomari Figures live in Mobile County, within the district. The U. S. Constitution does not require that a Congressperson live in the district but only within the state represented. In January, the organizations plan to host a candidate forum in Montgomery, offering voters a direct opportunity to engage with the candidates and understand their perspectives on critical issues and their vision for promoting equity and justice in the Deep South. The poll also revealed nuanced concerns among voters: 20 percent are primarily worried about voting rights, while 15 percent are focused on inflation and rising costs, and 12 percent on making health care more affordable. Additionally, voters highlighted equal access to quality K-12 public schools (78 percent), expanding Medicaid (75 percent), attracting new, well-paying jobs (71 percent), advocating for voting rights through early voting options (67 percent), and ensuring the affordability of college and higher education (66 percent) as top priorities. When asked in an open-ended question about the issue that matters most to them personally, voters again listed voting rights (22 percent), health care (16 percent), education (15 percent), and good-paying jobs (11 percent) as their primary concerns. Regarding opinions on national figures, the poll found that only 10 percent of voters in the District have a favorable view of former President Donald Trump, with a significant 86 percent viewing him negatively. In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris received a 76 percent favorability rating, with President Joe Biden’s favorability at 77 percent. Former President Barack Obama remains the most favorably viewed, with an 88 percent favorable rating.
This poll, which surveyed 450 likely voters in the upcoming March Democratic primary, was conducted by Impact Research, based in Montgomery. Some additional information and edits added by Greene County Democrat
The Alabama Civil Rights Museum Movement, Inc., (ACRMM) is sponsoring a series of programs commemorating the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to Greene County, the State of Alabama, and this nation. Mr. Spiver Gordon, ACRMM President, organizes these events each year in celebration and as a reminder of the struggles and sacrifices of so many leaders who brought about civil, social, and economic changes in our lives. The work of Dr. King and SCLC, the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA) and others provided the courageous leadership that changed laws and practices on voting rights, holding public office, desegregating public education, public accommodations, and employment opportunities for Black people in particular. As Mr. Gordon noted: “These rights are still not secured, especially the right to vote. There are strong movements to diminish those and other civil rights going on right now.” The annual events of ACRMM, open to the public, are scheduled as follows: On Friday January 12, 2024, at 10:00 am, the Dr. MKL, Jr. Educational Seminar Student Development Session will be held at New Peace Baptist Church on Prairie Ave., Eutaw, AL. Greene County High School students are the primary invitees. Mr. Irene Byrd, Tuscaloosa, AL is the keynote speaker, with special guest, Minister On Monday, January 15 at 8:00 am, the MLK, Jr. Freedom Unity Breakfast will be held at the Eutaw Activity Center on Harris Ave., Eutaw, AL, Bishop Glen McCord, Chelsea, Alabama, is the keynote speaker. Special guests, Rev. Dr. Kelvin Cockrell, Hon Garria Spencer, Dr. Monty Thornburg, and others. The Freedom Breakfast is followed by the Countywide Freedom March to the William M. Branch Courthouse. Religious Women Freedom Rally, 10:30 a.m. Keynote Speaker, Hon. Phyllis Craig Taylor, Durham, North Carolina. Special Guests, Dr. Carol P. Zippert, Pastor Carolyn Branch and others. There will be a Senior Citizens Luncheon at 1:30 PM, at the Eutaw Activity Center, following the Courthouse meeting. Come join us for music, food, and celebration, “We can never let ourselves forget from whence we have come. We must keep the vigil to protect our rights and continue to serve and build our communities,” Gordon said.
Jan. 1, 2024 (GIN) – Preliminary election results announced in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa have sparked demands by members of the opposition for a rerun.
According to the country’s election commission, Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi handily won reelection with more than 70% of the vote, crushing the runner-ups by a wide majority.
Some 18 million people or 40% of the population voted. Massive logistical problems put the validity of the outcome into question.
About two-thirds of polling stations opened late, while 30% of voting machines did not work on the first day of the vote, according to an observer group.
Millions of people waited for hours before they were able to vote, while some gave up and went home.
The results will be sent to the constitutional court for confirmation, said election chief Denis Kadima. He acknowledged some irregularities but insisted that the results reflected the will of the Congolese people.
On Sunday, nine opposition candidates, including Denis Mukwege, Martin Fayulu and Moises Katumbi signed a declaration rejecting what they termed a “sham” election and called for a rerun.
“We call on our people to take to the streets en masse after the proclamation of the electoral fraud,” they said in a joint statement.
“We categorically reject the sham election … and its results.”
The army has been deployed in various parts of the capital, Kinshasa, to prevent any unrest, while Mr Tshisekedi’s supporters have taken to the streets to celebrate.
The head of the election commission said the opposition candidates wanted a new election because “they know they lost… they are bad losers”.
Meanwhile, Mr Tshisekedi repeatedly lashed out at Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, who he accuses of backing the M23 rebel group which has seized territory in the east of the country. Rwanda has repeatedly denied the charges.
In his last election rally, Mr Tshisekedi vowed to declare war on Rwanda, although observers dismissed this as rhetoric aimed at whipping up nationalist sentiment.
Harvard’s first Black President, Claudine Gay, resigned Tuesday afternoon after claims of plagiarism and backlash from a congressional hearing. During the hearing, she discussed the university’s code of conduct policy about hate speech centered around Jews. In her resignation letter, Gay said it was an honor to hold the position and seemed saddened by the decision. “It is a singular honor to be a member of this university, which has been my home and my inspiration for most of my professional career, Gay wrote. “My deep sense of connection to Harvard and its people has made it all the more painful to witness the tensions and divisions that have riven our community in recent months, weakening the bonds of trust and reciprocity that should be our sources of strength and support in times of crisis.” Gay also talked about the stress of her character being attacked, citing “racial animus” during her tenure as President. “Amidst all of this, it has been distressing to have doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigor—two bedrock values that are fundamental to who I am—and frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus,” she wrote. Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network condemned the attacks on Gay and pushed back against hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, who called on her to resign, calling her a DEI hire. “President Gay’s resignation is about more than a person or a single incident. This is an attack on every Black woman in this country who’s put a crack in the glass ceiling, said Sharpton. “It’s an assault on the health, strength, and future of diversity, equity, and inclusion – at a time when Corporate America is trying to back out of billions of dollars in commitments. Most of all, this was the result of Bill Ackman’s relentless campaign against President Gay, not because of her leadership or credentials but because he felt she was a DEI hire.” Sharpton also announced a picket outside Ackman’s office on Thursday to protest his campaign against Gay. “The National Action Network will show Ackman that his attacks on DEI, President Gay, and Black Americans have consequences,” said Sharpton. “This Thursday, our team will picket outside of his office so New Yorkers, his investors, and Corporate America can see Bill Ackman for who he is. If he doesn’t think Black Americans belong in the C-Suite, the Ivy League, or any other hallowed halls, we’ll make ourselves at home outside his office.” Dr. Claudine Gay began working at the university in 2006 as a government professor and became an educator of African and African American Studies the following year. The university appointed her as a Wilbur A. Cowett Professor of Government in 2015, and she served as Dean of Social Science from then until 2018. Gay has also worked closely with Harvard’s previous president, Lawrence S. Bacow, for the past five years. According to the Harvard Gazette, Dr. Alan Garber, Harvard’s chief academic officer, will serve as interim presiden
Insurrectionist mob attacks U. S. Capitol on January 6, 2021
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
In the early hours of Tuesday, January 2, police arrested an individual for entering the Colorado Supreme Court building and discharging a firearm within the premises, according to an official news release from the Colorado State Patrol. The break-in and shooting come about two weeks after a 4-3 ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court, resulting in the removal of former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot. The court’s decision was grounded in interpreting the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban,” deeming Trump ineligible to hold office. The incident unfolded between 1:15 a.m. and 3 a.m., concluding with the unnamed suspect surrendering to law enforcement. Authorities didn’t report any injuries from the shooting, but the incident underscored the continued violence engulfing American politics. Recent statements by President Joe Biden highlighted his concerns about Trump’s embrace of political violence. Biden, preparing for a potential 2024 rematch against the twice-impeached and four-times indicted former president, emphasized Trump’s threat to democracy, which hit a low point with his challenges to election integrity and pursuit of political opponents. “He’s threatened to use the U.S. military on the streets of America,” Biden said during a recent fundraiser in Bethesda, Maryland. “Once again, he embraces political violence instead of rejecting it. We can’t let this happen.” Further, data analysis indicates a significant increase in threats against public officials nationwide, with 83% of Americans expressing concern about political violence. This rise is mainly associated with Trump’s fervent supporters, contributing to a climate where challenging the former president carries political and personal risks for elected officials. The threats have increased as Trump’s legal problems worsen. In 2023, the former president was slapped with four indictments and 91 felony charges, many of them stemming from his alleged attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden. Additionally, a civil jury found Trump responsible for sexually assaulting a writer, and a judge ordered him to pay $5 million. In a separate civil business fraud trial in New York, a judge found that Trump and his company committed widespread fraud. He is currently weighing whether to levy fines of as much as $250 million against Trump and prohibit the Trump Organization from doing business in the Empire State. Threats against members of Congress have escalated over recent years, reaching about 9,700 in 2021. The trend persists as the calendar turns to 2024, with ongoing concerns and increased security expenditures among candidates for the House and Senate. According to a recent Navigator poll, most Americans are concerned about political violence, with 85% saying they are worried about its future. Democrats exhibit a higher level of concern than Republicans, associating terms like “January 6,” “Trump,” and “white supremacy” with political violence, researchers found. Republicans are perceived as more likely to use political violence, with differing opinions among independents.
“Some of the recent increase in American violence (both political and otherwise) might be attributable to the pandemic. But the spike in threats began well before COVID-19,” Vox’s senior correspondent, Zack Beauchamp, wrote. “Something else is going on—something that’s raising the temperature of American politics, making people feel more angry, afraid, and like they need to take political matters into their own hands.” That “something,” Beauchamp stated, is Donald Trump. “No figure in American politics commands Trump’s devoted following; no figure is as capable of heightening the stakes of American politics to the breaking point,” Beauchamp concluded.
