On March 21, 1973, John W. Dean met with Richard Nixon to discuss issues that were part of the overall Watergate scandal. At this meeting, Dean uttered one of the most famous lines in recorded presidential history, “there is a cancer growing on the presidency.” This cancer was finally addressed, and for a time eradicated, when President Nixon resigned his office in August 1974, thus avoiding impeachment.
On October 2, 2018, President Donald Trump proved beyond any reasonable contestation that he and his administration is a cancer that’s metastasized on the body politic. It was on this date that the president, at a rally in Mississippi, attacked, mocked, and belittled an American citizen who had the temerity to speak her truth. This woman, Christine Blasey Ford, came forward and entered the public arena to discuss the most sensitive and painful topic imaginable, her violation at the hands of two drunk males. At the time of this assault, she was 15 years old. Her assailants were high school upperclassmen, one of them now a nominee to the United States Supreme Court.
That she accused a nominee to the Court is of no small consequence. She tried in vain to avoid having to provide public testimony, having written to her senator and contacting a “tip” line at a Washington newspaper. Ultimately, on September 27, 2018, she had no other recourse and publicly testified as to her allegations of the nominee’s misconduct. As she feared, the firestorm has been fierce.
Nobody who viewed her testimony, saw her demeanor, heard her voice, and listened to the consistency of her story under examination of a “sex crimes prosecutor” (who was hired because the majority party’s eleven senators feared the appearance of confrontation), can doubt she was victimized sexually. Doctor Ford’s consistency in her story was unimpeachable. Even the president found her story to be “compelling.”
Following Ford’s testimony, nominee and sitting Federal Circuit Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh had his turn. Taking a page out of the Clarence Thomas playbook, he was aggressive, belligerent, abrasive, and insulting. Unlike Ford, he failed to directly answer questions put to him by the minority party members, only to assert his innocence in a louder voice. Those few questions he did answer directly were debunked within days of his testimony.
There has been much discussion about the lack of corroborating direct evidence to support Ford’s assertions. Overlooked is the fact that, save for a calendar, Kavanaugh supplied no evidence to support his innocence. While the burden was on Ford as the proponent of the allegations against Kavanaugh, for his part Kavanaugh seemed disinterested in any effort to investigate this matter. Specifically, while Ford called for and welcomed an investigation by the FBI, Kavanaugh declined to seek an investigation into this matter. Evidently, he thought high volume indignant bluster was enough.
In most sexual assaults, there is little if any direct evidence. Too often these matters become the accuser’s words against those of the accused. In this case, Dr. Ford provided results of a polygraph and affidavits from people familiar with her story. This evidence, as sparse as it was, was consistent with her testimony.
However, one thing ignored is the fact that sworn testimony is evidence. In evaluating this evidence, it’s worth noting that Dr. Ford had her lawyers to prep her for her testimony. Judge Ford had the full resources of the Trump administration and huddled with them for nearly a week prior to his testimony.
As reports of Kavanaugh’s past, and evidence of outright lies to the Judiciary Committee are revealed, Ford has been re-victimized by many members of the Committee by their disregarding her testimony and subtly linking her with some sort of vast left-wing conspiracy against Trump, Kavanaugh, and Republicans in general.
As a lefty, I’m incensed by this line of attack. If there was such a conspiracy, I didn’t get the memo.
But this diminution of a victim’s story and her veracity is exactly why most sexual assault victims don’t come forward. We know that 1 in 6 women have been victims of rape at some time during their lives. We know that victims between the ages of 12 and 34 are at the highest risk for sexual assault. To put this more plainly, we know that there are 321,500 victims of sexual assault every year in the United States. Or to put it in even starker relief, one victim every 98 seconds of every day. We know that 61% of all rapes/sexual assaults are not reported and that 99% of all rapists will walk free.
Is it any wonder why victims of these most invasive and dehumanizing assaults do not come forward? Why, having been victimized, would anyone act in a manner that would expose her to revictimization? Too often the authorities chalk up allegations of sexual assault as a woman’s recriminations for having had sex, or as revenge against a former partner. However, it’s vital to understand that sexual assault has little to do with sex. Rather it is about power over another person, stripping away her dignity, agency, and humanity. Too often these victims suffer from a form of PTSD, which long impacts other areas of their lives.
Squared against this reality, it is incredible that Dr. Ford came forward at all! She did so because she felt she had a “civic duty” to tell what she experienced at the hands of Brett (Bart?) Kavanaugh. Civic Duty is one of the most cherished virtues handed down to us from the ancient Greeks. Aristotle would be proud.
Five days after he called Christine Ford’s testimony “credible,” Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States, at a political rally, held Dr. Ford up to ridicule and scorn. And the crowd laughed and cheered. This man, intellectually ill-equipped for the office he holds, devoid of any humanity or empathy, consumed with hate toward those who dare to oppose him, who has corrupted the executive and legislative branches and now seeks to complete the job by metastasizing his cancer on the court, has now sunk to new lows and attacked a woman who only sought to do her civic duty as she saw it.
In a democracy, we should welcome and embrace folks like Dr. Ford and eschew the bloviating nonsense of Trump. In a democracy, we should welcome all who would do their duty, not victimize those who have the courage and integrity to stand and speak.
But there is little democracy or civic duty in the United States of Trumpland, only the cancerous cells that threaten to consume the rest of us.
Enda Kenny, former Prime Minister - the Taoiseach - of Ireland, joined GoLocal LIVE to discuss the growing trade opportunities sparked by the new direct air travel between Rhode Island's T.F. Green via Norwegian Air.
Kenny has been instrumental with his support for the Ireland West International Trade Center in Rhode Island and the RI Trade Center in Mayo.
At the time of the interview, a Rhode Island trade mission was visiting Ireland led in part by Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian, who also appeared on LIVE.
Kenny served as Prime Minister from 2011 until earlier 2017.
Johnston native Amanda Clayton was almost ready to give up on her acting dreams when she got the call to travel to Atlanta to meet Tyler Perry and test-read with other actors for the then-new show “If Loving You Is Wrong," an opportunity that has been life and career changing for Clayton.
Having moved to New York at 19, five days before 9/11, she studied on-camera acting at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue film and TV opportunities in Hollywood.
She appeared in Disney’s “John Carter," multiple TV appearances like NCIS: New Orleans, Major Crimes, and The Mentalist, and as Vinny Pazienza’s sister in “Bleed for This” filmed and based right here in Rhode Island.
Clayton just finished a Lifetime Movie “Mommy’s Little Angel”, coming out next year, and finished a role behind-the-scenes as a producer for “Dirty Dead Con Men.”
“If Loving You Is Wrong” airs Tuesday nights on OWN.
When your career begins at age 11 as the youngest artist to reach #1 on the Billboard charts and continues on through adulthood, it’s almost difficult to believe one could still have professional firsts, but RI native and “The Voice” Alum, Billy Gilman, did just that with his first ever arena concert at the Dunkin Donuts Center.
Johanne Killeen of Al Forno shared both the story on GoLocal LIVE's "The Taste," of how grilled pizza began -- as well as the announcement on her new cookbook highlighting pizza.
She told the story of how one of America's greatest restaurants was started and where it is going in the future.
Mystic Aquarium’s Penguin Trainers Eric Fox and Josh Davis visited GoLocal LIVE with Blue-Purple and Blue-Red penguins, talking about how you can help the Endangered South African species.
They also discussed trips to South Africa, what it’s like working with penguins, and what’s on the penguin’s lunch menu.
Mystic Aquarium’s mission is to inspire people to care for and protect the ocean planet through education, conservation and research. To help accomplish that mission, Mystic Aquarium offers educational opportunities and fundraising events to continue their conservation work and teach the public about the ocean’s creatures.
“Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” alum, Jai Rodriguez, joined GoLocal LIVE to talk about his new show “Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man’’ currently running in Vegas until January of 2018.
Rodriguez co-stars in the audience-participation heavy live show with reality TV personality, Kendra Wilkinson, and says the subject matter of the show is perfect for the crowd in Vegas.
Lincoln Chafee, former Mayor, U.S. Senator and Governor, took Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo’s administration to task for promoting economic growth by funneling tax dollars to some of America’s richest corporations, in one of a number of appearances on GoLocal LIVE.
Appearing on GoLocal LIVE with GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle, Chafee said the Raimondo’s transfer of taxpayers dollars to billion dollar companies such as General Electric and Johnson & Johnson was flawed.
“I have never liked corporate welfare. It's unfair to existing businesses…some out of state business comes in and you give them the candy store. I just don’t like it," said Chafee.
As only the 10th person to serve as the Archivist of the United States, David Ferriero said it’s been amazing to learn responsibilities of the position and get to know the staff at the National Archives. He appeared on GoLocal LIVE with Molly O'Brien at GoLocal's downtown Providence studio.
“The most exciting thing is getting to know the records and getting to know the richness of the documentation that tells our country’s history, starting with the oaths of allegiance signed at Valley Forge by George Washington and the troops, all the way up to the tweets that are being created as I am speaking, in the White House,” Ferriero said.
Governor Gina Raimondo joined GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle on LIVE where she discussed the UHIP technology failure, economic development, the status of 38 Studios, and how she works to build a lasting legacy for Rhode Island.
Who are five of the most influential people to change personal technology? The most important journalist gave his insight on personal tech to date and outlined where we are going.
Super tech journalist and Rhode Island native Walt Mossberg appeared on GoLocal LIVE with GoLocal's News Editor Kate Nagle.
"Well, it was a combination of really important people - and really important technology," said Mossberg. "It took too long for the computer industry to get the memo that these things had to be usable without reading manuals."
Mossberg, who served as the principal technology columnist for the Wall Street Journal from 1991 to 2013, founded AllThingsD, Recode, and the D and Code Conferences, and from 2015 to 2017, was Executive Editor of The Verge.
Gretchen Morgenson, a top financial writer for the New York Times [now the Wall Street Journal], joined GoLocal LIVE just hours after her newspaper published her investigative piece that unveiled that claims that financial giant TIAA was involved in improper financial practices took on new momentum.
Rhode Island’s Treasurer Seth Magaziner has nearly $700 million invested with TIAA.
Morgenson was first to report that, “New York’s attorney general has subpoenaed TIAA, the giant insurance company, and investment firm, seeking documents and information relating to its sales practices…”
In October, she wrote a sweeping investigative piece that raised questions about TIAA’s selling strategies. “The subpoena to TIAA, which handles retirement accounts for over four million workers at 15,000 nonprofit institutions across the country, followed an article last month in The New York Times that raised questions about the firm’s selling techniques,” wrote Morgenson.
On GoLocal LIVE, Morgenson told News Editor Kate Nagle in a Skype interview, “I think clients in all states should be worried -- Mr. [Seth] Magaziner should do a little more investigation into this to assure himself and the people in Rhode Island in these plans - that what TIAA is [telling them] is correct.”
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Ron Powers said his recent book, “No One Cares About Crazy People: The Chaos and Heartbreak of Mental Health in America” is one he promised himself he would never write.
The book is based on the true story of his two sons' struggles with mental illness. Both were diagnosed with Schizophrenia as young men.
While deeply personal, Powers gave insight on the battles his sons’ fought and details into their family life. He also looked at the history of mental illness, including incarceration, medication and more.
"I was determined to give the mentally ill, invisible to much of society and often denied the very basic acknowledgment of their own humanity, a voice,” Powers said.
Powers is the author or co-author of 14 previous books, including New York Times bestselling “Flags of our Fathers” and “True Compass."
Bastianich explained how she was inspired by family traditions and how she first got into the culinary world. She has since carried on her passion and it now has involved to include her whole family in all her endeavors.
Big news -- Bastianich announced that Eataly could be opening in Toronto, Canada in 2018.
Magician and comedian Piff the Magic Dragon appeared on LIVE before he performed five shows at the Comedy Connection in East Providence over Labor Day Weekend.
“New show, all new jokes, all new tricks, same dog,” Piff said. “Mr. Piffles will be doing a lot of mind reading. He’s got his whole new act with The Dog Who Knows and he’ll be attempting to see all and know all. Ask him anything and he’ll tell you.”
Known for his dry sense of humor and rescue K-9 sidekick Mr. Piffles, Piff gained worldwide attention after his success on season 10 of America’s Got Talent.
Although Piff didn’t win that season, he’s made guest appearances on America’s Got Talent, racked up 50 million YouTube views, and recently extended his show at the Flamingo in Las Vegas until the end of 2018.
“He is the symptom and agent of the emerging nationalism. And, nationalism should not be considered patriotism. Patriotism is the love of your own. Nationalism is the hatred of others,” said Lesieur at the Hope Club.
In a sweeping discussion with GoLocal, he spoke about Europe in the Brexit, the Trump relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the wild French election campaign.
Former Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy spoke with GoLocal LIVE about efforts in Rhode Island in 2017 to legalize marijuana - and what he said is the country’s crisis of addiction, and why he is opposed to marijuana legalization.
“We’re going through an epidemic of addiction and depression…and we’re in the midst of the rollback the biggest expansion of healthcare coverage that benefits people with mental illness [and] addiction, and this was the first time the ever got coverage,” Kennedy told GoLocal’s Kate Nagle on Wednesday.
“We ought to think do we want to throw gasoline on the fire,” said Kennedy, of legalizing marijuana in Rhode Island. “We know what’s happened with other addictive substances where’s basically there’s no perception of ‘risk’ — alcohol is ubiquitous; tobacco, until the settlements, there was no appetite for addressing [the impact of that].”
“Going down this road of adding a new intoxicant is not a good thing,” said Kennedy.
Beverly Daniel Tatum, Former Spelman College President
Former president of Spelman College, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D., is one of the nation’s leading experts on race, and the psychology of race.
Tatum recently released a fully revised and updated edition of her bestselling book “Why Are the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria: And Other Conversations About Race.”
In an interview with LIVE, Tatum said it’s important to have conversations about race and listen for opportunities to have natural discussions.
“We can’t solve a problem if we can’t talk about it,” the Brock International Prize in Education winner said.
To make a change, she said, we all have a role to play and each of us has an opportunity.
“We all have a sphere of influence. Everybody influences someone, and we should not be afraid to use that influence to bring about the changes we hope to see,” she said.
Terrorism and international relations expert Mark Baillie of King's College in London's War Studies Department spoke with GoLocal's Kate Nagle regarding the post-Manchester landscape in England - and the world.
"The young guy...did it in his mother's basement. Any lone actor can make a powerful bomb," said Baillie following the terrorism incident. "We're in the midst of a general election where politicians talk about there being no political or cultural backlash."
"And estimated 300 people are 'ready to go' - 400 who have been fighting with Isis in Syria -- and in a group of about 20,000 supporters," noted Baillie of the UK landscape, calling Manchester and acts like it the "terrorism of the mundane" -- and much more frightening than "spectacular" acts of terrorism.
Baillie, who runs seminars on a wide range of security matters at King's and at the UK Joint Staff College, has lived or worked in more than 14 countries in the fields of news, security, finance, economics, business and politics and appears widely in international news media on terrorism and international security.
Geragos is one of Hollywood's biggest celebrity lawyers having represented rapper Chris Brown and Michael Jackson over the years. When asked about his relationship with the often legal troubled Brown, Geragos said that the rapper is "like a son and an annuity" to him.
In reference to a lawsuit that he is representing Alex and Ani over, Geragos said, "For lack of a better word, we've got a couple of knuckleheads, [and] it's not at the forefront of anything we're worried about."
"Unfortunately when you become successful people want to take an elevator to the penthouse and that won't happen here, trust me," said Geragos.
Geragos explained how he met Alex and Ani CEO Carolyn Rafaelian - and spoke to how the "company culture" brought him in.
"I was at a charity event at Carolyn's Sakonnet Vineyard -- she was doing a fundraiser for an Armenian orphanage," said Geragos. "They have a unique blend of doing humanitarian work...Carolyn was the hit in New York this week."
Model, entrepreneur and activist Gisele Bündchen, co-anchor of Good Morning America Robin Roberts; and Rafaelian were among the women recognized Tuesday in New York City by the David Lynch Foundation (DLF), a global charitable organization that addresses the epidemic of trauma and toxic stress amongst at-risk populations.
