All posts tagged "john fetterman"

'Growing alienation': Fetterman praises Trump as GOP openly woos him

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) continued to rankle fellow Democrats Monday by appearing at a bipartisan event in Boston as Republicans try to woo him to join their side of the aisle, according to a report in The Washington Post.

Fetterman, whose mental health struggles came under renewed scrutiny in a recent New York Magazine article, appeared alongside Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA) at an event celebrating bipartisanship.

"The two purple-state senators from opposing parties found little they disagreed on at the Edward Kennedy Institute," wrote reporter Liz Goodwin. In fact McCormick even asked if he could defend Fetterman publicly from criticism.

"He actually asked me. It’s like, ‘Is it okay to defend you? I don’t want that to create more political problems,’” Fetterman said.

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During the event, "Fetterman praised President Donald Trump for removing the United States from the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and pushing for an agreement between Japanese-owned Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel," the report said. Fetterman also claimed "his party had make a 'mistake' on border security."

Fetterman blamed the "left" media for "questioning his frequent missed votes and committee hearings" because they disagree "with his stances on immigration and Israel."

"The comments point to Fetterman’s growing alienation from his own party, which is a challenge for Democrats as they attempt to form a cohesive opposition to Trump and seek to regain the majority in the 2026 midterm elections," Goodwin continued. "Republicans are openly courting Fetterman to join their 53-seat majority, even though the senator from Pennsylvania has said repeatedly he would never join the GOP."

Read The Washington Post article here.

'Democrats have an opening': Trump tariffs could have critics 'flipping the script' on GOP

Donald Trump's trade war gives Democrats the perfect opening to go after his economic policies if they have the stomach to pounce, argues a new article from Politico.

Democratic leadership has been criticized for failing to construct a clear message on the upcoming spending bill vote, and they've been equally ambivalent on criticizing Trump's sweeping tariffs that have fomented fears of recession.

"Democrats from states like Michigan and Pennsylvania are trying to thread the needle by condemning Trump’s erratic policy pronouncements and attacks on allies like Canada, while not criticizing tariffs or protectionist policies," wrote reporter Daniel Desrochers.

Lawmakers like Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) told Politico that tariffs can be a good thing if they're used properly.

"It's indiscriminate tariffs that are not based on anything — that’s the problem," Peters said. "I’ve supported tariffs. I supported Joe Biden’s 100 percent tariff on electric vehicles from China."

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Trump's huge tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, China, and the European Union have sparked retaliatory tariffs that sent the stock markets spiraling downward.

"The S&P 500 has lost $4 trillion value in the past month," the article said, which has had disastrous effects on the average American's 401(k) retirement plans.

"A new CNN/SSRS poll released Wednesday morning found that 56 percent of adults now disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, to only 44 percent who approve, a reversal from his first term," according to the article.

"Democrats have seized on those indicators to attack Trump and blame him for stubbornly high prices, flipping the script from the 2024 election, when Biden and Democrats were weighed down by inflation concerns," Desrochers wrote. But they continue to try to craft a cohesive message on Trump's trade policy.

Desrochers cited Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) as a prime example.

"Asked in an interview Tuesday on MSNBC, if Trump’s pledge that tariffs could bring back manufacturing jobs was a 'false promise,' Sen. Jon Fetterman (D-Pa.) replied, 'No,'" Desrochers wrote. "But then he proceeded to criticize Trump for focusing on North American neighbors Canada and Mexico, rather than the country’s real 'enemies.'"

Read the Politico article here.

Kari Lake foe Ruben Gallego broke financial transparency law with years-late stock filings

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who is in the midst of a competitive U.S. Senate race against Republican election denier Kari Lake, appears to have violated federal financial disclosure law by reporting two transactions nearly two and five years late.

Gallego on Tuesday disclosed an August 2019 purchase of non-publicly traded stock in investment advisory, Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC, valued between $15,001 and $50,000.

Gallego also purchased corporate securities in pronunciation guide services company NameCoach Inc. in June 2022. This investment is also valued between $15,001 and $50,000.

Members of Congress are required to publicly report most purchases, sales and exchanges of stocks, bonds, commodity futures, securities and cryptocurrencies within 45 days of a transaction, as required by the 2012 law known as the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act.

"Rep. Gallego believes elected officials should be transparent and accountable to the people they represent, which is why he has co-sponsored legislation to clean up Washington and implement stricter disclosure requirements," said a spokesperson for Gallego, who declined to be named. "These investments were disclosed in previous filings and the recently filed report corrects inadvertent errors."

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A Raw Story review of congressional financial records shows that the NameCoach transaction was disclosed on Gallego's 2022 annual report and on an amended version of the report filed Tuesday. The Aspiration Fund Adviser purchase was not disclosed on Gallego's 2019 annual report until Tuesday. The asset and investment agreement appeared on a 2021 annual report, but the report did not specifically note the Aug. 27, 2019 transaction.

Still, for such transactions, members of Congress also need to file a "periodic transaction report" — the formal name of a congressional financial disclosure for assets the STOCK Act mandates must be reported within 45 days of a transaction. Gallego did not appear to file any periodic transaction reports for either purchase.

Gallego co-sponsored the Ban Conflicted Trading Act and TRUST in Congress Act — both related to banning congressional stock trading. He also co-sponsored an anti-corruption reform bill, the For The People Act.

Gallego was first elected to Congress is 2014 and is now running for the U.S. Senate seat that will be vacated in January by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ).

ALSO READ: Sen. John Fetterman violates financial law with botched corporate bond disclosures

His opponent, Lake, gained notoriety for her false claims of election fraud in the 2020 and 2022 elections. Lake lost her bid for Arizona governor to Democrat Katie Hobbs by less than one percentage point.

At present, Gallego is just shy of a 6 percent polling lead over Lake, according to The Hill.

Lake’s campaign did not immediately respond to Raw Story’s request for comment.

Another violator

Another member of Congress, Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ), appeared to be more than nine months late disclosing the September 2023 sale of an asset in New Jersey bank, Regal Bancorp, valued between $1,001 and $15,000, according to a new congressional financial filing.

A note on Kean Jr.’s Aug. 13 report said, “Former publicly traded company; filer took no action to initiate this trade; result of a corporate action."

Dan Scharfenberger, Kean Jr.'s chief of staff, emphasized to Raw Story that the line item is a "corporate transaction, not a stock transaction."

"The asset itself was disposed of through a corporate merger that Congressman Kean did not have any input or decision-making control over. As the compliance team has been preparing the congressman's annual personal financial disclosure report, they felt it would be best to over-report and file paperwork with the Ethics Committee on this matter," Scharfenberger said. "Congressman Kean continues to go above and beyond every legal standard to ensure full transparency."

The Senate and House Ethics committees have historically advised members of Congress to disclose investment transactions as the result of corporate decisions such as mergers and acquisitions, but there's often confusion on the exact requirements.

Kean Jr. previously violated the STOCK Act when he was as much as four months late disclosing six personal stock transactions, valued up to $90,000 total.

At the time, Kean Jr. told Raw Story via a September 2023 statement: “Upon taking office, I hired professionals to make certain that any and all transactions that I have control or interest in are reported accurately and quickly. However, this week, the attorney charged with overseeing my personal transaction reporting for the House shared with me that transactions from a family trust account, which I have no control over, were shared with him in an untimely fashion despite regular check-ins and confirmation of accurate reporting.”

Kean Jr. previously blasted STOCK Act violations from his 2022 opponent, Rep. Tom Malinowski, who he beat for his seat representing New Jersey’s 7th congressional district.

Malinowski, a Democrat, failed to properly disclose between $671,000 and $2.76 million in trades in 2020, with more than two dozen stock transactions taking place during the first several weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. One stock sale in March 2020 involved shares of a medical-diagnostic company that made COVID-19 tests, Business Insider reported.

Kean Jr. supports a ban on members of Congress trading individual stocks, Scharfenberger said.

"He is leading by example as elected officials should always follow this model of transparency," Scharfenberger said. "Congressman Kean is also eager to move all of his stock and fund assets into a Qualified Blind Trust, and is working to diligently do so in consultation with the House Ethics Committee."Kean Jr. is running against Democrat Sue Altman this November.

Epidemic of violations

Four other members of Congress appeared to violate the STOCK Act in the past week, Raw Story reported.

Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN), along with Reps. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Sean Casten (D-IL), all filed late disclosures.

Gallego joins Kean, Fetterman, Bice, Hagerty and Casten on a list of more than 50 members of the 118th Congress who Raw Story found to have violated the STOCK Act, mostly with late financial disclosures.

Other lawmakers have reported stock trades that potentially conflict with their official responsibilities, such as lawmakers who trade defense contractor stock while sitting on a congressional committee with defense oversight responsibilities.

Numerous bills have been introduced in recent years to effectively ban stock trading for members of Congress or increase the penalties for violations.

None have yet gotten a floor vote, and during the past three years, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been one of the biggest obstacles to previous stock ban bills advancing.

The latest progress toward a congressional stock trading ban came last month when the Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act advanced out of a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs markup with an eight to four vote, with Republican senators divided on how to proceed.

The ETHICS Act proposes an immediate ban on members of Congress buying stocks and would prohibit them from selling stocks 90 days after enactment. Members’ spouses and dependent children would be prohibited from trading stocks starting in March 2027, which is when the president and vice president would also be required to divest from covered investments such as securities, commodities, futures, options and trusts.

Sen. John Fetterman violates financial law with botched corporate bond disclosures

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and three other members of Congress appear to have violated federal law by filing late financial disclosures.

Reps. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Sean Casten (D-IL), along with Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN), were also tardy in reporting investment transactions.

Fetterman this week formally reported 30 corporate bond transactions and one stock sale made on behalf of his dependent children during 2023 — with the oldest transaction reported about 17 months after a federally mandated deadline.

An unidentified dependent child made a partial sale of stock in petroleum company Marathon Oil on Jan. 24, 2023, valued between $1,001 and $15,000. (Fetterman and his wife, Gisele, have three school-aged children.)

The 30 corporate bonds include investments in a variety of companies, including multinational conglomerate General Electric, electric services company Florida Power and Light, petroleum company Phillips 66 Partners, steel producer Steel Dynamics and multinational financial services company, Bank of America.

The corporate bonds are valued between $58,030 and $430,000 total. Lawmakers are only required to disclose investment values in broad ranges.

“Sen. Fetterman filed an amendment to his financial disclosures that included investments for his children that were created by generous grandparents who were unaware of the reporting requirements,” said a spokesperson for Fetterman’s campaign, who declined to be named. “Once Sen. Fetterman was made aware of the investments, he immediately filed the appropriate disclosures.”

A Raw Story review of Senate financial records indicated that Fetterman had never reported these transactions prior to this week. This represents a violation of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, which requires a lawmaker to publicly disclose stock and corporate bond trades — or such trades by their spouse or dependent children — within 45 days of a transaction.

Fetterman's office did not respond to follow-up inquiries.

Members of Congress are personally responsible for adhering to the provisions of the STOCK Act. First-time STOCK Act scofflaws typically receive a $200 fine, although Congress can choose to waive the fine.

In extreme circumstances, STOCK Act violations can be investigated internally by the House or Senate ethics committees or externally by the Department of Justice.

Fetterman supports trading ban

Fetterman emphasizes a ban on congressional stock trading on his official website and is a co-sponsor of the Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act. An amended version of the bill advanced out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs last month.

Fetterman’s campaign website emphasizes his belief in a transition to cleaner energy while protecting union jobs in the sector. The website mentions Fetterman’s support of American oil companies but calls out "greed" from industry giants like BP, Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil.

Fetterman serves on various Senate committees including Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Environment and Public Works; the Joint Economic Committee and the Special Committee on Aging.

“Lawmakers should not be able to profit off the same companies that they are regulating. Letting members of Congress trade stocks opens the door to corruption,” Fetterman said at a press conference introducing the ETHICS Act in 2023. “Lawmakers should be focused on getting results for their constituents — not lining their own pockets.”

The disclosure slip-up is the latest challenge in a turbulent year for the freshman senator. Fetterman and his wife were in a car accident in June, and Fetterman has been recovering from a stroke he suffered during the 2022 election that left him with auditory processing impairment. Fetterman took a leave of absence from the Senate in 2023 to seek treatment for clinical depression.

Other STOCK Act violators

Casten reported three purchases of corporate securities in carbon removal company, Myno Carbon Corporation, between two to eight months late.

The investments were valued between $30,003 and $115,000 total.

Earlier this year, Casten was as much as two-and-a-half years late in some cases in reporting eight purchases of stock in the same company through a family investment vehicle.

“These transactions were loans and equity investments made by Rep. Casten’s family investment firm, a company in which he holds a minority, non-controlling stake and has no active participation in,” Jacob Vurpillat, Casten’s congressional spokesperson, told Raw Story via email. “They were made by a family member without Rep. Casten’s prior knowledge. Upon learning of the transaction, he proactively consulted with the House Ethics Committee to determine how to best disclose them to the public.”

Casten is a co-sponsor of the Ban Conflicted Trading Act, introduced in the 117th Congress.

“Rep. Casten does not own individual stock, has not owned any during his time in Congress, and is a long-time supporter of the movement to ban members of Congress from trading individual stock,” Vurpillat said.

Bice reported two U.S. Treasury bill purchases as part of a joint trust from 2023, reported between nine months and a year late, according to U.S. House records. The purchases were each valued between $15,001 and $50,000.

Bice’s congressional office did not respond to Raw Story’s request for comment.

Hagerty reported a stock exchange in Crestwood Equity Partners LP on Nov. 6, 2023, about eight months after the 45-day deadline.

A note on Hagerty’s report said, “While no immediate [periodic transaction report] required, provided to clearly denote basis for the renamed asset on the 2023 annual report that was previously named CEQP.”

“Sen. Hagerty worked closely with the Senate Ethics Committee to properly document why this asset was renamed on his 2023 annual report in order to be fully compliant with the Committee’s rules. Here, there was no economic change—rather, the security involved is reflected under a different name on this year’s report as a result of a merger transaction," said Audrey Traynor, a spokesperson for Hagerty. "Sen. Hagerty did not purchase or sell the asset, but simply filed a periodic transaction report to clearly and transparently document the reason for the name change on the annual report.”

A Raw Story review of financial disclosures did not show a periodic transaction report — the formal name of a congressional financial disclosure for assets the STOCK Act mandates must be reported within 45 days of a transaction — previously filed for the asset.

Members of Congress are required to publicly report most purchases, sales and exchanges of stocks, bonds, commodity futures, securities and cryptocurrencies by the 45-day deadline.

The Senate and House Ethics committees have historically advised members of Congress to disclose investment transactions as the result of mergers, but there's often confusion on the exact requirements.

A January memo from the House Committee on Ethics to all House representatives, employees and officers makes it clear that stock exchanges must be reported according to the STOCK Act’s disclosure requirements.

But buried on page 40 of the Committee's 2023 guide is this statement: “Exchange transactions are somewhat rare and refer only to a limited set of circumstances that involves the exchange of stock certificates following the purchase of one company by another, a merger of two companies, or a spinoff of one company from another. Exchanges are only reportable when the original stock owned is surrendered for new stock. Please consult with Committee staff for further guidance.”

Hagerty previously violated the STOCK Act in 2022, according to Business Insider. He also reported in 2022 that his four children are minority owners, alongside actress Reese Witherspoon and professional football player Derrick Henry, in Nashville’s major league soccer team.

Fetterman, Bice and Hagerty join Casten on a list of more than 50 members of the 118th Congress who Raw Story found to have violated the STOCK Act, mostly with late financial disclosures.

'Darkly sinister': Internet notices John Fetterman ditched his hoodie for Netanyahu

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), long one of Congress' most enthusiastic supporters of Israel in the war against Gaza, was one of those most eager to greet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he arrived on Capitol Hill to give his address.

But there was a small detail the internet noticed about him: he was wearing a meticulously tailored suit for the occasion.

That wouldn't stand out on any other senator, but Fetterman has made it a point, and a part of his brand, not to wear a suit, eschewing it in favor of his signature hoodie at every turn. He has, at times, clashed with fellow senators over whether he is complying with Senate rules, and has sometimes even been seen sarcastically wearing a hoodie with a tuxedo image on it at some functions.

Commenters had opinions on Fetterman's choice of wardrobe — and many found it, ironically, to be in poor taste.

"I don’t really care about the sartorial choices of electeds, but that Fetterman has insisted on wearing casual clothes to Congress while representing his constituents, but is wearing a suit for Netanyahu sends the message that he values Israel over the American people," wrote Capital and Main reporter Jeremy Lindenfeld.

"The fact that Fetterman wears a suit for Netanyahu but makes a huge point of refusing to wear a suit to literally everything else is sufficiently weird as to be darkly sinister," wrote author Jacob Remes.

"John Fetterman acting like the store manager when the regional manager is in town," wrote podcaster Murder X Bryan.

"It’s extremely hilarious that John Fetterman won’t even get dressed up for his own wife, but will get dressed up for Netanyahu lmao," wrote the account @marionumber4, accompanying his post with a picture using the "know the work rules" meme.

"Fetterman has zero respect for our country or traditions, but fawns over a foreign war criminal," wrote podcaster Ryan Davis.

J.D. Vance or JD Vance? Depends who you ask — including Trump.

MILWAUKEE — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump named his vice presidential running mate today.

It's Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.

Or is it Sen. JD Vance of Ohio?

Depends on who you ask.

Trump's official announcement Monday afternoon used "JD."

So did Republican National Committee Vice Chairwoman Lara Trump. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), is also on Team "JD" — even if he's in no way a supporter of the man who could become vice president.

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But in an email to supporters, the National Republican Congressional Committee went a different route, urging supporters to "congratulate J.D. Vance" with an online message and political donation.

Make America Great Again Inc., a flagship pro-Trump super PAC, also employed punctuation in J.D.

Vance himself doesn't help clarify matters.

His best-selling book "Hillbilly Elegy" lists "J.D. Vance" as the author.

An image of the cover of Hillbilly Elegy, written by J.D. Vance, Donald Trump's newly named vice presidential nominee. (HarperCollins)

His official U.S. Senate page says "JD Vance."

And Vance has it both ways on X, formerly Twitter, where his account names him both as "J.D." and "JD."

X account for Sen. J.D. Vance. (X)

Raw Story joins various publications including the New York Times and Los Angeles Times in using "J.D." in its articles. CNN and Fox News, which agree on little, both employ "JD."

So, Raw Story put the question to the Trump campaign: For the purposes of the Trump-Vance ticket, which style do you prefer?

"JD (no periods in between letters)," Trump spokesman Steven Cheung emailed back.

Either way, Vance's "J.D." or "JD" are the initials of "James David."

'He just smashed her': Cop video shows 'flying' John Fetterman's car wreck

Video released Thursday by state troopers in Maryland shows the police response to a crash involving Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, with one officer reportedly sharing a witness's shocked statement that, “He was flying, and she wanted to merge, and he just smashed her.”

In the video, obtained by The Washington Post, a Maryland State Trooper is recorded on body camera saying: “The black car is, it’s actually, I think the senator of Pennsylvania — the real big, tall guy. ... He just ran into that red car."

The officer then shared a statement from a witness who said Fetterman was speeding and collided with the sedan as she tried to merge.

A first responder is also recorded on camera telling chuckling officers that he saw Fetterman in his classic shorts and sweatshirt combination, and said, "Good morning, senator."

“In 20 years of doing this, I’ve never had a politician," the first responder can be heard saying.

Fetterman and his wife Gisele were taken to the hospital after the crash, in which the senator was driving a Chevrolet Traverse when he rear-ended a Chevrolet Impala in northern Maryland near the Pennsylvania and West Virginia border. The Fettermans were driving in Hancock, Maryland, when the crash happened around 8 a.m.

"John was treated for a bruised shoulder and they were discharged that afternoon," said a spokesperson, adding that both of them were "doing well" and "happy" after they returned to their home in Braddock, Pennsylvania.

Fetterman, a former mayor and lieutenant governor who was elected to the Senate in 2022, has struggled with health issues since suffering a stroke during the primaries.

The illness left him with impaired auditory processing capabilities, although he has since improved considerably.

'Very on brand' John Fetterman spotted in tuxedo hoodie and shorts at 'fancy D.C. dinner'

Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. John Fetterman reportedly stunned onlookers with his outfit at a D.C. dinner.

Fetterman, who has consistently been attacked from some on both sides for his refusal to wear formal clothing, is seen in photos wearing a tuxedo hoodie along with his shorts, a Fetterman signature.

The news was flagged by HuffPost senior politics reporter Igor Bobic.

ALSO READ: Trump goes silent on ‘serious voter fraud’ after long trashing New Hampshire as ‘rigged’

"Fetterman very on brand by showing up to a fancy DC dinner in a tuxedo hoodie and shorts (he’s even got cufflinks on the sleeves)," Bobic posted on social media Wednesday.

"He reminds me of the kid at recess in the middle of winter that refuses to wear a coat," one user commented on the post.

Another user wrote, "I love how he just sticks with hoodies for everything. Totally feel that vibe."

Trolling, erotica, vulgarity: Trump, Biden Facebook pages are unmitigated trash heaps

Former President Donald Trump is depicted as Ken getting booked in jail during the blockbuster movie, “Barbie.”

House Speaker Emerita Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is shrieking “I’m melting” while portraying the Wicked Witch of the West from “The Wizard of Oz.”

Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is sporting a neon green “Borat”-style mankini while walking alongside a bikini-clad Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) — she died earlier this year — and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) in his signature hoodie and gym shorts.

And Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is transposed over a meme of Leonardo DiCaprio laughing during a dinner scene in the 2012 film “Django Unchained.”

None of this might seem remarkable in this day and age. Except for one twist: the images appear on the politicians’ own social media.

Indeed, the official Facebook pages of more than a dozen members of Congress, presidential candidates and Executive Branch leaders reviewed by Raw Story feature hateful, violent or sexual content — even pornography, in some cases.

The prime culprits are tagged Facebook photos — some lighthearted, some mean-spirited, others overtly vile — that other Facebook users have created, but that the politicians’ page administrators have failed to block.

After being contacted by Raw Story, a handful of political leaders' Facebook settings changed or inappropriate content suddenly disappeared.

Whether the decision to leave tags open to the public is an intentional choice or an oversight is up for debate among political and social media experts. So is the question of whose responsibility it is to police the content — Facebook or the politicians’ social media managers.

Screen grab from Donald Trump's Facebook

“To me, it's not a mistake. I think at a certain point, you or the staffer behind it sees this content, and to not adjust the privacy settings, there seems to be intention there in my eyes,” said Dillon St. Bernard, a digital strategist who has worked on social media strategies for youth-led movements.

On the other hand, John Hart, a former communications director for late-Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) said “often, it's usually an oversight” when a politician doesn’t activate their social media privacy settings, but they should monitor the content posted on their social media.

“Members are responsible for choosing the medium on which other people post material,” said Hart, co-founder of the Conservative Coalition for Climate Solutions. “They shouldn't be held accountable for users' posts per se, but if they're facilitating the dissemination of that information, then they need to rethink their chosen medium."

Screen grab from President Joe Biden's Facebook

Facebook, and its parent company, Meta, did not respond to Raw Story’s request for comment.

From cartoons to porn: Presidential candidates on Facebook

As their parties’ presumptive nominees for the 2024 presidential election, President Joe Biden and Trump’s Facebook pages have been frequently targeted by Internet trolls.

Biden’s “politician” page, run by his Biden for President campaign, has its tagged photos settings turned off. But his official presidential Facebook page has its tags open to the world, attracting a range of posts from nearly naked people to violent images from the Israel-Hamas war.

Trump’s page, run by the Donald J. Trump for President 2024 campaign, features numerous inappropriate tagged photos and images, including frequent sexual content, such as some pornographic drawings, as well as Nazi imagery and depictions of drug use.

Neither Trump nor Biden responded to Raw Story’s request for comment.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who has ascended in the polls in recent weeks to compete with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for second place in the Republican primary, has her tagged photo settings turned off on the Facebook page run by her campaign.

DeSantis’ campaign page has tagged photos disabled, too, although his official governor page is open to public tags. As a result, his tagged photos page includes Nazi imagery and some violence toward Biden, along with an assortment of trolling, including an image of DeSantis photoshopped into a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader uniform.

Neither the governor’s office nor DeSantis responded to Raw Story’s request for comment.

Screen grab from Gov. Ron DeSantis' Facebook

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has his Facebook tags open but — so far — has mostly evaded posts from Internet trolls.

Ramaswamy and Haley’s campaigns also did not respond to requests for comment.

Smut to memes: Members of Congress’ Facebooks

One of the biggest targets of Facebook trolling has been Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), whose public tagged photos have included derogatory, misogynistic — and even pornographic content.

Some erotic images on her page were taken down after a Raw Story investigation, but her tag settings remain open to the public and have received new tagged posts.

Her colleagues on the far-right, including Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO), have been targeted with inappropriate tags and heckling, too.

“Although it hasn't been utilized often, we've previously allowed Facebook users to tag us in photos as one option for constituents to keep us looped into issues they may be passionate about and want us to be aware of,” said Drew Sexton, campaign manager for Lauren Boebert for Congress, via email. “Unfortunately, it appears someone has recently maliciously abused that option. We're taking steps to balance our desire to continue hearing directly from constituents and supporters in a number of ways while preventing inappropriate material from being posted.”

After being notified by Raw Story of the inappropriate tagged photos, some images disappeared from Boebert’s campaign Facebook page, including one sexually explicit image.

“It's my understanding our digital team reported the inappropriate photo to Facebook, and it appears to be removed now,” Sexton said.

Screen grab from Rep. Matt Gaetz's Facebook

On the far left, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) faced some trolling on the tagged photos page on her official congressional Facebook, but her team apparently changed her privacy settings after being contacted by Raw Story, as now both her campaign and congressional Facebooks do not allow tagged photos.

House and Senate leadership, including Schumer, Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Speaker Emerita Pelosi (D-CA), have all been targets of Internet trolls, as well, at least on their official congressional Facebook tagged photos pages. Since being contacted by Raw Story, Scalise's Facebook page no longer allows tagged photos.

House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has mostly evaded unwanted tags on his official congressional Facebook despite the open tag settings; however, his campaign page included a tagged image referencing Adolf Hitler. His campaign removed the image once contacted by Raw Story, and now his campaign page no longer allows tagged photos.

House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) was formerly tagged in spam weight loss images on his official congressional Facebook page, but after being contacted by Raw Story, the images appear to be removed.

Raw Story also found the official campaign pages for Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mike Lee (R-UT) and JD Vance (R-OH) to have their Facebook tags open to the public and tagged in inappropriate, offensive or spam content.

"In this case the ball is in the campaign's court," said Luke Schroeder, a spokesperson for Vance's congressional office, via text. Vance's official congressional Facebook page did not show inappropriate images.

No other congressional offices or campaigns responded to Raw Story’s requests for comment.

Screen grab from Sen. Bernie Sanders' Facebook

To moderate or not to moderate?

Leaving Facebook tags open to the public isn’t all bad, St. Bernard said.

“It's clear that there also are some supporters sprinkled into the trolling,” St. Bernard said. ”I think that's often the problem, and then also, the value-add with social media is that if you start moderating there is a way that you are taking away some of this support and the conversation.”

Concerns about limiting the right to freedom of speech could potentially influence a politician's decision to leave their Facebook tags open to the public, despite undesirable content.

“Politicians can disable Facebook tagging without impinging on people’s First Amendment rights,” said David Greene, civil liberties director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “They also can take steps to address harassment, and they can make viewpoint-neutral rules limiting profanity and sexual content. But they cannot engage in any kind of viewpoint discrimination — given how common it is for government officials and agencies to conduct official business through social media, the First Amendment rights of persons to access such accounts and participate in their interactive spaces are critical to modern civic engagement.”

The Electronic Frontier Foundation — whose mission is to “protect the rights of users to transmit and receive information online” — filed an amicus brief in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court that will try to answer whether it’s legal for public officials to block people on social media.

“When an official chooses to mix governmental and non-governmental conduct on an individual account, they must accept the First Amendment obligations that go with doing so,” the brief argues.

Adjusting Facebook privacy settings is ”pretty easy” and should prompt a conversation with a politician’s team about what content they want to show up on their public page, Hart said.

Ultimately, as politicians navigate the public nature of their jobs, some still just might not have figured out how to manage all the nuances of social media yet, Hart said.

“We're in this age of narcissistic exhibitionism in politics, and politi-tainment where members, too often, feel like their job is to be a stand-up comic, or be an entertainer, when they're really just hired to be a legislator,” Hart said. "There's an absurdity to what is considered normal politics these days. I don't think members broadly — Republican and Democrat — haven't figured out how to navigate the digital era."

We asked 12 U.S. senators if they — like Bob Menendez — stockpile gold bars and cash stacks at home

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) pleaded not guilty to bribery in New York today after allegedly pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars and a sleek Mercedes-Benz.

At a press conference this week, the senator refused to resign and explained that the close-to-$500,000 in cash stuffed in his clothes was his rainy day fund, legally withdrawn from his bank — although he didn’t elaborate on where the upward of $100,000 in gold came from, let alone the black Benz.

So, are piles of cash and gold just a normal part of life in the secretive club that is the United States Senate?

Raw Story asked a dozen of Menendez’ colleagues if they too have piles of cash and stacks of gold tucked away at their homes.

“Hell, I ain’t got none. My wife might keep it,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) told Raw Story.

“Why would you even ask me a question like that,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) replied when asked. “There are certain questions that are appropriate and some that are completely inappropriate, that’d be a completely inappropriate question.”

Matt Laslo · Asked 10+ US senators if, like Menendez, they stockpile gold bars and cash at home

“I don’t have anything for you,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA).

“I don’t do gold bars. I admitted that on national TV today. No gold bars,” Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) said. “I don’t understand Jersey. Ask some Democrats.”

“No I don’t, in fact, because you need to be prepared for emergencies, we got an extra flashlight at Costco,” Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) told Raw Story.

Per her usual, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) refused to answer, though she cracked up at the question, while Finance Committee chairman, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), smirked, he shook his head “no comment.”

More than half of Senate Democrats, including Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), are now on the record calling for Menendez to resign, but that doesn’t mean they want to discuss their indicted colleague.

“Too soon. Too soon,” Booker told Raw Story. “I’m not going to talk anymore beyond — right now — beyond my statement.”

ALSO READ: Senators threw a fashion show on the brink of a government shutdown. And then they flew home.

While it’s well-established that members of Congress are, on average, much more wealthy than the average American, and many of them love to play the stock market, back to the basic question: Are stockpiles of cash and gold bars part of Senate culture?

“No. I don’t know. It’s not for me,” Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) told Raw Story. “I can’t answer for anyone else.”

Brown, the chair of the Senate Banking Committee, says there’s no question in his mind Menendez has to go now.

“It’s clear cut to me,” Brown said. “I spent much of my career doing the right things — all my career — and I have been critical of corruption in the state legislature, I’ve been critical of the White House. It doesn’t matter that Menendez is a Democrat when it comes to this.”

While Democrats have piled on Menendez — seeking his quick resignation as the party heads into a hard 2024 Senate election cycle — many Senate Republicans are quick to point out that he’s yet to face a jury of his peers.

“We don’t try people on how it looks. The evidence has to withstand scrutiny. He has the chance to defend himself,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told Raw Story. “We’ll see how it plays out.”

Graham, a former JAG lawyer and top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, says he wasn’t all that surprised prosecutors dropped charges against Menendez in 2018 after a hung jury in 2017.

“I understand the jury system pretty well,” Graham said.

For the second time in the past decade, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) has been tapped to take over for Menendez as chair of the Foreign Relations Committee while the New Jersey senator fights corruption charges in court.

“This is heart wrenching for all of us, because the impact it has on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the impact it has on the Senate, the impact it has on public service – all of the above. It is hard,” Cardin told Raw Story.

That means, once again, Cardin is left playing clean up. He’s just getting re-settled as chairman and hasn’t heard from any ambassadors — yet.

“No. Not yet, but I’m sure they will be,” Cardin said.

Seems most senators didn’t really tune in to Menendez’ first trial.

“I didn’t watch it. I didn’t know what was going on there,” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) told Raw Story. “But this is so obvious, you follow me?”

After the first bribery case, the Senate Ethics Committee did release an uncharacteristically bruising report “severely admonishing” Menendez for accepting gifts from a wealthy donor.

To many senators, even being asked if they have stacks of cash and gold bars in their homes is startling.

“What do you mean?” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) whipped around and asked Raw Story as he exited the Capitol Tuesday evening. “Oh, you’re being facetious!”

Grassley is the former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He says his opinion doesn’t matter — the evidence and the trial are what matter.

“I think it's pretty simple. He's been accused of something. You're innocent until proven guilty. I take the position with a lot of politicians that are in trouble, you let the judicial process work its way through and then the electorate makes a final decision,” Grassley said.

Still, Grassley offers this admonition to all his colleagues.

“I want to make something very clear related to Menendez or anybody else,” Grassley lectured, “Bribery is wrong!”

Pablo Manríquez contributed to this report.