Latest news with #Shapiro
The Hill
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Megyn Kelly, Ben Shapiro spar over Epstein theories, DOJ response
Commentators Megyn Kelly and Ben Shapiro sparred on Monday over Jeffrey Epstein's files and theories regarding his death. Kelly said sources have confirmed to her that Epstein did not kill himself but was targeted while working as an 'agent' for the Israeli government, while Shapiro said unnamed whistleblowers were unreliable. 'I can claim that he was working for a cadre of space aliens who are blackmailing high-profile Americans in order to protect from a future invasion. And there's just about as much evidence for that as many of the claims that were being made on the other side,' Shapiro said during a Monday appearance on the ' Megyn Kelly Show.' Instead, he said he trusts the findings outlined by Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel released in a memo July 7 declaring there was no evidence to suggest Epstein was killed and ultimately no record of a 'client list.' Kelly pushed back on Shapiro's comments, alleging that administration officials didn't directly respond to evidence published by the Department of Justice and FBI. 'Trump hasn't specifically weighed in on that specific aspect of it. We've all seen the limited things that Trump has said and tweeted on this. And JD Vance was calling for transparency and suggesting otherwise prior to taking office. He hasn't commented on this so far, so he's not one of your sources,' Kelly said. 'You've got Kash, you've got Dan [Bongino], and you've got Pam, and we've already discussed that memo in full detail. I'm talking about people behind the scenes who, prior to this, to Trump taking office, I'm not going to get too specific, but trust me, I have high-level sources who have said they don't believe any of that, any of that,' she added, noting that she didn't have the 'authorization' to name her sources. But Shapiro said instead of being outed, whistleblowers should name themselves, 'because otherwise they are being complicit in one of the greatest cover-ups in the history of the American republic.' 'That's easy for you to say, Ben. That's very easy for you to say, OK …' Kelly responded. 'Because you'll have your job, and you'll have your millions, no matter what they do.' But Shapiro said those who step forward with proof to counter the government's findings would make millions. 'Megyn, give me a break. If somebody came out today and they were a whistleblower on the greatest scandal in the history of the American republic, they would make more money tomorrow than in their entire life working for the FBI,' he said on the Monday show. 'OK, there are reasons not to cross the people who are in charge and that's all I'm gonna say,' Kelly responded. The pair's conversation represents a broader spectrum of views on the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files. Some, including Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk have said they will trust the White House at their word while others, like Steve Bannon, said the gesture could cost the GOP 40 House seats in the midterm election cycle. But President Trump said he will not allow outside clamor to divide Cabinet members in his administration. 'We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein, ' Trump said in a Saturday post on Truth Social.
Boston Globe
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Her husband made her an icon, but Amelia Earhart was real
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Related : Advertisement Why did this accomplished and self-confident woman marry such a repugnant scammer, disliked almost universally by her friends and colleagues? She almost didn't, it turns out. The first part of their relationship was conducted while he was still wedded to another woman, Crayola heiress Dorothy Binney, whose money kept him in the marriage even as he began pitching proposals to Amelia. Amelia's reservations are expressed in a moving letter to 'Gyp,' as she called Putnam, which Shapiro includes in its entirety. 'You must know again my reluctance to marry, my feeling that I shatter thereby chances in work which mean most to me.' After one botched wedding day — Amelia broke down in sobs at the point of taking her vows — she did manage to go through with the ceremony a second time. Advertisement 'BREAK NEWS GENTLY TO MOTHER,' she wired her sister. Amelia's feminism, her pacifism, and her progressive politics come through loud and clear in Shapiro's account, refreshing in contrast to the right-wing proclivities of her fellow iconic flier, Charles Lindbergh. Her first career as a social worker grew out of genuine compassion for people in need and young people in particular; she was an involved and loving stepmother to Putnam's son from his first marriage, David. But along with the important and interesting points Shapiro makes about Amelia Earhart, she includes many digressions of questionable importance, and her writing style is distractingly quirky. Lindbergh is 'an Icarian daredevil,' Putnam a 'Janus-faced' 'stinkard.' After Putnam sells her plane to the Smithsonian for $7,000, Shapiro wonders 'Did he gently grasp her delicate hands as he shared the thrilling news of the museum solidifying their marriage and place in aviation history?' How the museum solidified their marriage was not clear to me, but frilly speculations like this are frequent, and usually not phrased as questions. Related : Advertisement In a description of Earhart's visit to Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Shapiro writes that 'even Cary Grant, Jeanette MacDonald, and Harpo Marx found themselves goose-pimply with excitement, eagerly lining up to be photographed with her.' I found the idea of a goose-pimply Cary Grant to be so odd that I consulted the Notes section at the end of the book to learn what this assertion was based on. It was not sourced, and this became the first of many times I checked back there to no avail. At the beginning of these Notes, Shapiro says 'For space considerations, I have added notes where there is information that may not have been seen before or lies off radar of all but the most avid Earhart enthusiasts.' I would argue that, in a serious work of nonfiction, the importance of backing up one's speculations outweighs 'space considerations.' On the other hand, I would have very much liked to have seen space considerations taken into account in the text itself. For example, a blow-by-blow description of a press conference given by Amelia and her 21-year-old stepson David on the occasion of his taking a job with her fledging company, Boston-Maine Airways, includes David telling a story about a 'deceased tarantula,' followed by this head-scratcher: 'Amelia matched David's adventurous spirit with her own humorously amped-up anecdotes of homelife, including one engaging and funny tale revolving around enigmatic bite marks appearing on every piece of fruit at her Rye house, with the stupendous riddle only solved after everyone in the home amusingly posed as furniture, unveiling a chipmunk as the true culprit.' Advertisement That was one stupendous riddle, I'd say. Related : Despite the weaknesses of the presentation, the Amelia Earhart Shapiro introduces us to in these pages is well worth getting to know, and her mysterious fate is less of a mystery once you have. After all, this is a woman who, when asked whether she ever experienced fear while flying, said, 'Never!' and then went on to say, 'Who wants to be eighty and have hardened arteries?' Not she. THE AVIATOR AND THE SHOWMAN: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage That Made an American Icon By Laurie Gwen Shapiro Viking, 512 pages, $35 Marion Winik is the author of ' ' and ' ,' and the host of the NPR podcast, The Weekly Reader.
The Hill
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Pennsylvania cracks down on deepfakes, AI impersonation
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) signed a new law that defines deepfakes as digital forgeries and establishes criminal penalties for nonconsensual digital impersonation. On July 7, Shapiro signed SB 649, making nonconsensual digital impersonation a first-degree misdemeanor. Anyone doing so with fraudulent intent will now be subject to a third-degree felony. The bill passed with unanimous bipartisan support in the State Senate and overwhelming support in the House. 'By signing this bill into law, we're sending a clear message that if you use AI to defraud or exploit Pennsylvanians, you will be held accountable,' Shapiro said in a statement. The bill expands on SB 1213, legislation passed last October to ban deepfake pornography in the state. That law resulted in Pennsylvania's first artificial intelligence (AI)-related sexual abuse charges. Pennsylvania joins a national trend of AI deepfake regulation, with over 38 pieces of legislation being introduced in 18 states this year. Additionally, 80 laws were passed in 2024 to push back on deepfakes, and another 15 were enacted in 2023.
The Hill
12-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
The Democratic Party is missing an opportunity to engage Christian voters
When Josh Shapiro ran for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2022, he was up against Doug Mastriano, an outspoken Christian nationalist who wanted to impose his faith on others. As an evangelical pastor myself, Mastriano and I come from the same religious tradition, but we fundamentally disagree when it comes to how we interpret Christian values. On the other hand, Shapiro and I come from different religious traditions, yet our values align around upholding the common good. My organization worked with Shapiro during his 2022 campaign as he spoke directly to faith voters both within and outside of his own Jewish faith. His message was clear: He wanted to welcome all of God's children into this campaign and promised to fight for them equally as governor. I wholeheartedly believe that this message helped Shapiro win. The theory of change isn't about running on religious ideals. It is about doing outreach differently, which could help many other Democratic candidates win their elections, especially in critical swing states. A new poll from Vote Common Good and Change Research proves that there is an opportunity for Democrats in 2026 and beyond to deepen their connection to voters of faith, including those who voted for Democrats in 2024 and some of those who did not. The generally accepted narrative is that religious voters must vote Republican, but this is not true in practice. Christian voters already make up a sizable bloc for Democrats. In fact, 77 percent of Harris voters either identified as 'born-again' or 'evangelical' Christians, or said that they pray, that religion has some importance to them, that they attend church or that they identify with a religion. In our poll, 80 percent of self-identifying Christian voters say that they are willing to vote for a Democrat, which includes 38 percent of those who said they have only ever voted for Republicans. These are the gettable Christian voters that Democrats should be looking to reach. Nearly 14 percent of Christian voters have low Christian identity, believe churches should stay out of politics and say they vote for Democrats all or most of the time. Another 3 percent of Christian voters split their ticket between Democrats and Republicans. Small hinges open big doors. In a polarized political climate where elections are won in the margin of error, it is time for Democratic candidates and their campaigns to take notice. By moving an additional 2 or 3 percent of Christian voters, Democrats could garner millions of votes and win pivotal races in key battleground states. But the poll clearly shows that there is more possibility beyond attracting 3 percent of Christian voters. Around 30 percent of respondents identify as having medium or low Christian identity, often vote for Republicans, but either aren't sure or don't think that churches should be involved in political matters or favor one candidate over another. These voters are gettable for Democrats with the right outreach. That means speaking directly to religious voters, and letting them know: 'I like you, we need you.' Again, I'm not suggesting that the Democratic Party should change its values or its policies in future election cycles. I'm also not suggesting that the Democratic Party should run religious candidates. I am suggesting that the Democratic Party should reevaluate the degree to which it engages with faith communities. In building profiles of Christians who will vote for Democrats, attitudes of Christian identity and the role of organized religion in politics will be most helpful in separating those who will consider voting for Democrats from those who won't. Don't get me wrong, serious challenges exist for Democrats. Faith voters reported a significant lack of trust in the Democratic Party and a general sentiment that the Democratic Party is unfriendly to faith voters. It will take significant investment and effort to change that. Democrats need to take the opportunities available to them — which Republicans are already doing. Just this week, the IRS decided to allow churches to endorse candidates, leveling a playing field that has been lopsided for decades. For too long, Republican politicians and their allies have spoken freely from pulpits, while too many Democrats and faith leaders held back, worried they would cross an invisible line. This decision removes that roadblock. Shapiro's campaign is a great example of how letting faith voters know that you hear them, see them and even like them, makes a big difference. In my experience, Democratic Party politicians who spend time reaching out to Christian voters see the same positive results of their efforts—the exact same way that it works with other constituencies. In recent years, we've also worked with Reps. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) from California and Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) from Minnesota to help them reach voters of faith. The Republican Party, and especially MAGA Republicans, may want to claim religion as a part of their party's identity, but it is clear that the Trump administration is not one grounded in faith or Christian principles. Voters who do not agree with what they are seeing in U.S. politics right now need to know that there is a place for them in the Democratic Party — for people like me, an Evangelical pastor by trade, who cares about the common good. Much has been written over the past six months about what Democrats need to do in order to win elections in 2026, 2028 and beyond, and I would argue that the answer is clear. To become the majority party again, Democrats cannot ignore America's religious majority — Christian voters. Doug Pagitt is the executive director and one of the founders of Vote Common Good. He is a leading voice for progressive Christianity, as well as an author, pastor and social activist.
Los Angeles Times
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘The Aviator and the Showman' untangles Amelia Earhart's fateful marriage — and thrill-seeking ambition
'Sex, violent death, and mystery. If your life has one of these things people might be interested. If it has two, now you're tabloid fodder. If it has three, you're Amelia Earhart.' So begins Laurie Gwen Shapiro's enticing 'The Aviator and the Showman,' a vibrant account of the courtship and union of the famous pilot and her publisher husband whose intrusive management of his wife's career may have cost her life. Shapiro dexterously untangles the Gordian knot of their entwined passions, shared ambitions and business bottom lines. The affianced Earhart and the married George Palmer Putnam met in his Manhattan office in the spring of 1928. She was 30, he a decade older. While she'd grown up in the Midwest and spent time in California, she was currently living in Boston, employed as a social worker and indulging an enthusiasm for flying in her spare time. Although she was still honing her skills, her tall, lean beauty, capped with a tousled jazz-age bob, caught Putnam's attention. The previous year the publishing exec had rushed out Charles Lindbergh's bestselling 'We,' which detailed Lindy's solo flight across the Atlantic; he was hoping to achieve a similar success for Earhart. Would she be willing to hitch a ride with a crew that summer? Shapiro then circles back to their biographies. Earhart was born into a solidly middle-class family in Kansas, close to her younger sister, Muriel, but her father's job failures and alcoholism uprooted the Earharts, undermining the girls' educations. Earhart was full of mischief and adventure, a natural leader with a modesty instilled by her mother, who was prone to invoking her Quaker background when it suited her. Despite financial insecurity, both parents encouraged their daughters to pursue their dreams, however unconventional — their feminist, progressive spirit guided Earhart like a compass. A stint in Toronto kindled her desire to fly. After another move to Los Angeles, she took lessons from a female instructor, learning basics, but it was a hobby compared to her chosen vocation. She was also juggling men, among them the boyish Sam Chapman, whose proposal she'd tentatively accepted, to a wealthy 64-year-old who showered her with pricey presents, such as an automobile. (Earhart was susceptible to luxury items, which Putnam later exploited). Shapiro's tone is conversational, luring us into a rich story about American media. Her portrait of Putnam is equally magnetic. A large, expansive man and junior partner in a dynastic firm, 'Gyp' had a knack for packaging authors as mass-market products, adept at negotiating deals from London to New York to Hollywood. His troubled marriage to Dorothy Binney Putnam, an heiress, did not restrain him from skimming her fortune to defray his expenses. He recruited Earhart to become the first woman to cross the Atlantic by air, though she spent the duration squeezed between gasoline tanks, 'feeling like a faker due to George's excessive promotion of her as a pilot.' Her return to the U.S. was a Putnam-orchestrated extravaganza that eclipsed the flight: 'Wherever Amelia went, she ignited a frenzy of excitement that not only enraptured audiences but also allowed George to revel in her reflected glory,' Shapiro notes. 'He was invigorated by her carefree and glamorous aura. Amelia was the 'it girl'... urbane, relaxed, and effortlessly charming.' Their affair triggered Putnam's divorce, and the pair married in 1931, residing at his estate in Rye, N.Y. 'The Aviator and the Showman' is a lavish, layered narrative, a primer on early aviation and the transition of publishing from genteel carriage trade to an industry increasingly reliant on blockbusters. Putnam mastered the moment; to this day, corporations demand photogenic authors, high-stakes publicity, spreadsheet tweaks and magical thinking. From Big Five houses to small presses, from Amazon to Barnes & Noble to pocket independent stores: We are all descendants of George Putnam. Earhart never lost her eye for attractive men, though, tipping Shapiro into the occasional cliché or purple flourish. 'Captain Manning's handsome good looks and gentlemanliness greatly appealed to Amelia,' she writes. 'Sam Chapman who? Could a budding romantic connection from these intoxicating nights at sea grow after they docked?' Putnam was jealous of his wife's flirtations, and tinkered with her schedule accordingly. Shapiro chronicles the couple's reach, as Putnam stamped Amelia's imprimatur onto (white) American womanhood, a prototype still among us: role model for younger women, professional and practical, efficient by day, elegant by night. He spun her myth into fashion and merchandise, even a brief editorial gig at Cosmopolitan. (Earhart loved poetry but was no gifted writer herself.) They bought expensive cars, a stylish house in Toluca Lake and Amelia's signature Lockheed Electra. Dollar signs in his eyes, Putnam helped Earhart assemble a team for her 1937 global trek, including her trusted technical advisor Paul Mantz, and Fred Noonan, a seasoned navigator with a taste for liquor. The author's recreation of Earhart's final odyssey, manipulated by Putnam's controlling personality, will seem familiar, yet Shapiro teases out two factors: the Electra's faulty transmissions and Earhart's limitations (she never bothered to learn Morse code). 'The Aviator and the Showman' leaves no doubt about Earhart's disappearance: She misjudged her gasoline reserves, panicked and crashed near tiny Howland atoll. The wreck of the Electra sits on the Pacific's floor, Shapiro asserts, at a level deeper than the ruins of the Titanic. One reporter's 'most scathing critique was directed toward George Palmer Putnam, whom he saw as motivated more by profit than by his wife's safety, a sentiment fueled by seeing cabled messages pressuring Amelia to hasten her journey for a lucrative radio deal.' Putnam's post-Earhart life was a roller coaster of cash woes and notoriety; the following year he staged his own kidnapping, alienating his stodgy publishing community. His appetite for publicity was insatiable. 'The Aviator and the Showman' reveals the magnitude of our celebrity worship, the wonder of what we don't understand. Shapiro captures the thrill of a leap into the unknown, recalling the works of Jon Krakauer and Sebastian Junger. Cain is a book critic and the author of a memoir, 'This Boy's Faith: Notes From a Southern Baptist Upbringing.' He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
