this post was submitted on 23 Jul 2026
495 points (99.6% liked)

politics

30600 readers
2236 users here now

Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!

Rules:

  1. Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.

Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.

Example:

  1. Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
  2. Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
  3. No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
  4. Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
  5. No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.

That's all the rules!

Civic Links

• Register To Vote

• Citizenship Resource Center

• Congressional Awards Program

• Federal Government Agencies

• Library of Congress Legislative Resources

• The White House

• U.S. House of Representatives

• U.S. Senate

Partnered Communities:

• News

• World News

• Business News

• Political Discussion

• Ask Politics

• Military News

• Global Politics

• Moderate Politics

• Progressive Politics

• UK Politics

• Canadian Politics

• Australian Politics

• New Zealand Politics

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
outrageousmatter@lemmy.world
aidan@lemmy.world
jordanlund@lemmy.world
little_cow@lemmy.world
Theonetheycall1845@lemmy.world
JuBe@lemmy.world
Lasherz12@lemmy.world
495
GOP lawmaker arrested after allegedly sexually abusing a middle schooler in a classroom (www.lgbtqnation.com)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 4 days ago) by Sunflier@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world
107 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Pritt was initially elected to the state House as a Democrat in 2022 but changed his political affiliation to Republican the year after. Republican Party chair Elgine McArdle said in a statement that Pritt had realized that the “Democratic Party of today is not the Democratic Party that our parents grew up with.”

State Republicans have filed numerous bills seeking to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender minors, ban trans student-athletes from playing on sports teams that match their gender identity, and nullify cities’ non-discrimination ordinances.

In 2023, Pritt voted for a ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth. State Sen. Mike Azinger (R) said that the bill was needed because gender is “self-evident” and that the bill was needed to stop doctors who want to “chop up a child,” even though gender affirming surgery is almost never performed on minors and the bill banned non-surgical interventions.

Why is it always the ones you most suspect?

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 9 points 5 days ago (1 children)

FYI - A lot of the discussion here about the headline is now irrelevant that the source saw the light and corrected it:

"GOP lawmaker arrested after allegedly sexually abusing a middle schooler in a classroom"

OP - If you can update your headline to match, that would be great!

And, yes "having sex" in this context, is rape apology.

[–] Sunflier@lemmy.world 9 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

I'd gladly do so if you add an expressed permission in the rules to guaruntee that some other mod in the future doesn't bjtch about making that sort of change (especially if this happens again to another article down the road). Add text to rule 1. Like add a rule 1a that says something like:

The original poster may update their Lemmy post's titles to match an updated article title ONLY IF the origional source has updated the article's title subsequent to the original posting on Lemmy.

Make that change, and I'll happily update it. I just want to shield myself and future posters from arbitrary and capricious moderators.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

We require submissions match the source headline.

The title in the original source changed, it's on you to make sure your title stays updated.

If you're in reading comments, you can double check and fix the title at the same time.

[–] Sunflier@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

The title in the original source changed, it’s on you to make sure your title stays updated.

If you’re in reading comments, you can double check and fix the title at the same time.

Is that explicit in the rules? My point is that, while YOU or the current mod team in this exact moment might allow for the change in this specific instance, it would be helpful to memorialize that if/when this happens again in the future.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

It IS explicit in the rules, first rule in fact:

"Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments."

[–] Sunflier@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

I followed the rules exactly. The title of my post was an exact match for the article at the time of posting. After reader complaints, the news source decided to change it after the post on Lemmy was made. My point is that it would be helpful to have an adendum (that 1a bit above) that shields people for when that happens. Like, what if they change the title, it gets updated on Lemmy, then it changes again?

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

At the time of posting, and after a bunch of complaints I'm sure, based on the discussion here ALONE, the original source editorially corrected the headline.

You should have the common sense to do the same, if you don't, I can just remove the post.

[–] Sunflier@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

I'm not arguing about removing or not removing the post. Hell, I am not arguing about wether to change the title. I already changed it. I am raising the concern about future instances. This has the potential for repeatability, and mods cycle in and out. That makes the instant title change concern or statement from you (one mod) an inherently subjective application

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It's always tricky, but thanks for updating it!

The real problem are the "live" stories that update the headline every time you turn around.

The only solution is to watch it continually and update where applicable,

But I never outright remove something without giving the OP a heads up and a reasonable amount of time to fix it.

[–] Sunflier@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

So, that 1a thing I suggested is a no?

[–] aesthelete@lemmy.world 54 points 6 days ago (9 children)

"having sex with"

Nope, he raped a child.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 13 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, WTF?

[–] velma@sh.itjust.works 10 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

There's people unironically defending the use of the phrase "having sex with a middle schooler" in this very thread.

This shit is so common is nauseating.

[–] SaraTonin@lemmy.world 11 points 6 days ago

At least they didn’t go with the newest “ugh” term - “underage woman”. If she’s underage, she’s not a woman

load more comments (7 replies)
[–] plz1@sh.itjust.works 113 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I just sent this to their contact us page.

This article https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/07/gop-lawmaker-arrested-after-allegedly-having-with-middle-schooler-in-a-classroom/ Titled as "allegedly having sex with middle schooler" is trash rape culture wording. You cannot "have sex" with a child. That is rape. Period, Your readers expect better than to white wash crimes against children like this. Statutory rape is rape. Sex with a child is rape. There is no consent, and thus, no obligation for you to sugar coat article wording like this. Please do better.

[–] velma@sh.itjust.works 52 points 6 days ago

I sent a message through their contact page as well. Thank you. I hope they respond appropriately.

I’m surprised they allowed this to be published as is considering the source.

[–] StupidBrotherInLaw@lemmy.world 13 points 6 days ago (1 children)

They changed it to 'allegedly sexually abusing.'

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 20 points 6 days ago

"Democratic Party of today is not the Democratic Party that our parents grew up with.”

Joins the Republican party and rapes kids.

[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 17 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

PEDO PARTY

If Dems were good at messaging, which they aren't, they'd blast this everywhere imaginable to make the name really stick.

If Republicans can make the public believe Haitian immigrants were cooking and eating people's pets then Dems can make people believe something that's pretty obvious at this point.

[–] Malyca@lemmy.zip 10 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Dems are complicit controlled opposition

[–] buddascrayon@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago

I used to think this was an exaggeration. I am no longer that naive.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] QueenHawlSera@piefed.social 27 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Still not a trans person

[–] Thebeardedsinglemalt@lemmy.world 14 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Still not a drag queen

[–] axx@slrpnk.net 13 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Still a Republican.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 7 points 6 days ago

Still a MAGA.

There are no Republicans anymore, that was just their larval stage before they morphed into their final form - MAGA. They're all MAGA now. Republicans should only be referred to in a historical, scholarly context.

[–] SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago

Also still not an atheist?

[–] habitualcynic@lemmy.world 13 points 6 days ago

That’s called rape and pedophilia. Coward ass journalists today.

[–] Manjushri@piefed.social 15 points 6 days ago

“While every person is entitled to the presumption of innocence and due process under the law, charges involving the exploitation and abuse of children strike at the core of the public trust,” Holstein said. “The people of his district deserve representation that is beyond reproach, and these allegations make it impossible for him to effectively serve.”

Yes, he should resign from office for the good of the party. It's very hard to bury this kind of thing while the rapist is still in office.

Also, yet another one for the pile:

Republican Sexual Predators, Abusers, and Enablers Pt. 61 - 1500 and counting.

[–] cavitationfetishist2@quokk.au 24 points 6 days ago (3 children)

Why is every conservative a pedophile?

I remember the conservative men I knew in childhood, and they were all woke by modern standards. Some beat their wives bloody, one spent a friend's college fund on sex workers (jokes on him; last I heard she was the best in the business and the rest of us got student debt), several were known rapists, my aunts talked about office parties being 'dangerous', and marital rape was just kind of an assumption.

But so few of them were pedophiles. Like I completely avoided being raped as a child. What happened? Was I just an unfuckable kid? Were all my friends whose families weren't religious just unfuckable kids?

[–] psycotica0@lemmy.ca 8 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I'm sorry you had to find out this way, but yes, you were an extremely unfuckable kid. I hacked into their mailing lists, meeting minutes, and records, and you would not believe how much time they spent talking about you. One of them said he was feeling very desperate once, and had an opportunity with you, but before he could go through with it he realized he was better than this and it turned his life around and fixed his low self-esteem. The meeting minutes made a point of highlighting that when he was discussing his rock-bottom moment, that he may stoop so low as to assaulting you, the assembled people audibly said "eww" and gasped. When he said he couldn't bring himself to do it, everyone applauded.

Sorry champ. But the good news is you grew out of it, like that classic kid's story, The Unfuckable Duckling!

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)
[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 18 points 6 days ago (2 children)

They forget the part where you need to be filthy rich to get away with this.

[–] hperrin@lemmy.ca 10 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Or a priest.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] godsammitdam@lemmy.zip 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Pedocon theory is a theory like gravity at this point.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] BigMacHole@thelemmy.club 8 points 6 days ago

DEMONRATS are just ANGRY he's not One of THEM now! FREE PRITT! He did NOTHING wrong!

-Republicans!

load more comments
view more: next ›