Reporter allegedly attacked by man saying 'This is Trump's America now' | Colorado | The Guardian
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Colorado man arrested on suspicion of bias-motivated crimes and assault as hostility to journalists rises
A Colorado man attacked a TV news reporter while asking if he was a citizen and taunting him that this was life now in the US with Donald Trump's second presidency looming, criminal court documents allege.
The man, Patrick Thomas Egan, was arrested on 18 December in Grand Junction on suspicion of bias-motivated crimes, second-degree assault and harassment.
Egan is supposed to appear in court on 2 January to see if formal charges have been filed.
According to police, Egan, 39, followed the car of the KKCO/KJCT reporter Ja'Ronn Alex, who later told police he believed he was targeted because he is Pacific Islander.
An arrest affidavit in the case said Egan arrived by taxi, pulled up next to Alex - who was on an assignment at the time - at a stoplight and asked: "Are you even a US citizen? This is Trump's America now! I'm a Marine and I took an oath to protect this country from people like you!"
The affidavit described Egan as tackling Alex and putting him in a headlock before Egan "began to strangle him", causing co-workers to run out and help.
According to the documents, witnesses said Alex looked like he was struggling to breathe during the attack, which was caught on surveillance, the Associated Press reported.
While the alleged assault appears isolated, a hostile political environment to news media has seen Trump calling the news media "the enemy of the people", a "threat to democracy", "fake" and "crooked bastards". He deployed such rhetoric during his first presidency from 2017 to 2021 and as he successfully sought a return to the White House in November's election.
The Freedom of the Press Foundation in November said it had recorded 75 assaults on journalists since 1 January this year - a 70% increase over 2023.
A recent survey of journalists undertaking safety training provided by the International Women's Media Foundation found that 36% of respondents reported being threatened or experiencing physical violence - and 28% reported legal threats or action against them.
Yet nearly a quarter (23%) of Americans surveyed did not regard political attacks on journalists or news organizations as a threat to press freedom. Among them, 38% identified as Republicans compared to just 9% as Democrats, the City University of London reported.
Those findings coincide with a separate Associated Press-NORC center for public affairs research poll which found most American adults are tired over the news industry's coverage of politics.
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The Associated Press contributed reporting
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So now the MAGA nuts are calling for hanging journalists by wearing it on their T shirts.
If he was a Marine he was probably drummed out of the Corps on a section 8.
Vigilantism at it's finest. Trump's nasty-master plan is coming together: Lie about everything and then tell his followers what to believe. So what if it is different things on different days. Gives a whole new character to the devil made me do it .
Shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the oath that he swore :
Without dickhead even in office yet, this will be his defence, i'm guessing. It is amazing, how this antithesis of what a US President used to be, is now somehow accepted as a leader, and it is just fkn crazy the lengths his followers, his defenders, his excusers, his they who won't call him out as they explain he is under attack by the incessant lefty's who won't ever give him a break as they are paranoid snowflakes exaggerating all that he does. SO, in other words, Trumps' CULT with the burdening chore of defending this indefensible {POS} that can't seem to quit fckin up this once great country while pushing every envelope, into his pockets, as he robs US All of so much more than the Billions he and like oligarchs determine, all as he was voted in by people his agenda will soon be devastating, but, in an indirect mannerism where as selective enforcement and punishments will be dealt out, so he can lie some more to the pooras heclaims to be living up to his campaign lies. We truly are a nation in serious decline, and the Republican Party owns it, so defend away there is a chore to be done, as Trumps' Culture has grown shrunken heads US in the absolute Wrong direction, all while he and like minded billionaires plot a direction to their benefit, and to the people, EAT SHIT !
... like any active or former service member that supports the traitor elect. prison will be the safest place for him.
I think it’s more than a fundamental misunderstanding, Thomas. I question if this asshole was ever a Marine.
Exactly, Iggy.
Agree.
Probably washed out of basic training but still feels entitled to call himself a Marine
Well, you know, it takes all kinds
The true problem is Donald Trump is, in his every way, transacting (along with Musk) that the way to get their 'missions and aspirations' for the country accomplished is not true liberal values (which they both have tried on and then walked away from holding), but instead through some conservative values. Conservative values which many (it turns out) are "negotiable" and dismiss-able. That is, when the two men could not change (what they could not do) in the democratic party. . . they discovered the republican party was 'stressed and ready' to oblige. (The moving of barriers and mountains of legalese, politics, and even where necessary policies obstructing their path.)
MAGAs do not respect liberals. Many (not all) of them pretend to engage in discussion with liberals. (Call it what it is: Stalling for time.)
MAGAs consider themselves the principled and moral 'Americans.' They consider liberals unprincipled and immoral 'Americans.' MAGAs consider themselves 'strict father/parenting models' of success (Archie-bunkerism types) and liberals as (obscene) 'nurturer' (Tree-hugger types). Thus, MAGAs do not listen to us. Hell, they really do not even want to TALK to us.
Officially, we are dismissed before we even bother to open our digital 'mouths.'
The above explains what it is Trump and Elon sat on the 'throne' of: The 'iron-throne' of MAGA!
Let your imagination go where THAT leads.
Or Conduct Unbecoming
The idiots have won.
meh, they have to survive the next 4 years like everyone else ...
For the time being, JR. I’m fairly sure that MAG is going to crash and burn before the end of Trumps 4 years.
their stupid fucking hero isn't even president yet, and the maga morons are already at each others throats ...
laughably predictable based upon their past electoral history. let the party purge begin ... ... bfd.
It will be very enjoyable, Devan.
I'm thinking Trump will crash and burn before 4 years.
Like last time, if democrats take over the House for midterms, he will no longer have republicans blocking him from getting impeached....again.
The sad thing is you are probably right, the democrats in the house are too fucking stupid to govern so they will probably try that ignorant bullshit.
based upon the last 2 years in the maga majority house, an incredibly idiotic comment ...
Since they didn't piss away 2 years impeaching a president without the Senate, they are a factor of 10 more intelligent than the communist fucktard party.
Which impeachment do you disagree with? Keep in mind that for both impeachments, Trump's team never made the claim that he didn't do what he was charged with.
I disagree with any prosecutor (democrats) retarded enough to bring a case to a Jury (Senate) that they can't get a conviction. Democrats house members were retarded sheep led astray by an equally retarded media driven witch hunt. the only good thing is the POS Vindman got kicked to the curb and ostracized by his peers to the point he had to retire with his tail between his legs like the little bitch he was.
So by your logic, if a president did do an impeachable offense, the other party should just let it slide if the other party has a controlling interest in the Senate.
The President should not do things that are not ethical, moral, or legal. But according to you, no one should say a thing if conviction is not assured. Nice system you have there.
I would love to see the defense of that statement.
So you agree that it wasn’t an impeachable offense and shouldn’t have been brought.
The defense is the actual statement, the republicans have controlled the house for 2 years and weren’t stupid enough to impeach a president on a charge they couldn’t prosecute in a democrat senate.
Not at all. You should practice reading more.
Last I knew, the "communist fucktards" were not a controlling interest in either house.
And the Republican house couldn't impeach Biden because it had no findings of impeachable offenses against him. See how that works?
If the evidence clearly shows that the crime, or action was committed, why would you not want to bring the case forth? Stating that they should not bring the case forth because the Senate had a republican majority and so would refuse to convict no matter the evidence, would be a dereliction of their duty.
For which impeachment? The one where Trump himself admitted to the quid pro quo demand with Ukraine, or the one where republicans refused to allow any evidence to be presented about the 1/6 insurrection?
Do you have any evidence whatsoever that Vindman was not completely truthful?
Do these clowns have any idea what journalists, I'm talking True Journalists, actually do ? They used to be the front line in exposing wanna be dick tater tots, and government corruption.
Now we have faux fux who act asz cheerleaders for Court cheaters and candidates that should be in prison. What the FCK...
Who says words don't have consequences?
You’ll see a million excuses that Trump is not responsible from MAGA, Trout.
I'll agree with this much, but what he IS responsible for, is the irresponsibility of datt, datt ability which like diss, is a unique disability he has afflicted, afflicted it like a big ole mucus laden while crusted, boogie, and knot tied to his pathetic ymca dancin homosexual rousing dance moves, cause guilty feats ain't got know rhythm meth ods to his maddness, like cauliflower ears of corny fruits that suits like law, as law suits the naked emperor jest fine, cause a Trump Joker, accordingto many, has not a line, he cannot cross to bear whilst he bows to the Bose speaker in the House, representative of an irresponsible louse trying to fondle a blouse as he rips the shirts off the backs of the pour it on thick, cause he's just plain and simply, iz an irresponsible dick !
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Wasn't it 2 African Americans. attacking attacking an African American last time?
It was a paid for attack by the alleged victim, but many still think there are gangs of MAGA hat wearing white supremist wandering Chicago in subzero temps.
Funny how many people still support the "victim" in that case.
Amazing what people will believe.
Why would somebody support that J bag ? I assume you are talking about the actor who paid others to pretend pummel ?
I don't know why but you know there is some fool who does.
77+ million verified gullible morons at last count as of 11/6/24 ...
And the remainder still think the DEI hires was a viable candidate.
Let’s get back on track, the article isn’t about Smolette or anything other than this asshole who for some reason thinks he is America’s new protector using Trumps BS as his excuse.
This is what he said and did, is it his business if the guy is a citizens or not, no it’s not, but self ID bigots like him think he does. So he claims to be a Marine, I doubt it I have friends and a number of family that are Marines, he doesn’t fit the mold. And what is ‘’people like him’’ to dark skinned, a reporter, or maybe a liberal that would be the tri fectra for a racist bigot like him. He seems to have forgotten that before his ancestors came to America from what ever shit hole county they did this country was dark skinned. He is the perfect example of a brainless, lying POS thinking now that Trump is his leader he can unleash all his bigotry.
This is what will sink America, not the color of a persons skin, or their political leaning, religion or no religion, their education or no education it is the bigotry that is still ingrained in America that will destroy her.
I've long been a proponent of democrats speaking to republicans in a language they understand, but I don't mean it literally ...
I have a really hard time talking to 5 year olds
same basic concept. if the troubled can associate their failures to perform with major traumatic experiences they'll remember for the next 70+ years, you'll find they eventually become much more cooperative and compliant.
Perhaps he should have banged on a drum while he screamed at a kid
That would have been the smart thing to do but we are talked about a bigot so he tried to prove he was a bad ass and choking the guy out, now he faces charges…Oh well, a dumb ass MAGA proves he is one step beyond stupid and a bigot.
... not exactly unique these days.
Interesting conversation.
It appears that the public (or at least NT's little subset of it) is getting close to coming to grips with the fact that it is now "Trump's America".
Trump (or rather the Heritage Foundation and other such dedicated fascists) will move hard and fast to wreck the rule of law, presenting themselves - and their gun-totin' allies - as the last rampart against chaos.
The courts will be ever more densely packed by dogma-before-law Federalist Society judges, ensuring that killer cops are never punished, and collusion between corporations and politicians is unhindered.
There may be an "other side of this desert"... but I can't see any way to get there.
Have you ever read Sinclair Lewis's "It Can't Happen Here"? For a book written in 1935 it's prophetic
Sadly, the closest I ever got to Sinclair Lewis was the movie Elmer Gantry . I wasn't sure who was who, between him and Upton Sinclair...
I subscribe to Borowitz's free tier. When this came trough, I knew you'd like it:
Democracy Dies in Bezos
Ann Telnaes , Pulitzer-winning cartoonist for the Washington Post since 20
08, quit the paper this week after her editor killed her cartoon depicting WaPo owner Jeff Bezos and other craven billionaires debasing themselves before Donald J. Trump.
This act of censorship, of course, isn’t an outlier: anticipatory obedience to fascism has risen ominously in recent months. It began with WaPo and the Los Angeles Times spiking endorsements of Kamala Harris, only to be outdone by Disney, who gifted Trump $15 million instead of fighting his flimsy defamation claim in court. Oh, and let’s not forget Joe and Mika’s humiliating field trip to Mar-a-Lago.
I don’t know Ms. Telnaes but I admire her work, integrity, and courage. I’m publishing the rough draft of her cartoon above in the hopes that you’ll share it. If enough people do, it will reach a larger audience than if her WaPo editor had had the cojones to run it. Actually, given how many subscribers have fled the paper in recent months, reaching a larger audience than the Washington Post isn’t a daunting task
I read Elmer Gantry, also, tho a long time ago. Upton Sinclair is the author of the The Jungle which criticizes the Chicago meat packing industry.
Ms Telnaes is brave. There was nothing else she could but quit. We are frogs in a pot of water on the stove.
I'm afraid so.
Fascism?
Yeah... that's not completely batshit crazy or anything....
Maybe.... just maybe.... Occam's Razor being what it is and all... You don't run a cartoon showing your boss on his knees while you accuse him of having no morals.
I'm sure 1920s Italians, 1930s Germans, 1930s Spaniards,... and all the others... also mocked the idea of becoming fascist dictatorships.
You think the US will become a fascist dictatorship under trump? Lol,
Trump has clearly stated that that is his intent. I hope he fails, but I wouldn't bet that way.
Do you have a link for that?
As mentioned many, MANY times, we've heard it all before,
Trying to figure out the Democrat/leftist's source for those crystal balls...........CLOUDY crystal balls
Easy.
Just listen to Trump himself, and his closest acolytes.
"Lock her up!": no evidence, no trial... just "Lock her up!" Opposition to Trump deserves prison.
Women's rights.
Project 2025.
Gay rights.
Do you not listen to your Glorious Leader? He said we'd never have to vote again.
Lol, i’m still waiting for “the end of democracy.”
Has he been inaugurated yet?
Jan 20 can't come soon enough to get rid of the dementia fool and his DEI hire sidekick.
day 1 on the countdown to the criminal/traitor's military parade ...
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I’ll be locking the article. It’s been up long enough and the comments are far off base from the premise of the article.