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Donald Trump, who still believes he’s never lost an election and that windmills are still trying to kill him, loves to tell people he’s a “stable genius.” Yet if he wants to see what an actual genius can do, he should watch Jimmy Kimmel. Lauren Boebert made the mistake of trying to go toe to toe with Kimmel after he made fun of her in a segment a few days ago. 

Boebert called Jimmy Kimmel sexist for making a joke about her. This is rich coming from someone who voted against the Violence Against Women Act and said the Equal Rights Amendment should be “thrown out like rotten milk.” The reaction on Twitter was swift, with people railing against Boebert for blaming rape victims for their own assaults by not being armed and saying rape victims should be forced to carry their rapist’s child. Oh, and the fact that her husband exposed himself to children. 

I wondered how Jimmy would respond. Yet rather than going directly after Boebert, Kimmel simply used her own words to illustrate to everyone what a joke she is. The videos she makes are utter nonsense, such as claiming Fauci likes to watch puppies being eaten alive. Jimmy’s crew showed clips of her videos to passersby on the street and asked them if they thought Saturday Night Live went too far in their parody of her.  

Their reactions are priceless. 

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Turns out TikTok isn’t just for funny dance videos and political content. The platform is helping to spread awareness of important social issues—viral content on TikTok is even saving lives. A teenager who was kidnapped was found after using a distress signal, popular on TikTok, that was picked up by a driver. The unidentified 16-year-old girl went missing in North Carolina on Nov. 2 and was found in Kentucky two days later.

“The complainant was behind the vehicle and noticed a female passenger in the vehicle making hand gestures that are known on the social media platform ‘Tik Tok’ to represent violence at home — I need help — domestic violence,” the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The missing girl told police officials she had traveled with the man through North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. Police arrested the man, identified as 61-year-old James Herbert Brick, for unlawful imprisonment and possession of child pornography.

According to The New York Times, while the girl and Brick are not related, they were “acquaintances.” Brick had taken the girl to his family in Ohio, but left after the family learned that the girl was a minor and had been reported missing by her family.

After being rescued, she told Gilbert Acciardo, public affairs officer for the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, that she had begun trying to get the attention of motorists in Ohio. While it is not clear how many people saw her do the gesture, Acciardo noted she even did the gesture when deputies pulled the car over.

“I don’t think any of us realized what that was,” he said. “But we certainly do now.”

Acciardo told the Times that investigators believe Brick thought she was simply waving at other cars and didn’t attempt to stop her. “This is probably the best thing I’ve seen come along in the 48 years I’ve been a patrol officer,” Acciardo said, speaking of the use of the symbol.

The gesture is part of a campaign called “Signal for Help” that spread across social media in 2020 in efforts to spread awareness of the rise in domestic violence amid pandemic lockdowns.

According to the United Nations, cases of domestic violence and abuse increased by at least 20% during lockdowns. Additionally, several studies worldwide found a spike in domestic abuse since the start of the pandemic, with significant increases in calls to helplines compared to the same time frame the year before, Daily Kos reported.

Introduced by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, the gesture is a one-handed symbol in which one’s hand is up, palm is out, and thumb is tucked in with the other fingers folded over it. The symbol, which quickly went viral on social media, has been adopted by women around the world who need to discreetly ask for help, or show they are in distress.

Multiple videos have been made to act out situations in which the symbol can be used and to help bystanders understand how to recognize it. One popular video garnered more than 3.5 million views and 130,000 shares, in which a woman demonstrates how to subtly use the signal while on a video call with a friend.

According to The New York Times, the Canadian Women’s Foundation advises that those who see the signal should not necessarily immediately call the authorities, but should instead reach out safely, if possible, to the person who used it.

“It is a relief to hear that somebody was able to use the signal in a very dangerous situation, and that somebody knew how to respond,” Andrea Gunraj, the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s vice president of public engagement, told the Times.

“We’re very aware that as many as these situations that you might hear about in the news, there’s going to be thousands more that will never make the news that will be shrouded in silence because they happen behind closed doors,” Gunraj added.

According to BuzzFeed News, this isn’t the first known case in which the signal was successfully used. Two other instances have been reported, including one in which popular YouTuber Om Sayf made a video in which she said she would be quitting YouTube. During the video, Sayf made the hand signal. Gunraj confirmed with BuzzFeed News that Sayf is safe.

In the second case, a person told the foundation they saw someone use the signal on a Zoom call. While the signal has been successful, Gunraj noted that it is only the first step in helping individuals in harms way.

“The signal itself is not the action,” Gunraj told BuzzFeed News. “The action is all of us being aware of gender-based violence and being nonjudgmental responders … We have to be ready to respond.”

Watch an explanation on how to recognize and do the signal for help below:

If you or someone you know is experiencing any form of violence, resources are available 24/7 at the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization.

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U.S. District Judge Judith Levy approved on Wednesday a $626 million settlement to the residents of Flint, Michigan in a settlement Levy wrote was “a remarkable achievement.”

“It sets forth a comprehensive compensation program and timeline that is consistent for every qualifying participant, regardless of whether they are members of a class or are non-class individuals represented by their own counsel,” Levy noted.

Of the hefty settlement, $600 million will be coming from the state of Michigan for shifting the city of Flint’s water supply from Detroit’s system to the Flint River to save money. Officials prioritized profit over people and blatantly ignored residents’ concerns in a clear case of systemic racism, as noted by the state’s Civil Rights Commission. It took until 2015 for Flint to switch its water supply back to Detroit’s system after Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha’s research revealed that children’s blood lead levels doubled when drinking from water provided by the Flint River.

The effects of the crisis linger as lead pipes continue to be replaced, pipes continue to be excavated and inspected, and residents remain distrustful. It’s been just five years since Flint’s water finally met federal guidelines and continues to do so. Sadly, the crisis in Flint is only unique in that it reached levels of national and international attention. Other communities in Michigan like Manistee and Benton Harbor have grappled with their own crises, as have cities around the country and even entire states. Lead contamination is so widespread that one study shows nearly half of U.S. children have detectable levels of lead in their blood, the majority of whom live at or below the poverty line, in majority-Black communities, or in houses built before 1950.

Progress is finally being made in tackling this nationwide crisis that effects some of the most underserved communities. The Infrastructure Act allocates $15 billion for lead pipe remediation. It reserves an additional $9 billion to be used in fighting “emerging contaminants” like perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which can accumulate in humans and cause health problems. According to some experts and activists, $15 billion makes a dent in the lead crisis but falls short of the estimated $60 billion needed to replace lead pipes completely.

U.S. Water Alliance Policy and Government Affairs Director Scott Berry called the measure “transformative for some communities” in an interview with Slate. Once Biden signs the bill into law on Monday, the battle against contaminants like lead shifts to yet another major piece of legislation. The Build Back Better Act earmarks $5 billion for lead remediation and healthy housing funding. It also prioritizes major housing justice initiatives that go beyond just removing toxic substances from homes. It’s one of the many reasons that lawmakers must prioritize this bill and pass it with the urgency the crises it aims to tackle deserve. Call on lawmakers to get it done and pass the Build Back Better Act.

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Democrats are on the verge of flipping a Republican-held seat on Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, one of the state’s two intermediate appellate courts with members elected statewide. Democrat Lori Dumas, a judge in Philadelphia, currently leads Republican Drew Crompton by more than 17,000 votes in the race for the crucial second slot (the top two vote-getters both win), though the contest will head to an automatic recount since the margin is under 0.5%. Given the large gap in raw votes, however, it would be almost impossible for the outcome to change.

Two spots on the court were up for election earlier this month: Crompton’s, since he was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2019, and one held by another Republican, Mary Hannah Leavitt, who chose to retire. Heading into the election, the GOP held a 7-2 advantage on the court. Because Republican Stacy Wallace finished in first place, once Dumas’ victory is confirmed, that advantage will drop to 6-3.

It will soon shrink further because one of the court’s other members, Republican Kevin Brobson, narrowly won a seat on the state Supreme Court on Nov. 2. That means Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf will be able to fill the impending vacancy, though since anyone he nominates would need to be confirmed by the Republican-held state Senate, he might prefer to leave the seat open rather than accede to a compromise candidate (which is precisely what Crompton was two years ago).

While most traditional appeals in Pennsylvania are handled by the state’s other intermediate court, known as the Superior Court, the Commonwealth Court hears cases brought against the state and other governmental bodies. Its most crucial area of jurisdiction is election law, where it often acts as a trial court—meaning lawsuits must be brought there initially—rather than an appellate court. Its rulings therefore tee up cases for the state Supreme Court, which Democrats control 5-2 and has frequently acted to guarantee voting rights in recent years.

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When it comes to basic rights and protections, we know that trans folks suffer when compared to cisgender people. Whether it’s about bathroom access, the chance to play sports, or accessing safe, gender-affirming medical care, trans people have fewer protections and rights than cisgender people. And it’s a difference that exists only on paper, either; trans people also report high rates of transphobic and discriminatory experiences while seeking medical help, even for reasons that have nothing to do with gender identity. We’ve celebrated some recent wins, lately, but unfortunately, sometimes those wins come with a step backward.

A recent example comes to us out of Oklahoma. Republican Governor Kevin Stitt directed the State Department of Health to cease issuing birth certificates with a nonbinary option, as reported by Tulsa World. Mind you, the agency has already agreed to issue inclusive birth certificates as part of a civil case settlement. But Stitt, apparently, isn’t willing to let nonbinary folks have even a little bit of dignity.

In Stitt’s executive order, which he issued on Monday, Nov. 8, he directs the agency to remove any references on its website to amending birth certificates that he feels are inconsistent with state law. He went on to encourage the state legislature (which returns next year) to pass a bill specifying that a nonbinary birth certificate option goes against state law.

And if you’re hoping to give the first-term governor the benefit of the doubt, he made his stance pretty clear. As reported by local outlet KFOR, Stitt said he believes God created people to be male or female “period” and that there is “no such thing as nonbinary sex.” 

“I wholeheartedly condemn the OSDH court settlement that was entered into by rogue activists who acted without receiving proper approval or oversight,” he said in a statement issued after Lorelied’s victory.

As some background, Kit Vivien Lorelied, a nonbinary person who uses they/them pronouns, filed a lawsuit against the health department in the summer of 2020. The department had denied Lorelied’s request to have their name and sex updated on their birth certificate in 2019. The agency said it could change Lorelied’s name, but that a nonbinary sex option was not possible. In the end, the department issued Lorelied a correct birth certificate, with the nonbinary designation, in October of 2021.

Why is a birth certificate so important? Just think about all of the scenarios in which you need to show one. Job applications, housing applications, applying for a new or updated form of identification, like a passport or a driver’s license… The list goes on. Having an accurate legal document is so important on a literal level, not to mention the importance of validation and affirmation when it comes to emotional well-being and a sense of self. Inconsistencies can also “out” people, which can open folks up to discrimination and violence.

A number of states now allow people to have nonbinary identities reflected on official documents, and the U.S. State Department even recently announced it had issued its first nonbinary passport. Dozens of countries around the world also issue nonbinary passports. 

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We’re now in the make nice to Sen. Joe Manchin phase of legislating President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better (BBB) plan. At least, that’s the message House Democrats have been sent. The House is gearing up to return next week to try to pass BBB, the $1.75 trillion package written to address economic inequality as well as climate change, with programs to help families, provide expanded home- and community-based health care, and incentivize green technologies. Oh, and cut taxes for everyone except the top 1%, who would pay more. All of which Manchin has a problem with.

“In private, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has counseled her House colleagues not to insult Manchin, Democrats say,” to CNN. “And she has spoken positively about her relationship with the West Virginia Democrat, who gave her a statue of a coal miner this year in a gesture toward their efforts to help those workers with their pension problems, according to a person who heard her remarks.”

That admonition is going to severely test fellow Democrats, including Manchin’s Senate colleague Debbie Stabenow from Michigan. Manchin’s latest demand is dropping the $4,500 boost to the tax incentives for electric vehicles that are union-made in the U.S. Toyota, Tesla, and Honda all oppose that boost. Manchin announced that he’s opposed to it as well at an event at a Toyota plant in West Virginia Thursday.

At the event, Manchin called the union-made tax credit “wrong” and “not American.” He used the old Republican talking point that, “We shouldn’t use everyone’s tax dollars to pick winners and losers,” and went on to say that the union-made requirement is “not how we built this country.” Which is news to the unionized miners in West Virginia who’ve helped get him elected. This is where Stabenow comes in, as she represents plenty of unionized autoworkers.

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Manchin should remember that when Stabenow—and Chuck Schumer, Sherrod Brown, Patty Murray, and Ron Wyden—all stood with him to protect the members of the United Mine Workers of American in West Virginia. He sent out a press release about it. “We must act now,” Manchin said at the time about his legislation to protect union mine workers.

“That’s why I’m joining my colleagues today—to call for the passage of my legislation that will ensure our miners and retirees can retire and live peacefully without the constant worry of losing their hard-earned pensions.” In other words, intervening to make sure that the workers in his state weren’t losers.

As Stabenow said this week, “At that time, some argued [Manchin’s] bill was unfair and was picking winners and losers. But we rejected that argument and stood together to protect union pensions,” she said. “This issue is no different. Standing up for hard-working Americans is always the right thing to do.”

Manchin’s colleagues stood by him to help his constituents, but he won’t work with them now to help everyone. At this point, House Democrats should be less worried about passing something that Manchin would agree to and pass something that maximizes help to the maximum amount of people. Then let Biden and Senate Democrats take care of him.

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Jessica Schneider at CNN is reporting that a federal grand jury has handed down an indictment for Steve Bannon. Prosecutors reportedly presented the indictment along with an arrest warrant to a federal judge on Friday afternoon. 

The need to empanel a federal grand jury would definitely explain where a lot of the time went since Bannon’s citation was referred by the House. 

NPR now has a story up on the indictment. Bannon is facing two charges of contempt, one for his failure to testify, another for his failure to turn over requested documents.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has issued a statement:

“Since my first day in office, I have promised Justice Department employees that together we would show the American people by word and deed that the department adheres to the rule of law, follows the facts and the law and pursues equal justice under the law, Today’s charges reflect the department’s steadfast commitment to these principles.”