News
Anderson Cooper debunks hurricane conspiracy photo tweeted by Donald Trump Jr.
The CNN anchor says the picture was taken in 2008


Anderson Cooper (Screenshot via YouTube)
Anderson Cooper devoted nearly 10 minutes of his live CNN broadcast on Monday to debunking a hurricane conspiracy photo that was shared by Donald Trump Jr.
“Itās a shame that CNNās ratings are down 41%. Whatās worse is thereās a simple solution that they refuse to accept. Stop Lying to try to make @realDonaldTrump look bad,” Trump Jr. tweeted along with a photo which shows Cooper standing waist-deep in water while filming a report for CNN. A crew member is seen standing above him in much shallower water.
Itās a shame that CNNās ratings are down 41%. Whatās worse is thereās a simple solution that they refuse to accept. Stop Lying to try to make @realDonaldTrump look bad. https://t.co/O3XyWchsJh pic.twitter.com/BCUCxKnOvO
ā Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 16, 2018
Gavin J. Smith, a former Trump AdministrationĀ official, also tweeted out the photo writing “Absolutely disgraceful! Apparently #HurricaneFlorence wasnāt devastating enough for @CNNās @andersoncooper ā so he had to exaggerate for his live shot. #FakeNews at its finest!”
Absolutely disgraceful! Apparently #HurricaneFlorence wasnāt devastating enough for @CNNās @andersoncooper ā so he had to exaggerate for his live shot. #FakeNews at its finest! pic.twitter.com/9pUJ6Ulgqf
ā Gavin J. Smith (@iamgavinjames) September 15, 2018
The photo has become a meme for right-wingers on social media.
āI usually let conspiracy theorists go unanswered,ā Cooper says before listing the theories that he faked reporting on Sandy Hook and that he used a boy as a shield in Haiti.
Cooper slammed Trump Jr. sayingĀ āI know he considers himself an outdoorsman and pays a lot of money to be led to wildlife in Africa that he then kills. But Iām not sure if heās ever actually been to a hurricane or a flood.ā
āI didnāt see him down in North Carolina the last few days helping out, lending a hand,ā he went on. āBut Iām sure he was busy doing something important besides just tweeting lies.ā
Cooper explained that the photo was not taken during Hurrican Florence but during his coverage of Hurricane Ike in 2008.
āIāve covered hurricanes for about 14 years and it really does make me sad to think that anyone would believe that I would try to fake something or overly dramatize a disaster,ā Cooper says.
He breaks down the logistics of filming the segment saying that he chose to stand off the road in deeper water to both demonstrate the height of the water and to keep off the road and out of the way of rescue vehicles. He also plays clips from the segment that show Cooper walking into the flood waters.
āThe idea that I am kneeling in water to make it look deep is frankly, idiotic,ā Cooper says.
Cooper also notes that the photo isn’t from Hurricane Florence because the crew member seen in the photo isĀ CNN audio tech Doug Thomas who died in September 2007.
“The idea I am kneeling in water to make it look deep is idiotic.” @AndersonCooper debunks the lies being spread by Donald Trump Jr., and others who falsely claimed he and his team exaggerated the severity of Hurricane Florence. #KeepingThemHonest https://t.co/j2HptrYpe0 pic.twitter.com/zwfvIXCsIY
ā Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) September 18, 2018
Trump Jr. responded on Twitter saying that he never claimed the photo was from Hurricane Florence.
“If youāre going to spend 10 minutes crying about a meme you may want to make sure youāre actually right. Good article as it shows exactly what CNN does daily to sell false truth,” Trump Jr. writes. “CNN doing what they do best. Crying & Lying.@AC360 says I said it was a pic from Florence. Isaid no such thing.’evidence’ CNN provided doesn’t even reference Florence. You guys can’t even fact check a meme. The illusion created by the pic is illustrative of the bs you sell!”
If youāre going to spend 10 minutes crying about a meme you may want to make sure youāre actually right. Good article as it shows exactly what CNN does daily to sell false truth. https://t.co/dp9W5SNxUG
ā Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 18, 2018
CNN doing what they do best.
Crying & Lying.@AC360 says I said it was a pic from Florence
Isaid no such thing.āevidence” CNN provided doesn’t even reference Florence. You guys can’t even fact check a meme.
The illusion created by the pic is illustrative of the bs you sell! https://t.co/wnRSns1Thf
ā Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 18, 2018
Federal Government
Attorney details the harms of waiving anti-discrimination rules for religious universities
Incentives aligned for continuation of anti-LGBTQ discrimination

Democratic lawmakers re-introduced the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act on Friday, which marked the 13th anniversary of the 18-year-old New Jersey college studentās death by suicide after he was targeted with homophobic harassment by his peers.
The bill, which establishes cyberbullying as a form of harassment, directing colleges and universities to share anti-harassment policies to current and prospective students and employees, was introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (Wis.) and Patty Murray (Wash.), along with U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (Wis.), Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus.
Advocacy groups including the Tyler Clementi Foundation, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and The Trevor Project have endorsed the legislation, which comes as issues concerning anti-LGBTQ harassment in institutions of higher education have earned renewed scrutiny on Capitol Hill and beyond.
Earlier this month, the Washington Blade connected with an expert to discuss these and other subjects: Paul Southwick, a Portland, Oregon-based litigation attorney who leads a legal advocacy group focused on religious institutions of higher education and their treatment of LGBTQ and other marginalized communities.
On Tuesday, he shared a statement responding to Fridayās reintroduction of the Tyler Clementi bill, stressing the need for equal enforcement of its provisions in light of efforts by conservative Christian schools to avoid oversight and legal liability for certain federal civil rights regulations:
āWe are still evaluating the bill regarding how the bill would interact with the religious exemption in Title IX,ā Southwick said. āWe fully support the expansion of anti-harassment protections for students and corresponding requirements for educational institutions.ā
He added, āWe also believe that such protections and requirements should extend to students at taxpayer funded, religiously affiliated educational institutions, regardless of whether those institutions claim, or receive, an assurance of religious exemption from Title IX regulations” through the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.
Baylor Universityās unprecedented Title IX exemption
In response to a request from Baylor University, a conservative Baptist college located in Waco, Texas, the Education Department in July granted a first of its kind religious-based exemption from federal regulations governing harassment, a form of sex-based discrimination proscribed under Title IX.
Southwick explained that during the Obama administration, the federal government began to understand and recognize discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity as forms of sex-based discrimination covered by the statute. The Biden-Harris administration issued a directive for the Education Department to formalize the LGBTQ inclusive definitions under Title IX, with a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that is now underway at the agency.
Beginning with the Departmentās 2010 ādear colleagueā letter clarifying the administrationās view that discrimination against LGBTQ people constitutes sex-based discrimination under the law, Southwick said the pushback from religious schools was immediate. In the years since, many have successfully petitioned the Education Department for āexemptions so they can discriminate against queer, trans and non-binary people,ā but these carveouts were limited āto things like admissions, housing, athletics.ā
No one had argued that āfederally funded educational institutions [should] have no regulation by the federal government as to whether they’re protecting their students from harassment,ā he remarked ā at least not until the Baylor case.
Addressing the unprecedented move in a letter to the Department on September 5, U.S. Reps. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) urged the agency to āclarify the narrow scope of this exemption and assure students at religious institutions that they continue to have protections against sex-based harassment.ā
Southwick told the Blade other members of Congress have expressed an interest in the matter, as have some progressive nonprofit groups.
Asked for comment, a spokesperson for the Department confirmed receipt of the lawmakersā letter and said the agency will respond to the members.
The Departmentās issuance of the exemption to Baylor came despite an open investigation into the university by its Office of Civil Rights over a Title IX complaint brought in 2021 by Southwickās organization, the Religious Exemption Accountability Project (REAP), on behalf of a queer student who claimed she was subjected to homophobic abuse from other students while university officials to whom she reported the harassment failed to intervene.
It is not yet clear whether the agency will close its investigation as a result of its decision to exempt Baylor from Title IXās harassment rules.
Veronica Bonifacio Penales, the student behind the complaint against Baylor, is also a plaintiff in REAPās separate class action lawsuit challenging the Education Departmentās practice of waving Title IX rules for faith-based colleges and universities ā which, the plaintiffs argue, facilitates anti-LGBTQ discrimination in violation of the 14th Amendmentās equal protection clause.
The case, Hunter v. U.S. Department of Education, is on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
Other religious schools are likely to follow Baylorās lead
Southwick said the agencyās decision in the Baylor case āputs students at risk of harassment without a civil remedy against their school’s failures to properly address harassment,ā adding, āTaxpayer funded educational institutions, whether religious or secular, should never be permitted to escape oversight from OCR in how they handle anti-harassment claims from LGBTQIA+ or other students protected by federal non-discrimination law.ā
Buoyed by Baylorās successful effort, requesting exemptions to Title IX rules for purposes of allowing the harassment of LGBTQ students, faculty, and staff is likely to become routine practice for many of Americaās conservative institutions of higher education, Southwick said.
The nonprofit group Campus Pride maintains a list of Americaās āabsolute worst, most unsafe campuses for LGBTQ youth,ā schools that āreceived and/or applied for a Title IX exemption to discriminate against LGBTQ youth, and/or demonstrated past history and track record of anti-LGBTQ actions, programs and practices.ā
193 colleges and universities have met the criteria.
Many of the thousands of LGBTQ students enrolled in these institutions often have insufficient support, Southwick said, in part because āa lot of the larger civil rights organizations and queer rights organizations are very occupied, and rightly so, with pushing back against anti-trans legislation in the public sphere.ā
Regardless, even in Americaās most conservative schools like Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, Southwick noted that pro-equality students, faculty, and staff have pushed for change.
He added that while there are, no doubt, young people who harbor anti-LGBTQ views, āthey often become much more progressive the longer they’re in school, because there’s just queer people coming out everywhere, you know, and it’s hard to hate people who are your friends.ā
The powerful influence and role of financial incentives Ā
Southwick said meaningful reform at the institutional level is made more difficult by the reality that āfinancial incentives from the government and from the market are aligned to favor the continuation of discrimination.ā
āOnce the money stops flowing, they will almost all instantly change their policies and start protecting queer students,ā he said, but added that colleges and universities have little reason to change without the risk that discriminatory policies and practices will incur meaningful consequences, like the loss of government funding and accreditation.
Another challenge, Southwick said, is the tendency of institutions of higher education to often prioritize the wishes and interests of moneyed alumni networks, boards of trustees, and donors, groups that generally skew older and tend to be more conservative.
Southwick said when he and his colleagues at REAP discuss proposed pro-LGBTQ reforms with contacts at conservative religious universities, they are warned āover and over again,ā that ādonors will be angry.ā
Following the establishment of nationwide prohibitions against segregation and other forms of racial discrimination with passage of the federal 1964 Civil Rights Act and the U.S. Supreme Courtās decisions in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which applied to public schools, and Runyon v. McCrary (1976), which covered private schools, Southwick noted that āA lot of Christian schools and college colleges continued to deny admission to black students.ā
One by one, however, the so-called āsegregation academiesā would permanently close their doors or agree to racial integration, Southwick said ā buckling under pressure from the U.S. governmentās categorical denial of federal funding to these institutions, coupled with other factors like the decision of many professional associations to deny membership to their professors and academics.
Another important distinction, Southwick added: unlike Title IX, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ādoes not have a religious exemption.ā
Africa
South African police arrest seven men linked to kidnapping of Grindr users
Advocacy groups welcomed arrests, urged authorities to investigate other cases

South African LGBTQ organizations have welcomed the arrest of seven suspects linked to a series of kidnappings liked to Grindr.
Several Grindr users in South Africa in recent months have been kidnapped for ransom through the dating app.
The South African Police Service said the seven suspects were arrested following an investigation into the kidnapping of an 18-year-old Wits University student on Sept. 19.
SAPS said suspects demanded $1,500 for the student’s release. Authorities set up a sting operation and a breakthrough came on Sept. 20 when they identified an ATM where one of the suspects was expected to withdraw the ransom money. Officers placed one of the suspects under arrest as soon as he arrived, and he agreed to show them where the victim was being held captive.
“The student was reported missing the same day by his roommate. It is reported that he was lured to the suspects through a dating site called Grindr,” said SAPS spokesperson Brenda Muridili. “Afterwards, the police conducted surveillance and arrested one suspect as soon as he arrived. He then led the authorities to the Denver Menās Hostel (in Johannesburg), where they discovered the 18-year-old victim bound and unconscious. Six additional suspects were apprehended, and the victim was rushed to the hospital for medical attention.”
Muridili also said there is a high possibility that the suspects are further linked to 86 similar Grindr-related cases.
“We cannot rule out the possibility because this is not the first case of its kind,” said Muridili. “We have several cases that are being investigated.”
Access Chapter 2 Media Liaison Officer Mpho Buntse said the organization welcomed the arrest, but it still worried about why such incidents continue to take place.
“We congratulate SAPS in Johannesburg for acting swiftly in arresting seven homophobes who have been using Grindr, to terrorize and torture their victims. We believe that this arrest is a firm demonstration of the force’s commitment to confront crimes of this nature. As an organization, we have been vocal in calling for swift action, as many of these cases have been reported to the organization,” said Buntse. “However, we are deeply concerned at the sporadic nature of these syndicates. Not so long ago, we celebrated the arrest of the initial Grindr kidnapping and extortion group in the area of Johannesburg, which gave rise to this newly arrested group. It raises a sharp concern as to why these groups keep emerging.”
Gauteng Police in February arrested four men who they say used Grindr to extort and victimize LGBTQ people.
“We continue to call upon members of the community, gay men in particular to limit the use of the application where it poses threats, we further acknowledge the erotic justice due to queer persons and the freedom to associate without fear and prejudice,” said Buntse. “We also commend Grindr for listening to the call to strengthen the safety of the app.”
Out Human Rights Coordinator Sibonelo Ncanana echoed Buntse, but questioned why the police are not actively investigating similar cases in other provinces.
“We are happy that seven suspects have been arrested but we need that same swiftness that happened in Gauteng to also transpire in other provinces because there are other similar cases that have not been solved or investigated that involve Grindr,” said Ncanana. “This worries us a lot but we are grateful and appreciate the swift response of the police hopefully it will extend to other provinces.”Ā
Ruth Maseko of the Triangle Project said LGBTQ people continue to be targeted because of their place in society, even though Grindr and other dating apps have issued warnings to their users.
“Although no dating app is necessarily safe, LGBTIQ persons can be viewed by prospective suspects as easy targets because of the stigma surrounding orientation and identity,” said Maseko. “This means that it may be the thinking of perpetrators that LGBTIQ people will not report these incidents and give in to extortion.”
Virginia
New campaign challenges Va. guidelines for transgender, nonbinary students
Students4Trans planning rallies, walkouts across the state

A group of Virginia students have launched a campaign that challenges the state’s new guidelines for transgender and nonbinary students.
The Pride Liberation Project on Sept. 20 announced the formation of Students4Trans.
Students4Trans held a rally outside the Virginia Department of Education in Richmond on Sept. 22. Another rally will take place during the Virginia Beach School Board meeting on Tuesday.
The Virginia Department of Education in July announced the new guidelines for which Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked. The regulations, among other things, require parents to be informed of a student’s name and pronoun change, with the exception of āimminent risk of suicide related to parental abuse or neglect.ā
Arlington County Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools and Prince William County Schools are among the school districts that have refused to implement the guidelines.
The Spotsylvania County School Board announced last month that students are required to use the bathroom that aligs with their assigned sex, and parents could choose the names and pronouns their children use at school. Two parents in Virginia Beach have filed a lawsuit that seeks to force the cityās school district to implement the new guidelines for transgender and nonbinary students.
Students4Trans has organized a student walkout on Friday to protest the Spotsylvania County School Board’s new policies.
Michael K. Lavers contributed to this story.
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